From 1 January 2020 new rules regarding the maintenance, examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats will come into force. The new requirements are described in Resolution MSC.402(96) and provide regular inspections of:

• Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and fast rescue boats.
• Launching appliances as well as on-load and off-load release gear for lifeboats, rescue boats, fast rescue boats and davit-launched life rafts.

The inspections are to be conducted on a weekly, monthly, annual and five-year basis. The weekly and monthly inspections are to be conducted by authorised service providers, or by shipboard personnel under the direction of a senior ship’s officer, in accordance with the maintenance manual(s).The annual inspection is a thorough examination and operational test conducted by certified personnel of either the manufacturer or an authorised service provider. The service provider may be the ship operator, provided it is authorised.

The five-yearly examination is a thorough overhaul and includes overload operational tests; repairs should be conducted by certified personnel of either the manufacturer or an authorised service provider in the presence of a class surveyor.

The key phrase in the documentation is “authorised service providers”. This does not have to be a representative of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The authorised service provider can be an entity authorised by the flag administration. In the case of the short-term inspections, the authorised service provider can be a member of the crew who is being directed by a senior officer of the ship.

The annual inspection must be undertaken by a service provider, which could be the OEM, another party, or the ship operator, provided they are authorised by the flag administration.

At the five-year level, only the OEM or a third party may be the flag administration-authorised service provider.