Inflatable Liferaft Service Requirements Amended

SOLAS regulation III/20.8 requires inflatable liferafts to be serviced at intervals not exceeding 12 months. It also requires the servicing to be carried out at an approved servicing station which is competent to service them, maintains proper servicing facilities and uses only properly trained personnel. IMO guidance on servicing stations is contained in resolution A.761(18) – Recommendation on Conditions for the Approval of Servicing Stations for Inflatable Liferafts.

The IMO has recently issued an amendment to resolution A.761(18), published as resolution MSC.388(94), which introduces the following new requirement for inflatable liferaft servicing procedures: “all items of equipment should be checked to ensure that they are in good condition and that dated items are replaced at the time of servicing in cases where the expiry date falls before the next service date of the liferaft".  

Lloyd’s Register said its Procedures for Approval of Service Suppliers have been updated to include this requirement.