MCA Research Project 555

The project responds to concerns raised in 2002 by the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and reinforced in subsequent Design and Equipment (DE) and Fire Protection (FP) Sub- Committee meetings regarding the unacceptable level of injuries and fatalities attributed directly to the use of current lifeboat arrangements

Burness Corlett - Three Quays Ltd were contracted by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency to carry out a study into the safety of lifeboats and their launching systems. The primary objective of the study was to make proposals for measures to improve the performance of lifeboats and contribute to the prevention of accidents. The scope of this study is confined to conventional, davit-mounted, side launched ships’ lifeboats.

 A second objective was to investigate the implications for lifeboat design of proposed changes to anthropometric parameters.

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MCA Research report 555 development of lifeboat design