<b>Ship Safety Equipment</b>
Accidents at sea have occurred since shipping. Spectacular shipping accidents such as those of the Titanic, Pamir, ExxonValdez, Estonia, Prestige or Pallas have caused a lot of suffering for people and the environment, but without them there would not have been great advances in safety regulations.
Whereas in the past the safety regulations often differed from flag state to flag state, today ship safety is essentially determined by worldwide rules from the International Maritime Organization IMO. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea - SOLAS - already existed in 1913. Since then, this convention has been continuously developed. The relevant international regulations also include, for example, the International Safety Management Code (ISM), which ensures safety aspects in operational ship operations, and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS), which has ensured compliance with global safety requirements against external hazards (e.g. Piracy, terrorism).
Lifeboats and life rafts are collective life-saving appliances (LSA). Lifeboats are launched into the water using a special launching device (boat davit, free fall boat). Lifeboats on cargo ships must have space on each side or at the stern for all persons on board. On passenger ships there must be space for all persons in boats and life rafts / life rafts on both sides. At least one lifeboat must be on board on cargo ships under 1600 GRT. Liferafts or liferafts with space for everyone on board must be on both sides of the ship if the lifeboats are located at the stern.
Half of all lifebuoys (but at least six on passenger ships) must have self-igniting lights that cannot be extinguished by water and that light up for at least 45 minutes. The number of lifebuoys required depends on the type of ship and the length of the ship.
People can get on and off board via the stage, gangway or shore leave. Adequate lighting must be provided to illuminate the means of entry and exit, the position on deck where people can get on and off and to check the arrangement. A lifebuoy equipped with a self-igniting light and a floating lifeline should be ready for immediate use near the embarkation and disembarkation facility during operation. The direct access between the gangway and the ship's deck should be realized by arranging a platform that is safely and adequately protected by handrails or handles. The ladder must be firmly attached to the ship to prevent it from tipping over.
Ship Safety Equipment
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