The chapter of SOLAS covering life-saving appliance requirements including lifeboats, liferafts, immersion suits, and drills.
Quick facts
Regulation
SOLAS Chapter III
In practice
For a deck officer responsible for LSA maintenance, Chapter III defines the drill schedule — musters at intervals of not more than one month, lifeboat lowering at least once every three months — and requires that operational readiness of all life-saving appliances be maintained at all times. Officers must document drills and corrective actions in the log book. Any LSA deficiency found during a drill must be reported through the SMS non-conformity system.
Regulatory detail & full definition
SOLAS Chapter III governs life-saving appliances and arrangements, prescribing what survival craft, rescue boats, and individual life-saving equipment must be carried on each vessel type. It incorporates the requirements of the LSA Code by reference and sets out operational requirements for drills, maintenance, and inspections. The chapter applies to cargo ships, passenger ships, and special vessels, with differing carriage requirements based on ship type, voyage area, and number of persons on board.
For a deck officer responsible for LSA maintenance, Chapter III defines the drill schedule — musters at intervals of not more than one month, lifeboat lowering at least once every three months — and requires that operational readiness of all life-saving appliances be maintained at all times. Officers must document drills and corrective actions in the log book. Any LSA deficiency found during a drill must be reported through the SMS non-conformity system.
Port state control inspectors pay particular attention to Chapter III compliance because deficiencies in life-saving appliances directly threaten crew survival. They will check hydrostatic release unit service dates, immersion suit condition and fit, EPIRB registration and battery dates, rescue boat engine starting, and the ship's muster list for currency. A single detainable deficiency — such as a missing or expired HRU — can result in the vessel being held in port.