Operational Guide · Registers & Logbooks

# Lifeboat Inspection (Inspection and Maintenance of Life-Saving Boats)

Weekly, monthly and the annual thorough examination of lifeboats: where most serious injuries during drills originate, and how to prevent them.

SOLAS Chapter III LSA Code lifeboat drill

## Operational Explanation

Lifeboats are among the SOLAS equipment most prone to serious accidents during drills, often due to release hooks not properly maintained or lowering/recovery manoeuvres carried out without the necessary precautions.

1 January 2024 update: free-fall lifeboats no longer need to undergo a launch test with the ship making way up to 5 knots in calm water, since this condition does not introduce significant additional dynamic loads on the launching appliance; for rescue boats under 700 kg, the launching appliance no longer needs stored mechanical power, provided it can be operated by one person.

2029 outlook: Resolution MSC.535(107) introduces ventilation requirements (≥5 m³/hour per person, operating for at least 24 hours, operable from inside) for totally enclosed lifeboats installed on board from 1 January 2029 onward.

MSC 111 update (May 2026): the Maritime Safety Committee adopted an amendment to the LSA Code governing the use of simulation equipment (wires, chains) for testing and maintaining the release systems of free-fall lifeboats, without having to carry out an actual launch into the water. The new paragraph 4.7.7 requires the test equipment to be designed with a minimum safety factor of 6, calculated on the maximum working load and the ultimate strength of the materials, to account for the shock load generated when the boat comes to an abrupt stop on the skid during the simulated launch. The amendment enters into force on 1 January 2028 and applies to new free-fall lifeboats installed from 1 January 2031.

## Regulatory Reference

SOLAS Chapter III, Regulation 20 (Operational readiness, maintenance and inspections) and LSA Code: weekly inspection (engine start, general check), monthly inspection with a detailed checklist, maintenance per manufacturer's instructions, and a thorough examination and load test of the release hooks at least every 5 years. For newly installed free-fall lifeboats from 1 January 2031, the new paragraph 4.7.7 of the LSA Code (MSC 111 amendment, in force from 1 January 2028) requires a minimum safety factor of 6 for the equipment used in simulated release tests without a launch into the water.

## Scope of Application

Every ship subject to SOLAS Chapter III fitted with lifeboats, rescue boats, and the associated launching/recovery appliances (davits, winches, on-load/off-load release hooks).

## Procedure / How to Complete It

1. Weekly inspection: start the lifeboat's engine for at least 3 minutes, check the general integrity of the hull and appliances.
2. Monthly inspection: check equipment, provisions, water, flares and the condition of the release hooks against a detailed checklist.
3. Verify that the release hooks have been maintained per the manufacturer's instructions and have undergone the five-yearly thorough examination with a dynamic load test.
4. Conduct the lowering and recovery drill with the crew, strictly following the safety procedure (no one on board during the under-load release test, except where specifically permitted).
5. Record every inspection, maintenance activity and drill in the log book/dedicated SMS register.
6. For newly installed free-fall lifeboats (from 2031), verify that the equipment used for simulated release tests meets the minimum safety factor of 6 required by the new par. 4.7.7 of the LSA Code.

## Practical Example

Example entry: "Monthly inspection of lifeboat no.1, 05.07.2026: engine started normally, equipment complete, release hook checked with no anomalies per manufacturer's checklist. No NC identified."

## Real Cases

Numerous serious and fatal accidents in the industry, some subject to in-depth investigation by maritime authorities, have been caused by malfunctioning on-load release hooks during lowering drills, with the crew on board at the moment of failure: these events led to the LSA Code amendments on release hooks (in force since 2013/2014) that impose stricter safety requirements on release mechanisms.

## Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it
--- | --- | ---
Crew on board during under-load release tests not specifically established as safe | Risk of serious or fatal injury in the event of a hook malfunction | Strictly follow the manufacturer's procedure and the SMS instructions on who may be on board during each phase of the drill
Monthly inspection carried out only by visual check, without a structured checklist | Latent defects (hook wear, corrosion) not detected | Always use the detailed checklist required by the SMS and the manufacturer
Five-yearly thorough examination of the release hooks neglected or overdue | Serious PSC deficiency, possible detention | Track the five-year deadline in the maintenance calendar together with the statutory surveys

## PSC Observations

PSCOs regard the functioning of lifeboats and their launching appliances among the priority operational controls: they often require a practical demonstration of engine start and, in some cases, of lowering. Anomalies in the release hooks or in maintenance documentation are high-severity deficiencies.

## Operational Tips

- Never deviate from the manufacturer's safety procedure during drills, even under time pressure.
- Keep a separate, clearly visible register of maintenance and thorough examination deadlines for the release hooks.
- Systematically train new crew members on the safety procedures specific to the hooks installed on board, which vary between manufacturers.

## Checklist

- Weekly engine/hull inspection carried out and recorded
- Monthly inspection with detailed checklist completed
- Five-yearly thorough examination of the release hooks not overdue
- Manufacturer's safety procedure followed during every drill
- Equipment (provisions, water, flares) checked and complete
- For newly installed free-fall lifeboats, the safety factor of 6 for the test equipment verified per the new par. 4.7.7 of the LSA Code

## FAQ

How often must the thorough examination of the release hooks be carried out?
At least every 5 years, with a dynamic load test, per the LSA Code and the manufacturer's instructions, in addition to routine weekly and monthly inspections.
What changed from 1 January 2024 for free-fall lifeboats?
The launch test with the ship making way up to 5 knots in calm water is no longer required, since this condition does not introduce significant additional dynamic loads compared with launching from a stationary ship.
Do rescue boats always require mechanical power for launching?
No: since 2024, rescue boats with a mass under 700 kg may have a launching appliance without stored mechanical power, provided it can be operated by one person.
What does the MSC 111 (2026) amendment introduce to the LSA Code for free-fall lifeboats?
A new paragraph 4.7.7 governing testing of the release system under load using simulation equipment (wires/chains), without an actual launch into the water, requiring a minimum safety factor of 6 for the test equipment. In force from 1 January 2028, applicable to new free-fall lifeboats from 1 January 2031.
🎬 Additional photos, videos and interactive diagrams for this topic will be available in a future version of the platform.

## Related Topics

Musters and Abandon Ship Drill Fire Drill and Fire Safety

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