TIAC
AMSA’s Concerns on Free Fall Lifeboat Safety
AMSA Published a Marine Notice alerting the maritime industry to findings of two recent accident investigations conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TIAC). These investigations have highlighted ongoing safety issues related to free-fall lifeboats and identified maintenance issues that the maritime industry should be aware of.
Chapter III, Regulation 20 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) requires operational readiness, maintenance, and inspection of lifeboats and rescue boats. Under applicable Australian law, owners and operators are responsible for implementing effective routines and procedures that meet SOLAS requirements. These incidents reinforce the need to ensure effective implementation of these processes.
AMSA continues to observe numerous defects and deficiencies related to ship’s lifeboats and liferafts. This is difficult to understand given the IMO and AMSA focus on risks associated with the incorrect operation and maintenance of survival craft.
Wire failure was the critical factor in both the Aquarosa and Da Dan Xia incidents. This highlights the importance of:
- Ships’ crews following established maintenance procedures and being vigilant and observant during all maintenance tasks.
- The examination of maintenance procedures to ensure they are effective.
- Effective crew familiarization and training, to minimise risk when crew are conducting test procedures and training drills.
Marine Notice 2/2014 highlighted the requirement for additional restraints to be installed on lifeboats during AMSA inspections. This requirement is a control mechanism that AMSA has implemented to reduce the AMSA inspector’s exposure to risk. It is recommended that these restraints be used anytime maintenance is being carried out on lifeboats. The continued cooperation of all owners, operators and masters is appreciated.
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