Safety is not a joke, and under-equipping a SOLAS lifeboat is not recommended

Open lifeboat VS Fully enclosed lifeboat

Ship life-saving equipment is a general term for special equipment and its accessories installed on board ships to rescue people who fall into the water or evacuate passengers when the ship is in distress. It is often called the last line of defense for human life safety at sea.

Open lifeboat

Open lifeboats lack a fixed canopy, so water can enter the boat in rough seas. In winds and waves above force 4-5, the occupants are vulnerable to the waves. If overturned, it is difficult for the occupants to right themselves. In cold or hot weather, the occupants may suffer from cold, heatstroke, or even death.

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Fully enclosed lifeboat

Fully enclosed lifeboat is equipped with a fixed rigid watertight top cover that completely covers the entire boat. It has good thermal insulation and watertightness, ensuring that the occupants are protected from cold, heat, wind, rain and waves. It also has a self-righting function, which can ensure that the engine continues to run after returning to upright position.

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Tips

• Open lifeboats no longer comply with SOLAS regulations and cannot be used on ocean-going vessels, but they can still be used on some inland waterways. A CCS certificate for the national standard is available.

• Exception: If only a lifeboat or raft (other than an inflatable liferaft) is replaced without replacing its launching appliance, or vice versa, the lifeboat, raft, or launching appliance may be of the same type as the one being replaced. However, the applicable conditions clearly limit the replacement of the lifeboat, raft, or launching appliance to a single replacement, and not a simultaneous replacement.