Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)SchedulesSecond ScheduleProtocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974AnnexChapter III : Live-Saving Appliances, etc.Part A — GeneralRegulation 19 : Embarkation into lifeboats and liferafts |
| (a) | Suitable arrangements shall be made for embarkation into the lifeboats, which shall include— |
| (i) | a ladder at each set of davits to afford access to the lifeboats when waterborne, except that in passengerships, ships employed as whale factory ships, ships employed as fish processing or canning factory ships and ships engaged in the carriage of persons employed in the whaling, fish processing or canning industries, the Administration may permit such ladders to be replaced by approved devices provided that there shall not be less than one ladder on each side of the ship; |
| (ii) | means for illuminating the lifeboats and their launching gear during preparation for and the process of launching, and also for illuminating the water into which the lifeboats are launched until the process of launching is completed; |
| (iii) | arrangements for warning the passengers and crew that the ship is about to be abandoned; and |
| (iv) | means for preventing any discharge of water into the lifeboats. |
| (b) | Suitable arrangements shall also be made for embarkation into the liferafts, which shall include— |
| (i) | sufficient ladders to facilitate embarkation into the liferafts when waterborne except that in passenger ships, ships employed as whale factory ships, ships employed as fish processing or canning factory ships, and ships engaged in the carriage of persons employed in the whaling, fish processing or fish canning industries, the Administration may permit the replacement of some or all of such ladders by approved devices; |
| (ii) | where there are carried liferafts for which approved launching devices are provided, means for illuminating those liferafts and launching devices during the preparation for and the process of launching, and also for illuminating the water into which those liferafts are launched until the process of launching is completed; |
| (iii) | means for illuminating the stowage position of liferafts for which approved launching devices are not provided; |
| (iv) | arrangements for warning the passengers and crew that the ship is about to be abandoned; and |
| (v) | means for preventing any discharge of water into the liferafts at fixed launching positions, including those under approved launching devices. |