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Country file
LIFEBOATS AND RESCUE BOATS, LAUNCHING APPLIANCES AND RELEASE
GEAR – IMO Resolution MSC.402(96)1

Administration Instructions to Recognized Organisations (ROs), ship

operators and service providers

MALTA
SERVICE PROVIDER AUTHORIZATION OPTIONS - MSC.402(96) YES NO COMMENTS
1 – Flag Administration delivers its own Authorization/Approval X
to Service Providers
2 – Flag Administration recognizes Service Providers authorized X
by other Flag Administrations
3 – Flag Administration recognizes Service Providers authorized X
by its Recognized Organizations

IACS UR ISO/PAS NOT

ADMINISTRATION INTERPRETS “MAKE AND TYPE” AS IN Z172 236783 KNOWN
X

Administration Guidance
Technica Notice SLS.2 Rev.2

RO´s authorized by the administration; ABS, BV, CCS, CRS, CLASSNK, DNVGL, IRS, KRS, LLOYDS, PRS, RINA, RS

1
IMO MSC.402(96) “Requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats
and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear” - entry into force 1 January 2020.
2
IACS Unified Requirement Z17/Rev14 - Procedural requirements for service suppliers (Mar 2019). “Make and type” means “make
and model of equipment”.
3
ISO-PAS 23678:2020 is an international standard covering training, assessment and authorization of LSA Service personnel. “Make
and type” means “make and category of LSA equipment having common characteristics”.
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Phone: +45 702 709 20 Email: info@cralog.com
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

LSA here refers to lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear.

1) There are different options to authorize Service Providers under MSC.402(96), in practical what does it
mean?

For options 2 and 3 as described in the table above:

Service Provider (SP) authorization option 2: any SP approved by Flag A is accepted on Flag B ships, since Flag B
recognises SP authorisation delivered by Flag A. In such case, SP does not need to be authorised namely by Flag A.
Refer to MSC.402(96), Section 7.4.3: “the Administration may accept or recognize service providers authorized by
other Administrations or by their Recognized Organizations.”

Service Provider (SP) authorization option 3: any SP approved by Recognised Organisation A is accepted for statutory
tasks on a ship classed by Recognised Organisation B, since the ship’ Flag Administration recognises SP authorisation
delivered by both ROs A and B. In such case, SP does not need to be authorised namely by the ship classification
society (RO B).

2) What is the IMO framework related to servicing, inspections, examination of LSA ?

· SOLAS Convention, Chapter III on Life-saving appliances and arrangements

o New Regulation III/20 and New Definition III/3.25, introduced by resolution MSC.404(96), IEF
January 2020
o Adopted in order to specify the requirements for servicing/examination of LSA and those (service
providers, manufacturers, crew) performing those tasks.
· Such requirements are now in Resolution MSC.402(96). It replaces previous guidance set in Interim
recommendation for Service providers, MSC.1/Circ.1277.

3) What are the documentary requirements when servicing/testing LSA?

In Resolution MSC.402(96) :
5.3 When thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair are completed, a statement
confirming that the lifeboat arrangements remain fit for purpose shall be promptly issued by the
manufacturer or authorized service provider that conducted the work. A copy of valid documents of
certification and authorization as appropriate shall be included with the statement.

This is the “Statement of Fitness”, issued with the logo of the SP and showing the SP Authorization by either a Flag
Administration or a Recognized Organisation (Class society).

4) What is the IMO framework related to Statutory surveys for LSA (Annual, renewal Surveys for
Equipment/Safety Certificate)?

The items to be examined during a statutory survey are listed in the IMO Survey Guidelines (Resolution A.1140(31),
Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification).

HSSC 2019, items to be checked:

Annual survey: (EA) 1.2.2.24 checking that a thorough examination of launching appliances, including
the dynamic testing of the winch brake, and servicing of lifeboat and rescue boat on-load release gear,
including free-fall lifeboat release systems and davit-launched liferaft automatic release hooks, has
been carried out; the operational testing of free-fall lifeboat release systems shall be performed
either by free-fall launch with only the operating crew on board or by a simulated launching carried
out based on MSC.1/Circ.1206/Rev.1 (SOLAS 74/00/12 reg.III/ 20);
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Renewal Survey: (PR) 5.2.2.99 checking that a thorough examination of launching appliances,
including the dynamic testing of the winch brake, and servicing of lifeboat and rescue boat on-load
release gear and davit-launched liferaft automatic release hooks have been carried out (SOLAS
74/00/12 reg.III/ 20);

Note that “Checking” usually refers to a documentation check.

Surveys should be held within three months before or after each anniversary date of the certificate.
Relationships between Flag Administrations and its authorized ROs are governed by a formal Agreement, listing the
functions delegated. RO obligations are set in the IMO Code for Recognized Organizations (RO Code, in resolutions
MEPC.237(65) and MSC.349(92) as revised).

5) Should these activities be done in the presence of the RO/Class surveyor?

This question was reviewed by the IMO Sub-committees on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) and on Implementation
of IMO Instruments (III).
A Unified Interpretation was provided to clarify when the RO/Class surveyor is expected to attend the test (in SSE
report, SSE 6/18 Annex 7), reading as such:

UNIFIED INTERPRETATIONS OF SOLAS CHAPTER III - Regulation 20.11 : The thorough examinations, overhauls and
operational tests, carried out at intervals of at least once every five years, should be done in the presence of a surveyor.

Note that Flag Administrations might decide differently and have their own national guidance on the matter. For ex.,
Liberian Flag, in Marine Notice SAF-005 (Rev. 07/20), specifies that only “The five year thorough examination, any
overhaul, overload operational tests test must always be conducted in the presence of a class surveyor no matter who
conducts it”.