New Free Fall Lifeboat Carries More People

The new SC59FF free fall lifeboat from Survival Craft Inspectorate is touted as a cost-effective safety system for cargo vessels, tankers and offshore platforms. By optimizing the interior layout of the new 5.9 m lifeboat, designers have achieved 25-passenger carrying capacity. Constructed throughout from corrosion resistant materials, the hull and canopy of the new 5.9 m (19-ft.) lifeboat are molded from GRP. The SC59FF is launched and recovered using a hydraulic ramp and is capable of providing its occupants with a rapid escape from heights up to 13 m. The fire-protected version of the SC59FF is equipped with an external water spray and an internal compressed air supply that enable it to provide the highest levels of protection for tanker and oil platform crews. The new lifeboat also incorporates integral buoyancy that ensures it is fully self-righting even if significantly damaged.