Liferafts: Capacity, Installation, Servicing and Deployment Readiness

Engineering guide to marine liferafts under SOLAS: Throw-overboard vs davit-launched types, SOLAS A/B emergency packs, hydrostatic float-free rigging, and annual station servicing.

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In the architecture of maritime survival, the inflatable liferaft represents the primary collective survival craft for commercial merchant ships, offshore support vessels, and fishing fleets. Stowed on exposed weather decks inside robust fiberglass canisters, liferafts must endure relentless exposure to sun, rain, and saltwater spray for months at a time—yet inflate reliably within 60 seconds during a catastrophic abandon-ship crisis. Governed by **SOLAS Chapter III** and the **IMO LSA Code**, liferafts are subject to strict capacity mandates, precise deck installation geometry, and mandatory annual servicing at approved service stations. Shipowners and technical superintendents calling at Cameroonian ports must ensure that all onboard liferafts are correctly rigged with hydrostatic release units and hold current statutory inspection certificates. ## Types of Marine Inflatable Liferafts 1. **Throw-Overboard Liferafts (TO):** Manually released from their cradle and thrown overboard. Once in the water, pulling the painter line fully fires the internal CO2/N2 gas cylinders, inflating the canopy and buoyancy chambers automatically. 2. **Davit-Launched Liferafts (DL):** Suspended from a shipboard crane davit, boarded at deck level by the crew, and lowered to the water line fully loaded. Ideal for high-freeboard vessels to prevent hazardous water jumps. 3. **Reversible Open Liferafts (IBA / ORIL):** Open, reversible liferafts designed for high-speed coastal craft operating withi...