Question 1

Your examiner asks: "What survival craft requirements apply to a cargo ship of 500 GT+ on international voyages under SOLAS Chapter III?"

Accepted Answer

Cargo ships 500 GT+: one or more lifeboats on each side, each capable of carrying all persons on board (100% each side); alternatively, one or more lifeboats on one side plus liferafts on each side to give 100% coverage on each side; MES (marine evacuation system) or rescue boat. If lifeboats are free-fall type, only one is required on the stern. Liferafts: sufficient to accommodate 100% of persons on each side (25% of total may be free-float, but at least 100% on each side must be reachable). One or more rescue boats (may count as one lifeboat). SOLAS III Reg 31 (cargo ships survival craft): the standard requirement is a lifeboat on each side able to carry all persons, PLUS liferafts on each side giving 100% coverage. The 2010 SOLAS amendments introduced options for alternative arrangements. Free-fall lifeboats (SOLAS III Reg 31.1.4): these are increasingly common on bulk carriers and tankers — a single stern-mounted free-fall lifeboat may replace both conventional side-mounted lifeboats. Rescue boats: cargo ships must carry at least one rescue boat (SOLAS III Reg 31.1.2) — the rescue boat may be one of the lifeboats if it meets the rescue boat standard. Inflatable liferafts must be serviced annually and fitted with HRUs for float-free capability. The "100% on each side" principle means every person can abandon ship from either side regardless of the vessel's list — a critical design feature.

Question 2

Your examiner asks: "What must be shown on the muster list, and where must it be posted?" Give the SOLAS Chapter III requirements.

Accepted Answer

SOLAS III Reg 37: the muster list must show: each crew member's emergency station; duties assigned (firefighting, survival craft, medical); lifeboat or liferaft assigned; signals for mustering; instructions for passengers. Posted in conspicuous locations including the bridge, engine room, and crew accommodation. The muster list must be updated after any change in crew and before departure. Each crew member must be instructed in emergency duties before departure on first voyage. SOLAS III Reg 37 requires the muster list before departure on a voyage. SOLAS III Reg 19 requires: abandon ship drill within 24 hours of departure (new crew); monthly abandon ship drill for all crew; weekly testing of general emergency alarm. The emergency duties must be simple enough that crew can carry them out without reference to the list under stress. Key OOW point: the "person in charge" of each survival craft must be a certificated officer or seafarer — not any crew member. The Emergency Squad (for firefighting, damage control) must be identified by name. An unmaintained or out-of-date muster list is a PSC deficiency and may indicate deeper SMS failures. In practice examiners ask OOW candidates to describe their own emergency duties from the muster list — they expect a specific, practised answer.

Question 3

Your examiner asks: "Describe the types of EPIRB carried on SOLAS vessels, how they activate, and what happens when one activates." Give a complete answer.

Accepted Answer

Category I EPIRB: float-free, auto-activating when submerged to 1-4m depth; also manual activation. Category II EPIRB: manual activation only (bracket-mounted). Both transmit on 406 MHz (digital distress alert with MMSI/vessel identity to Cospas-Sarsat) and 121.5 MHz (homing). On activation: the 406 MHz signal is received by Cospas-Sarsat satellites, decoded, and passed to an LEUT (Local User Terminal), then to an MCC (Mission Control Centre), then to an RCC (Rescue Coordination Centre) which initiates SAR. Position accuracy: Doppler shift gives approx 5km; if GNSS-linked EPIRB, position accuracy is within 100m. SOLAS IV requires carriage of at least one float-free Category I EPIRB per vessel on international voyages. The 406 MHz transmission is the primary signal — it carries the vessel's unique 15-hex identification code (linked to the MMSI in the GMDSS registration database). The 121.5 MHz is the secondary homing frequency used by SAR aircraft and vessels. GNSS-integrated EPIRBs provide a position within the first transmission. The EPIRB must be registered with the flag state — an unregistered EPIRB wastes SAR resources. SOLAS also requires a SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) or AIS-SART for each survival craft. The Louisa SY30 case (MAIB 17/2017) where the Coastguard could not locate a vessel partly because of EPIRB terminology confusion demonstrates why OOWs must know the full activation and response chain.