MSN 1676 (M) – GOV.UK

MERCHANT SHIPPING NOTICE

MSN 1676 (M)

The Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances for
Ships Other Than Ships of Classes III to VI(A))
Regulations 1999
The Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances for
Passenger Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations
1999

Notice to Shipowners, Certifying Authorities, Shipbuilders, Shiprepairers, Ship Masters and
Surveyors

Summary

This Notice advises all Shipowners, Shipbuilders, Ship Repairers, Ship Masters, Certifying
Authorities and Surveyors of the new 1999 Life-Saving Appliances Regulations.

Key Points:-

• This Notice forms an integral part of the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances for Ships

Other than Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations 1999; and the Merchant Shipping
(Life-Saving Appliances for Passenger Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations 1999.

• Schedules contained in this Notice are invoked by those Regulations and are therefore a statutory

obligation.

List of Schedules

Schedule 1:

General Requirements for all life-saving appliances

Schedule 2:

Lifeboats, rigid rescue boats and fast rescue boats

Part 1 General
Part 2 Lifeboats
Part 3 Partially enclosed lifeboats
Part 4 Totally enclosed lifeboats
Part 5 Lifeboats with self-contained air support system
Part 6 Fire-protected lifeboats
Part 7 Rigid rescue boats
Part 8 Rigid inflated rescue boats
Part 9 Free-fall lifeboats
Part 10 Fast rescue boats, rigid and rigid inflated

1

Schedule 3:

Inflated rescue boats and inflated boats

Part 1 General
Part 2 Inflated rescue boats
Part 3 Inflated boats (Non-SOLAS)

Schedule 4:

Liferafts

Part 1 General
Part 2 Inflatable liferafts
Part 3 Rigid liferafts
Part 4 Open reversible liferafts
Part 5 Inflatable liferafts (Non-SOLAS)
Part 6 Liferaft equipment (SOLAS)
Part 7 Automatic release hooks
Part 8 Float free arrangements
Part 9 Liferaft lights

Part 1 Marine evacuation system
Part 2 Training
Part 3 Means of rescue system

Schedule 5:

Marine escape systems and means of rescue system

Schedule 6:

Launching appliances and embarkation ladders

Part 1 General
Part 2 Lifeboat and rescue boat launching appliances
Part 3 Liferaft launching appliances
Part 4 Inflated boat launching appliances
Part 5 Embarkation ladders

Schedule 7:

Pyrotechnic signals and line throwing appliances

Schedule 8:

Lifebuoys and attachments

Part 1 General
Part 2 Rocket parachute flares
Part 3 Hand flares
Part 4 Buoyant smoke signals
Part 5 Line throwing appliances
Part 6 Information, instruction and stowage

Part 1 General
Part 2 Lifebuoys (SOLAS)
Part 3 Lifebuoys (610 millimetres)
Part 4 Lifebuoy self-igniting lights
Part 5 Lifebuoy self-activating smoke signals
Part 6 Lifebuoy buoyant lifelines

Schedule 9:

Lifejackets and attachments

Part 1 General
Part 2 Inherently buoyant lifejackets (over 32 kilogrammes)
Part 3 Inherently buoyant lifejackets (under 32 kilogrammes)
Part 4 Inflatable lifejackets
Part 5 Inflatable Civil Aviation Authority lifejacket
Part 6 Buoyancy aids

2

Schedule 10:

Requirements for immersion suits, anti-exposure suits and thermal protective aids

Part 1 Immersion suits
Part 2 Anti-exposure suits
Part 3 Thermal protective aids

Schedule 11:

General emergency alarm systems and public address systems

Part 1 General emergency alarm systems
Part 2 Public address systems

Schedule 12:

Buoyant apparatus

Schedule 13:

Survival craft equipment and rations

Part 1 First aid outfits
Part 2 Food rations
Part 3 Fresh water
Part 4 Sea-anchors

Schedule 14:

Training manuals and instructions for on-board maintenance

Part 1 Training manuals
Part 2 Instructions for on-board maintenance

Schedule 15:

Carriage of two-way VHF radiotelephone sets – exempting conditions

Schedule 16:

Symbols relating to life-savings appliances and arrangements

In this Merchant Shipping Notice –

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

a reference to a numbered paragraph is, unless otherwise stated, a reference to the
paragraph of that number in that Part;

a reference to a numbered section is, unless otherwise stated, a reference to the section of
that number in that Part;

a reference to a numbered Part is, unless otherwise stated, a reference to the Part of that
number in that Schedule;

a reference to a numbered Schedule, is unless otherwise stated, a reference to the Schedule of
that number in the Merchant Shipping Notice;

a reference to the Small Passenger Ships Regulations means a reference to the Merchant
Shipping (Life-saving Appliances for Passenger Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations
1999;

a reference to the Other Ships Regulations means a reference to the Merchant Shipping (Life-
saving Appliances for Ships Other Than Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations 1999.

3

SCHEDULE 1

Schedules 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES

1. Unless expressly provided otherwise, all life-saving appliances shall –

be constructed with proper workmanship and materials;

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

not be damaged in stowage in the air temperature range -30°C to +65°C;

be capable of operating in the sea water temperature range of -1°C to +30°C;

be rot-proof, corrosion-resistant, and not be unduly affected by seawater, oil or fungal attack;

be resistant to deterioration from exposure to sunlight;

be of a highly visible colour on all parts where this will assist detection;

be fitted with retro-reflective material where it will assist in detection and the dimensions
and location of the material shall be sufficient for this purpose;

be capable of satisfactory operation in a sea environment;

be clearly marked with approval information including the Administration which approved
it, and any operational restrictions;

1.10 where applicable, be provided with electrical short circuit protection to prevent damage or

injury; and

1.11

life-saving appliances which are subject to deterioration with age shall be marked with a
means for determining their age or the date by which they must be replaced. Permanent
marking with a date of expiry is the preferred method of establishing the period of
acceptability. Batteries not marked with an expiry date may be used if they are replaced
annually, or in the case of a secondary battery or accumulator, if the condition of the
electrolyte can be readily checked.

4

Small Passenger Ship Regulations

regs 5, 6 and 7

Other Ships Regulations

regs 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48,

63, 64, 65, 66, 68 and 69

LIFEBOATS, RIGID RESCUE BOATS AND FAST RESCUE BOATS

SCHEDULE 2

PART 1 – GENERAL

Definitions

1.

In this Schedule the following definition applies –

“Length of lifeboat or rigid rescue boat or fast rescue boat” means the length of the boat in
metres from the inside of the shell at the top of the stem to the corresponding point at the top
of the stern post; in the case of a boat with a square stern the length is measured to the inside
of the top of the transom.

2. Lifeboats, rigid rescue and fast rescue boats shall comply with the requirements of Schedule 1 and,

in addition, with the requirements of this Part.

General

Construction

3.1

Boats shall be properly constructed and shall be of such form and proportions that they have
ample stability in a seaway and sufficient freeboard when loaded with their full complement
of persons and equipment. Boats shall have rigid hulls and shall be capable of maintaining
positive stability when in an upright position in calm water and loaded with their full
complement of persons and equipment and holed in any one location below the waterline,
assuming no loss of buoyancy material and no other damage.

3.2

Boats shall be of sufficient strength to –

enable them to be safely lowered into the water when loaded with their full
complement of persons and equipment; and

be capable of being launched and towed when the ship is making headway at a
speed of 5 knots in calm water.

3.3

3.4

Hulls and rigid covers shall be fire-retardant or non-combustible.

Seating shall be provided on thwarts, benches or fixed chairs which are constructed so as to
be capable of supporting:

a static load equivalent to the number of persons each weighing 100 kilogrammes for
which spaces are provided in compliance with the requirements of Part 2 paragraph
2.3, Part 5 paragraph 2 or Part 8 paragraph 2.1 as appropriate;

a load of 100 kilogrammes in any single seat location when a lifeboat to be launched
by falls is dropped into the water from a height of at least 3 metres; and

a load of 100 kilogrammes in any single seat location when a free-fall lifeboat is
launched from a height of at least 1.3 times its free-fall certification height.

3.2.1

3.2.2

3.4.1

3.4.2

3.4.3

5