THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SHIPPING

The Merchant Shipping (Live Saving Appliances) Rules, 1991

(Shipping Wing)
New Delhi, the 22^nd August, 1991
(MERCHANT SHIPPING)
NOTIFICATION

G.S.R. 491—Whereas a draft of the Merchant Shipping (Life Saving Appliances) Rules, 1991 was published as required by Sub-section (1) of Section 286 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958) at pages 1555 to 1596 of the Gazette of India, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) dated 29.6.1991 under the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Surface Transport No.G.S.R. 387 dated the 27^th June, 1991, inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby within a period of thirty days from the date of publication of the said notification in the Official Gazette.

Whereas the said Gazette was made available to the public on the 7^th July, 1991 :

And whereas no objections and suggestions have been received from the public on the said draft ;

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m) and (n) of sub-section (2) of section 288 and sub-section (1) read with clause (k) of sub-section (2) of section 435 of the said Act, and in supersession of the Merchant Shipping (Muster) Rules, 1968 except as respect things done or omitted to be done before such supersession the Central Government hereby makes the following, rules, namely :-

SECTION-I
PRILIMINARY

1. Short title, commencement and application—(1) These rules may be called the Merchant Shipping (Life Saving Appliances) Rules 1991.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

(3) Subject to the provision of these rules.

(a) they shall apply to every Indian ship going to sea and every sea-going sailing vessel, the keel or which was laid on or after 1^st day of July 1986.

(b) they shall not apply to any such ship or sailing vessel the keel of which was laid before the 1^st day of July 1986 and the provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Life Saving Appliances) Rules, 1982 shall apply to such ships or sailing vessels :

Provided that the Director General of Shipping may, after the commencement of these rules require by order in writing, the owner of every such ship or sailing vessel having regard to any structural changes made in such ship or sailing vessel to comply with any or all of the requirement specified in these rules.

2. Definitions.—In these rules unless the context otherwise requires.--

(a) "Act" means the Merchant Shipping Act 1958 (44 of 1958)

(b) "approved" means approved by the Nautical Adviser to the Government of India.

(c) "certified person" means a person who holds a Certificate of Proficiency in s Survival Craft, issued under the authority of , or recognized as valid by, the Director General and includes a deck officer holding a certificate of competency and a person holding a certificate of efficiency as a life boatman issued under the Merchant Shipping (life Boatmen's Qualifications and Certificates) Rules, 1963:

(d) "embarkation ladder" means a ladder provided at a survival craft embarkation station which shall comply with the requirements specified in Part VI of the First Schedule;

(e) "embarkation station" means the area designated as such on board a ship from where the crew and passengers can embark a survival craft directly from that station;

(f) "emergency position indicating radio beacon" means a station in the mobile service the emissions of which are intended to facilitate search and rescue operations;

(g) "fair weather season" means,--

(i) in the Arbian Sea, the season beginning on and from the 1^st June and ending with the 31^st May; and

(ii) in the Bay of Bengal, the season beginning on and from 1^st December and ending with the 30^th April;

(h) Foul weather season" means,--

(i) in the Arabian Sea, the season beginning on and from the 1^st June and ending with the 31^st August; and

(ii) in the Bay of Bengal, the season beginning on and from the 1^st May and ending with the 30^th November;

(i) "float free launching" means the method of launching a survival craft whereby the craft is automatically released from a sinking ship and is ready for use;

(j) "free-fall launching" means the method of launching a survival craft whereby the craft with its complement of persons and equipment on board is released and allowed to fall into the sea without any restraining apparatus;

(k) "immersion suit" means a protective suit which reduces body heat loss, of a person wearing in cold water which shall comply with the requirements specified in Part IV of the Second Schedule;

(l) "IMO Code" means the code of practice for evaluation, testing and acceptance of prototype life saving appliances and arrangements adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation at its Thirteenth Session and as amended by the International Maritime Organisation;

(m) "IMO recommendation" means a recommendation on testing of life saving appliances adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation at its Thirteenth Session and as amended by International Maritime Organisation from time to time;

(n) "international voyage" means a voyage from or to a port or place in India to or from a port or place outside India;

(o) "launching appliance and arrangements" means a method of transferring a survival craft or rescue boat from its stowed position safely to the water, which shall comply with the requirements specified in the First Schedule;

(p) "length" means 96 per cent of the total length on a waterline at 85 per cent of the least moulded depth measured from the top of the keel, or the length from the fore-side of the stem to the axis of the rudder stock on that waterline, if that be greater. In ships designed with a rake of keel the waterline on which this is measured shall be parallel to the designed waterline;

(q) "lifeboat" means a boat which complies with the requirements specified in the Third Schedule;

(r) "liferaft" means a liferaft which complies with the requirements specified in the Fourth Schedule;

(s) "moulded depth", means,--

(i) the vertical distance measured from the top of the keel of the top of the freeboard deck beam at side. In wooed and composits ships the distance is measured from the lower edge of the keep rabbet. where the form at the lower part of the midship section is of a bollow character, or where thick garboards are fitted the distance is measured from the point where the line of the flat of the bottom continued inwards cuts the side of the keel;

(ii) in ship having rounded gunwale, the distance measured to the point of inter-section of the moulded lines of the deck and side shell plating, the lines extending as though the gunwale were of angular design;

(iii) where the freeboard deck is stepped and the raised part of the deck extends over the point at which the moulded depth is to be determined the moulded depth shall be measured to a line of reference extending from the lower part of the deck along a line parallel with the raised part;

(t) "muster list" means a list of the crew and passengers who are required to assemble at a given muster station;

(u) "muster station" means the area designated as such on board a ship or assembly of crew and passengers;

(v) "person" means a person above the age of one year and included ship's crew and officers;

(w) "rescue boat" means a boat designed to rescue persons in distress and to marshal survival caraft and complies with the requirements specified in the Fifth Schedule;

(x) "retro reflective material" means a material which reflects in the opposite direction a beam of light directed on it and complies with the requirements specified in the Sixth Schedule;

(y) "schedule" means any of the Schedules annexed to these rules;

(z) "short international voyage" means an international voyage in the course of which a ship is at any time not more than 200 nautical miles away from a port or place in which the passengers and crew could be placed in safety. Neither the distance between the last port of call in the country in which the voyage begins and the final port of destination nor the return voyage shall exceed 600 nautical miles. The final port of destination is the last port of call in the scheduled voyage at which the ship commences its return voyage to the country in which the "voyage began;

(za) "survival craft" means a craft capable of sustaining the lives of persons in distress from the time of abandoning the ship and includes a lifeboat and a liferaft;

(zb) "thermal protective aid" means a bag or suit made of water proof material with a low thermal conductivity and complies with the requirement specified in Part V of the Second Schedule.

3. Classification of ships—For the purposes of these rules—Indian ships going to sea and sea going sailing vessels, shall be arranged in the following classes, namely :-

A-Pasenger Ships

Class I- Passenger ships engaged on international voyages other than ships of Class III.

Class II- Passenger ships engaged onshort international voyages other than ships of Class IV.

Class III- Special Trade Passenger Ships engaged on international voyages.

Class IV- Special Trade Passenger ships engaged on short international voyages.

Class V- Special Trade Passenger ships (other than ships of Classes VI and VII) engaged on voyages other than international voyages.

Class VI- Special Trade Passenger ships engaged on voyages on the coasting trade of India during the course of which they do not go more than 20 nautical miles from the nearest land;

Provided that such ships shall not cease to be ships of Class VI merely by reason of the fact that they cross during their voyage the Gulf of Kutch Cambay or Mannar.

Class VII- Special Trade Passenger ships engaged on voyages in fair weather season between ports in India during the course of which they do not go more than 5 nautical miles from the nearest land.

Class VIII- Cargo ships engaged on international voyages.

Class IX- Cargo ships (other than ships of Class X) engaged on voyages which are not international.

Class X- Cargo ships engaged on the coasting trade of India (other than ships of Class IX) during the course of which they do not go more than 20 nautical miles from the nearest land.

Provided that such ships shall not cease to be ships of Class X merely by reason of the fact that they cross during their voyage the Gulf of Kutuch, Cambay or Mannar.

Class XI- Cargo ships engaged on voyages in fair weather between ports in India during the course of which they do not go more than 5 nautical miles from the nearest land.

Class XII- Tugs, tenders, launches, lighters, dredgers, barges and hoppers which go to sea.

Class XIII- Fishing vessels other than those specified in Class XIV

Class XIV- Sailing vessels including sailing boats or vessels solely engaged in fishing for profit.

Class XV- Pleasure Yatchchs.

SHIP REQUIREMENTS-PASSENGER AND CARGO SHIPS

4. Application—The provisions of this Section shall, unless otherwise expressly provided, apply to ships of class I to XII (both inclusive).

5. Evaluation, testing and approval of life saving appliances and arrangements—(1) Unless otherwise expressly provided in these rules, life saving appliances and arrangements carried by a ship shall not be approved unless they comply with the requirements of these rules and are tested in accordance with the IMO recommendations.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-rule (1), life saving appliances to be carried by every ship shall be of such quality and workmanship that they--

(a) are not likely to be damaged in storage throughout the air temperature range of – 30⁰C to + 65⁰C;

(b) operate throughout the sea-water temperature range of – 1⁰C to 30⁰C, if they are to be immersed in sea-water during their use;

(d) are resistant to deterioration where exposed to sunlight;

(e) are of a highly visible colour on all parts to assist location of survivors or survival crafts;

(f) are fitted with retro-reflective material, and

(g) are capable of satisfactory operation in that environment if they are to be used in a sea way.

(3) Approval granted to any life saving appliance or arrangements may be withdrawn by the Nautical Adviser to the Government of India if the performance of such appliances or arrangements is found not to comply with the conditions of such approval.

(4) In the case of ships built outside India or acquired by Indian owners as second-hand ships in which life saving appliances or arrangements provided have not been approved, the "surveyor shall certify, under intimation to eh Nautical Adviser to the Government of India, that such life saving appliances and arrangements comply with the requirements specified in these rules.

6. Equipment for safety communications—Every ship shall carry—(a) a portable radio telegraph equipment complying with requirements of Part II of the Seventh Schedule, which shall be stowed in a protected and easily accessible position, ready to be moved to any survival craft in an emergency and where lifeboats are stowed in widely separated positions fore and aft, such equipment shall be stowed in the vicinity of the lifeboats which are farthest away from the ship's main radio transmitter :

Provided that such equipment need not be carried if the radio [Telegraph Equipment complying with the requirements specified in Part I of the Seventh Scheduleis carried in atleast one lifeboat on each side of the ship or in the lifeboat capable of being free fall launched over the stern of if the ship is engaged on voyages of such duration that in the opinion of the Director General such portable radio equipment is not necessary.

(b) Such an emergency position indicating ratio beacon, which shall be in accordance with the requirements specified in part III of the Seventh Schedule, so stowed with a flat free arrangement that as far as practicable the radio beacon shall float free and actuate automatically the transmission of distress signals when the ship sinks;

(c) An emergency position indicating radio beacon for survival craft, which shall be in accordance with the requirement specified in Part IV of the Seventh Schedule stowed in a protected and casily accessible position in the ship ready to be moved to any survival craft in an emergency;

(d) On each side, one manually operated locating device which shall be in accordance with the requirements specified in Part V of the Seventh Schedule so stowed that it can be readily placed in any survival carft other than the liferaft or liferafts required by sub-rule (6) of rule 36;

(e) On board, at least three 2-way radio telephone equipments, which shall be in accordance with the requirements specified in Part VI of the Seventh Schedule so as to provide communication between survival carft, ship and rescue boat;

(f) An emergency 2-way communication equipment for communication between emergency control stations, muster and embarkation stations and other strategic positions on board which may be fixed or portable or both and shall be in accordance with the requirements specified in Part VII of the Seventh Schedule;

(g) A general emergency alarm system in accordance with the requirement specified in Part VIII of the Seventh Schedule for summoning crew and passengers to muster list and shall be supplemented by either a public address system or other suitable means of communications;

(h) Not less than 12 rocket parachute flares in accordance with the requirements specified in Part IX of the Seventh Schedule, stowed on or near the navigational bridge.

7. Personal life saving appliances.—(1) Every ship shall carry lifebuoy which shall conform with the requirements specified in Part I of the Second Schedule and shall be ;-

(i) so distributed as to be readily, available on both sides of the ship and as far as practicable on all open decks extending to the ship's side atleast one shall be placed in the vicinity of the stern;

(ii) so stowed as to be capable of being rapidly case loose and not permanently secured in any way;

(iii) so stowed that at least one lifebuoy on each side of the ship shall be fitted with a buoyant life line in accordance with the requirements specified in the said Part I and shall be equal in length to not less than twice the height at which such lifebuoy is stowed above the waterline in the lightest sea-going condition, or 30 meters whichever is greater:

(iv) marked in block capitals of the Roman alphabet with the name and port or registry of the ship on which it is greater:

(2) Not less than one-half of the total number of the lifebuoys provided in every ship shall be fitted with self igniting lights in accordance with the requirements specified in Part XIII of the Seventh Schedule, out of which two shall also be provided with self-activating smoke signals in accordance with the requirements specified in Part XII of the said Schedule and be capable of quick release from the navigation bridge;

(3) Lifebuoys with lights and lifebuoys with light and smoke signals provided in every ship shall be equally distributed on both sides of the ship and shall not be one of the lifebuoys provided with life lines.

(4) Every ship shall carry :-

(a) lifejackets for every person on board or as the case may be for the number of persons the ship is certified to carry, in accordance with the requirements specified in Part II of the Second Schedule;

(b) sufficient number of lifejackets for persons on watch and for use at remotely located stations in accordance with the requirements specified in Part II of the said schedule;

(c) life jackets suitable for children for every child on board, or as to the case may be 10 per cent of the number of persons the ship is certified to carry conforming to the requirements specified in Part III of the said Schedule.

(5) All lifejackets shall be so placed as to be readily accessible and their positions shall be clearly indicated and where due to particular arrangements of the ship, the lifejackets provided under Clause (a) of sub-rule (4) are likely to become inaccessible; alternative provisions shall be made and where necessary, the number of lifejackets to be carried shall be increased.

(6) Every ship shall carry on board an immersion suit of appropriate size for every person assigned to crew the rescue boat.

8. Muster list and emergency instructions.—(1) The muster of every ship shall provide clear instructions to be followed in the event of an emergency to every person on board.

(2) The muster of every ship shall exhibit a muster list in accordance with the requirements specified in the Eighth Schedule in conspicuous places throughout the ship including the navigation bridge, engine room, crew accommodation and where applicable passenger accommodation.

9. Operating instructions—on every ship poster or signs shall be provided on or in the vicinity of survival craft and their launching controls and shall--

(a) illustrate the purpose of controls and the procedures for operating the appliances with relevant instructions and warning where necessary;

(b) be easily seen under emergency lighting conditions; and

10. Manning of survival craft and supervisions.--

(1) Every ship shall be managed by :-

(a) sufficient number of trained persons for mustering and assisting untrained persons;

(b) sufficient number of certificated persons for operating the survival craft and launching arrangements required for abandonment by the total number of person on board;

(c) a certificated person in charge of each survival craft and in case of the lifeboats a certificated person shall also on board;

(2) Number of the certificated person referred to in sub-rule (1) shall in no case be less than that specified in the following table :

TABLE

____________________________________________________________
Complement of Minimum number
survival craft of certificated persons
____________________________________________________________

--less than 40 persons 2

--40 persons or more but less
than 60 persons 3

--60 persons or more but less
than 80 persons 4

--80 persons or more 5
____________________________________________________________

Provided that the Nautical Adviser to the Government of India may permit persons competent in the handling and operation of life crafts to be placed in change of life rafts in lieu of persons specified in clause (b) of sub-rule (1).

(3) On every ship:--(a) the person in charge of the survival craft shall be provided with a list of the survival craft crew and it shall be the duty of the person in charge of the survival craft to ensure that the crew under his command are acquainted with their duties;

(b) where a lifeboat is required to carry radio telegraph installations, a person capable of operating such installation shall be assigned to such lifeboat.

(c) a person who is capable of operating the life boat engine and capable of minor adjustments thereto shall be assigned to every lifeboat.

(4) The master shall ensue that persons referred to in sub-rule (1) are distributed equitably among the ship survival craft.

(5) Every person forming the crew of a ship shall be in possession of a certificate indicating that he has attended an approved course on "Survival at Sea".

11. Survival Craft muster and embarkation arrangements.—(1) On every ship muster stations shall be arranged close to the embarkation stations with sufficient space to accommodate all persons assigned to muster at that station.

(2) Muster station and embarkation station shall in addition--

(a) be readily accessible from accommodation spaces and work areas;

(b) be illuminated in accordance with Part VII of the First Schedule; and

(c) where survival crafts are provided with launching devits be so arranged as to enable a person on a stretcher to be placed in survival crafts.

(3) On every ship embarkation ladder shall be provided at least at every two adjacent launching stations, so however that there shall be at least one embarkation ladder on each side on the ship.

(4) On every ship painters shall be provided for bringing the survival craft launched by a devit against ship's side and holding the same alongside so that persons can be safety embarked.

12. Launching stations.—On every ship launching stations for survival craft shall be arranged in such positions,--

(a) that they can be launched safety with particular regard to clearance from the propeller and steeply over changing portions of the hull; and

(b) that, as far as possible survival crafts, except survival craft specially designed for free fall launching, can be launched down the straight side of the ship and if located forward they shall be abaft the collision bulkhead in a sheltered position.

13. Stowage of survival craft.—(1) Lifeboats and life rafts for which launching appliances are required to be provided under rule 15, shall be stowed as close to accommodation spaces and work areas as possible.

(2) Each survival craft shall be stowed,--

(a) so that neither the survival craft nor its stowage arrangements interferes with the operation of any other survival craft or rescue boat at any other launching station;

(b) as near the water surface as is safe and practicable and, in the case of survival craft, other than a life craft intended for throw overboard launching, be in such a position that the survival craft in the embarkation position is not less than 2 meters above the water line with the ship in the fully loaded condition under unfavorable conditions of trim and listed up to 20 degree either way, to the angle at which the ship's weather deck edge becomes submerged, whichever is less;

(c) in a state of continuous readiness so that two crew members can carry out preparation for embarkation and launching in less than 5 minutes;

(d) fully equipped as specified in Para 8 of part I of the Third Schedule in the case of lifeboats and Para 5 of Part I of the Fourth Schedule in the case of life rafts;

(e) as far as practicable, in a secure and sheltered position and protected from damage by fire and explosion.

(3) Lifeboats for lowering down the ship's side shall be stowed as far forward of the propeller as practicable to that :-

(a) on cargo ships of 80 meters length and above but less than 120 meters length, each lifeboat shall be so stowed that the after end of the lifeboat is not less than the length of the lifeboat forward of the propeller;

(b) on cargo ships of 120 meters length and above and passenger ships of above 80 meters length and above, each lifeboat shall be so stowed that the after end of the lifeboat is not less than 1.5 times the length of the lifeboat forward of the propeller.

(4) The ship shall be so arranged that lifeboats in their stowed position are protected from damage by heavy seas.

(5) All lifeboats shall be stowed attached to launching appliances.

(6) Devit-launched life rafts shall be stowed within reach of the lifting hooks, unless some means of transfer is provided which is not rendered inoperable, within the limits of trim and list specified in clause (b) of sub-rule (2) either by ship motion or by power failure.

(7) Every life raft shall be stowed with its painter permanently attached to the ship and with a float free arrangement as specified in the Ninth Schedule so that, as far as practicable, the liferaft floats free and if inflatable, inflates automatically when the ship sinks. In addition every liferafts shall be stowed as to permit release of the same manually from its securing arrangements :

Provided that the liferaft required to be provided on cargo ships under sub-rule (6) of rule 36 may be secured to permit release of the liferaft manually only.

(8) Liferaft intended for throw overboard launching shall be stowed as to be readily transferable for launching on either side of the ship unless life rafts of the aggregated capacity required are carried on each side of the ship.

14. Stowage of rescue boats.—(1) Rescue boats required to be provided under rule 26 and sub-rule (3) of rule 36 shall be stowed:--

(a) in a state or continuous readiness for launching in not more than 5 minutes;

(b) in a position suitable for launching and recovery; and

(c) so that neither the rescue boat nor its stowage arrangements will interfere with the operation of any survival craft.

(2) Where the rescue boat is also a lifeboat, then its stowage shall comply with the requirements specified in rule 13.

15. Survival Craft launching and recovery arrangements.—(1) Launching and embarkation appliances and arrangements shall be in accordance with the requirements specified in the First Schedule and shall be provided for all survival crafts, unless :--

(a) such survival crafts are boarded from a position on deck which is less than 4.5 meters above the waterline in the lightest sea going condition and the survival crafts:-

(i) either have a mass of not more than 185 kilograms; or

(ii) are stowed for launching directly from the stowed position under unfavorable conditions of trim of upto 10⁰ and with the ship listed not less than 20⁰ either way;

(b) Such survival crafts, having a mass of not more than 185 kilograms, are carried in excess of the survival crafts for 200 per cent of the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry.

(2) The launching and embarkation appliances and arrangements shall be so designed that the operator on the ship is able to observe the survival craft at all times during launching and in the case of lifeboats also during recovery.

(3) Only one type of release mechanism shall be used for similar survival crafts carried on board.

(4) Preparation and handling of survival craft on any lunching station shall not interfere with the prompt preparation and handling of any other survival craft or rescue boat at any other station.

(5) Illumination shall be provided as specified in part VII of the First Schedule.

(6) Means shall be available to prevent any discharge of water from overboard discharge pipes on to survival craft during abandonment.

(7) If there is a danger to the survival craft being damaged by the Ship's stabilizer wings, means shall be available powered by an emergency source of energy to bring the stabilizer wing in board, indicators operated by an emergency source of energy shall show the position of stabilizer wings on the navigation bridge.

(8) If life boats complying with the requirements of Part II and Part III of the Third Schedule are carried, a davit span shall be provided, fitted with not less than two life lines of sufficient length to reach the water with the ship in its lightest seagoing condition under unfavorable conditions of trim and with the ship listed not less than 20⁰ either way.

16. Rescue boat embarkation, launching and recovery arrangements.—(1) embarkation and launching arrangements for rescue boats shall be such that the rescue boats can be boarded and launched in the shortest possible time.

(2) Every rescue boat shall be provided with rapid recovery arrangements when such rescue boat is loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment.

(3) All rescue boats shall be capable of being launched with the ship making headway at speeds upto 5 knots in calm waters with or without the aid of painters.

(4) When the rescue boat is also a lifeboat.--

(i) the embarkation station and launching stations shall comply with the requirements of rule 11 or, as the case may be rule 12 and launching arrangements shall comply with the requirements of rule 15;

(ii) arrangements for rapid recovery shall be provided when the lifeboat is loaded with equipment and a crew complement of at least 6 persons.

17. Line throwing appliances—Every ship shall be provided with a line-throwing appliance in accordance with the requirements specified in the Tenth Schedule.

18. Abandon ship training and drills.—(1) Every ship shall be provided with a training manual complying with the requirements specified in the Eleventh Schedule, which shall be placed in each crew mess and recreation room. Sufficient copies of the manual shall be provided on the ship for the use of personnel in charge of survival crafts.

(2) On every ship of class I and II a muster of passengers shall be held within 24 hours of the embarkation and at every such muster every passenger shall be instructed in the use of life jackets and the action to be taken in an emergency:

Provided that if only a small number of passengers have embarked at a port after the muster has been held, attention of those passengers shall be drawn to emergency instructions specified in sub-rule (2) of rule 22.

(3) Every passenger ship shall conduct abandon ship drill and fire drill at least once in seven days and such drills shall comply with the requirements specified in the Twelfth Schedule.

(4) On passenger ships other than ships of Class I and III, a muster of the passenger shall be held on departure from port of embarkation and wherefore some unavoidable reason it is not possible to hold such muster, the attention of the passengers shall be drawn to the emergency instructions specified in sub-rule (2) of rule 22.

(5) Every ship shall hold for ships crew only, a practice muster, the abandon ship drill and the fire drill within 24 hours of the ship leaving a port if more than 25 per cent of crew have not participated in abandon ship and fire drills on board that particular ship in the previous month. Each member of the crew shall participate in at least one such drill every month. On ships which are engaged on voyages of less than 48 hours, such drills may be held in port.

(6) Every member of the crew, as soon as possible but not later than 2 weeks after he joins the ship shall be given on board training in the use of life saving appliances including survival craft equipment, the details of which shall be included in the training manual specified in sub-rule (1).

(7) The Master of every ship shall maintain record of :-

(a) dates when musters were held ;

(b) details of abandon ship drills and fire drills;

(d) details of one board training given to the crew members :

Provided that where it is not possible for a a full muster drills or training session to be held at the appointed time, the records shall indicate the circumstances thereof and the extent of the muster drill or training session held subsequently. Every such entry shall be made in the official log book maintained under Section 212 of the Act.

19. Operation readiness, maintenance and inspections.—(1) All life saving appliances shall be in working order and ready for immediate use on every ship when it leaves port and at all times during the voyage.

(2) Every ship shall be provided with an instruction book for on board maintenance of life saving appliances containing the general pattern specified in the Thirteenth Schedule.

(3) Wire falls used in launching survival craft in every ship shall be turned end for end at intervals of not more than 30 months and shall be renewed at intervals of not more than 5 years or at any time when deterioration of the falls deems it necessary. Every such changing of falls end for end or renewal of falls shall be recorded in the on board maintenance log specified in sub-rule (10).

(4) Every ship shall be provided with spaces and repair equipment for life saving appliances and their components as per recommendations of the manufacturer, or where no recommendations exist, to the satisfaction of the Central Government.

(5) On every ship weekly and monthly tests and inspections shall be carried out as detailed in the instructions for on board maintenance as specified in the Thirteenth Schedule

(6) On every ship all inflatable life jackets shall be serviced as per requirements specified in Part IV of the Fourth Schedule.

(7) On every ship, the inflated rescue boats shall be repaired and maintained in accordance with the manufactures instruction and permanent repairs where necessary shall be carried out at an approved service station; Provided that--

(a) Emergency repairs may be carried out on board the ship, and

(b) every such emergency repair is recorded as specified in sub-rule (10).

(8) On every ship the hydrostatic release units shall be serviced in accordance with the requirements specified in Para 4 of the Ninth Schedule.

(9) Periodical maintenance of any safety equipment may be carried out when a ship is at sea if the working order of the equipment is not affected for an appreciable period.

(10) An on board maintenance log shall be provided on every ship in which the muster shall record the periodical maintenance and emergency repairs carried out on life saving appliance and the result thereof. The date when subsequent permanent repairs were carried out shall also be recorded.

SECTION III – Passenger Ships

20. Application.—Every ship of Class I to VII shall comply with the requirements specified in rules 21 to 29, in addition to those specified in Section II.

21. Survival craft stowage and embarkation arrangements—On every passenger ship, survival craft embarkation arrangements shall be provided for :

(i) boarding and launching of the lifeboats either directly from the stowed position or from embarkation deck but not from both ; and

(ii) boarding and launching of liferafts from a position immediately adjacent to the stowed position or from a position to which the liferaft is transferred prior to launching in accordance with sub-rule (6) of rule 13.

(2) On every passenger ship embarkation arrangements for rescue boats shall be such that the rescue boat can be boarded and launched directly from the stowed position with the number of persons assigned as crew of the rescue boat.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), if the rescue boat is also a lifeboat and the other lifeboats are boarded and launched from an embarkation deck the arrangements shall be such that the rescue boat can also be boarded and launched form the embarkation deck.

(4) On every passenger ship all survival crafts, required to provide for abandonment by the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry, shall be capable for being launched with their complement of persons and equipment within a period of 30 minutes from the time the abandon ship signal is given.

22. Passenger Muster Stations.—(1) Every passenger ship shall provide passenger muster station for passengers,--

(a) in the vicinity of the embarkation station and unless the embarkation and the muster stations are in the same location, with ready access for the passengers to such muster station, and

(b) with ample room for marshalling and instructing the passengers.

(2) At every such muster station and other passenger spaces and cabin, illustrations and instruction, at least in Hindi and English and other appropriate language, shall be conspicuously posted to inform the passengers of --

(i) their muster stations,

(ii) the essential action they must take in an emergency; and

(iii) method of donning the lifejacket.

23. Lifebuoys.—Every passenger ship shall carry minimum number of lifebuoys in accordance with the following table :

The Table

_____________________________________________________________

Length of the passenger                                              Minimum number of
ship in meters                                                            lifebuoys required to
                                                                                                be fitted.
_____________________________________________________________

Less than 60 meters 8

60 meters and over but less
then 120 meters 12

120 meters and over but less
than 180 meters 18

180 meters and over but less
than 240 meters 24

240 meters and over 30

_____________________________________________________________

Provided that out of the minimum number of lifebuoys to be carried by a passenger ship of 60 meters in length or less, six shall be provided with self-igniting lights.

24. Lifejackets—Every passenger ship shall carry, in addition to the requirements specified in sub-rule (4) of rule 7, lifejackets for not less than 5 per cent of the total number of persons on board, stowed in conspicuous places on deck or at muster stations.

25. Lifeboats.—Every passenger ship shall carry lifeboats complying with the requirements specified in Part I of the Third Schedule, and shall, in addition, comply with the following, namely :-

(a) every lifeboat on ships of Class I and II shall comply with the requirements specified in Part II, Part III or Part IV of the Third Schedule ; and

(b) every lifeboat on ships of Class III to VII shall at least comply with the requirements specified in Part II of the Third Schedule.

26. Rescue boats.—Every passenger ship shall carry at least one rescue boat or a lifeboat complying with the requirements of a rescue boat on each side of the ship;

Provided that ships of less than 500 tons gross tonnage when carrying less than 30 persons may carry one rescue boat so placed that it can be launched on either side.

27. Liferafts.—Every liferaft on passenger ship shall be slowed with its pointer permanently attached to the ship and with a float free arrangement complying with the requirements of the Ninth Schedule. The arrangement shall be such that the liferaft shall float free and, if inflatable inflate automatically if the ship sinks.

28. Special requirements as to lifeboats and liferafts.—When a passenger ship of Class III, IV, V, VI, does not comply with the special standards of sub-division specified in Part IV of the First Schedule of the Merchant Shipping (Construction and Survey of Passenger ships) Rules, 1981, she shall carry the lifeboats and liferafts complying with the requirements of sub-rules (2) and (3) of rule 30 in lieu of the requirements specified in rule 32, 34, 35 and 36 of these rules.

29. Immersion suits, etc.—Every passenger ship shall carry, for each lifeboat of least 3 immersion suits and in addition a thermal protective and for every person the lifeboat is certified to carry, who are not provided with an immersion suit :

Provided that such immersion suits or thermal protective aids need not be carried--

(a) if the lifeboats comply with the requirements of Part II, Part III or Part IV of the Third Schedule or

(b) where the Director General is satisfied that provision of immersion suits or thermal protective aids in lifeboat on any passenger ship is not necessary.

30. Ships of Class L—(1) Every ship of Class I shall, in addition to the requirements specified in Section II, carry--

(a) on each side of the ship such number of lifeboats of such aggregate capacity to accommodate one half of the total number of persons the ship is certificate to carry, or

(b) lifeboats and liferafts in such number as would be sufficient to provide together the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry :

Provided that there shall be sufficient lifeboats on each side of the ship for accommodate at least 37.5 per cent of the total number of persons the ship is certificate to carry. The liferafts shall be served by launching appliances equally distributed on each side of the ship.

(c) carry liferafts of such aggregate capacity as to accommodate at least 25 per cent of the total number of persons on board, with at least one launching appliances on each side:

Provided that the stowage of liferafts provided under this clause need not comply with the provisions of sub-rule (6) of rule 13.

(d) carry sufficient number of lifeboats and rescue boats, so that not more than 6 liferafts need be marshaled by each lifeboats or rescue boat in providing for abandonment of the ship by the number of persons the ship is certified to carry.

(e) carry a radio telegraph equipment complying with the requirements specified in Part I of the Seventh Schedule in a lifeboat on each side of the ship when the vessel is certified to carry 1500 persons or more, or in at least one lifeboat when the ship is certified to carry 199 persons or more but less than 1500 persons.

(2) All lifejackets carried on every such ship shall be fitted with a light in accordance with the requirements specified in Part XIII of the Seventh Schedule

(3) Every such ship of less than 500 tons gross tonnage, when certified to carry not more than 200 persons, may in lieu of the requirement specified in sub-rule (1) shall carry on each side of the ship liferafts to accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry:

Provided that--

(i) where the liferafts cannot be readily transferred for launching on either side of the ship, additional liferafts shall be provided on each side to accommodate 150 per cent of the total number of persons, the ship is certified to carry.

(ii) if the rescue boats provided in compliance with the requirements of rule 26 is also a lifeboat, it may be included in the aggregate capacity;

(iii) sufficient number of survival crafts on each side of the ship so that in the event of any one survival craft being lost or rendered unserviceable, sufficient survival crafts shall be available on each side to accommodate total number of persons the ship is certified to carry.

31. Ships of Class II.—(1) Every ship of Class II Shall in addition to the requirements specified in Section II, shall carry :-

(a) lifeboats of such aggregate capacity as to accommodate at least 30 per cent of the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry distributed equally on each side of the ship;

(b) liferafts of such aggregate capacity that together with the lifeboats provided in accordance to clause (a), shall accommodate the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry with launching appliances equally distributed on each side of the ship; and

(c) lifrafts of such aggregate capacity as shall accommodate at least 25 per cent of the total number of persons the ship is certified to carry. such liferafts shall be served by at least one launching appliance on each side which may be those provided in compliance with the requirements of clause (b). Other equivalent approved appliances capable of being used on both sides to facilitate rapid embarkation into survival crafts in water may be provided in lieu of the launching appliance :

Provided that when a passenger ship of Class II engaged on short international voyages does not comply with the standards of sub-division specified in Part III of the First Schedule of Merchant Ship (Construction and Survey of Passenger Ships) Rules, 1981 such ships shall carry survival crafts complying with the requirements specified in sub-rule (1) of rule 30.

(2) Every such ship of less than 500 ton gross tonnage when certified to carry not more than 200 persons may in lieu of the requirement specified in a & b sub-rule (1) carry a liferaft and rescue boats as specified in sub-rule (3) or rule 30.

(3) Every such ship, which complies with the standards of sub-division specified in part III of the First Schedule</