Operational Guide · Registers & Logbooks

# Tender Operations: Service Boats for Passenger Transfer

When a SOLAS lifeboat is used as a tender to land passengers at a port without a quay, the lifejackets are often not worn but remain stowed on board: a choice that requires a documented risk assessment, not just established practice.

tender operations MSC.1/Circ.1417 service boats SOLAS tender

## Operational Explanation

In ports lacking a quay suitable for direct berthing, passenger transfer to/from the ship takes place by tender: service boats that may be dedicated craft or the ship's own SOLAS-type lifeboats, used in tender configuration. MSC.1/Circ.1417 provides specific guidelines for tendering operations (not applicable to passenger ships/craft certified for domestic service only).

A point often misunderstood: when a SOLAS-type lifeboat is used as a tender, passengers' lifejackets are typically not worn but remain stowed on board the tender itself; this practice requires a documented risk assessment or a specific ISM procedure justifying it, it is not a free choice by the crew. SOLAS-type lifeboats also intended for use as tenders undergo rigorous testing (trials in adverse sea conditions, a 3-metre drop test without structural damage, impact tests, self-righting tests in the event of capsize).

## Regulatory Reference

MSC.1/Circ.1417: guidelines for tendering operations, not applicable to passenger ships/craft certified for domestic service only. Requirement for a documented risk assessment or a specific ISM procedure when lifejackets remain stowed rather than worn during tendering with SOLAS lifeboats. A tendering operations log is required: dates/times, number of trips and passengers carried per tender, name of the mother ship, prevailing weather and sea conditions.

## Scope of Application

Every passenger ship carrying out tendering operations in ports lacking a quay suitable for direct berthing, whether with dedicated tenders or with SOLAS lifeboats used in tender configuration.

## Procedure / How to Complete It

1. Assess, before every tendering operation, the weather and sea conditions and their compatibility with a safe passenger transfer.
2. If SOLAS lifeboats are used as tenders with lifejackets stowed rather than worn, verify the existence of a documented risk assessment or a specific ISM procedure justifying this practice.
3. Brief passengers on embarkation, seating and behaviour to observe during the transfer, before every run.
4. Maintain a tendering operations log with date/time, number of trips and passengers carried per tender, mother ship, and weather and sea conditions.
5. Coordinate operations between onboard crew, tender operators and port authorities, with clearly assigned roles and responsibilities.

## Practical Example

Example: before starting tendering operations in a port lacking a quay, the Master checks the weather and sea conditions, confirms that the risk assessment relating to stowing lifejackets in the tender-lifeboats is up to date, and arranges the passenger embarkation briefing before the first run of the day.

## Real Cases

Using SOLAS lifeboats as tenders exposes the operation to a dual regulatory regime that is easy to conflate: the rigorous technical tests the lifeboat underwent at certification stage (drop, impact, self-righting) concern the craft itself and do not replace the specific operational risk assessment required when, in tender configuration, lifejackets remain stowed rather than worn by passengers.

## Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it
--- | --- | ---
Lifejackets left stowed during tendering without a documented risk assessment supporting this choice | Operational practice lacking a documentary basis, indefensible in the event of an incident | Always maintain an up-to-date risk assessment or a specific ISM procedure when adopting this practice
Tendering operations log not systematically updated for every run | Inability to accurately reconstruct who was aboard which tender at a given time | Update the tendering log for every single run, not as a day's-end summary
Tendering operations started without an explicit assessment of the current weather and sea conditions | Transfer conducted in conditions not adequately assessed, risk to passengers | Explicitly assess weather and sea conditions before every tendering session, not only at the start of the day

## PSC Observations

PSCOs may check for the presence of the tendering operations log, the existence of a risk assessment or ISM procedure for using SOLAS lifeboats as tenders, and the general consistency of procedures with the MSC.1/Circ.1417 guidelines.

## Operational Tips

- Do not treat the SOLAS lifeboat's technical certification as a substitute for the operational risk assessment required for its use as a tender.
- Update the tendering operations log run by run, always including the prevailing weather and sea conditions.
- Always brief passengers before boarding a tender, even for routes perceived as short or routine.

## Checklist

- Weather and sea conditions assessed before every tendering session
- Risk assessment or ISM procedure documented for stowing lifejackets, if applicable
- Passenger briefing on embarkation, seating and behaviour carried out before every run
- Tendering operations log updated for date/time, trips, passengers and weather/sea conditions
- Coordination between onboard crew, tender operators and port authorities defined with clear roles

## FAQ

What is MSC.1/Circ.1417?
IMO guidelines for tendering operations, not applicable to passenger ships or craft certified for domestic service only.
Why do lifejackets often remain stowed during tendering with SOLAS lifeboats?
It is a widespread industry practice, which nonetheless requires a documented risk assessment or a specific ISM procedure justifying it: it is not a free choice without a documentary basis.
What must the tendering operations log contain?
Dates and times, number of trips and passengers carried per tender, the name of the mother ship, and the prevailing weather and sea conditions.
🎬 Additional photos, videos and interactive diagrams for this topic will be available in a future version of the platform.

## Related Topics

Gangway Operations: Safety of the Accommodation Ladder Passenger Musters at Embarkation

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