Lloyd’s Register Marine has provided us with the following information:

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Applicability: Owners and managers of Marshall Islands-registered vessels with dedicated rescue boats

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator has introduced a new requirement that all on-load release mechanisms used to launch dedicated rescue boats must comply with paragraph 4.4.7.6 of the Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) Code and evaluated in accordance with IMO circular MSC.1/Circ.1392.

This is over and above the normal SOLAS requirements, which do not stipulate that boats used solely for rescue purposes fitted with on-load release mechanisms be re-evaluated against the latest LSA Code.

What do I need to do?
All rescue boat on-load release mechanisms not complying with LSA Code paragraphs 4.4.7.6.4 to 4.4.7.6.6 must either be replaced with compliant equipment or modified to comply.

In cases where a suitable replacement or modified on-load release mechanism is not available for a rescue boat which is launched from a single fall and hook arrangement, the mechanism might be replaced with a suitable off-load release mechanism, as permitted by LSA Code paragraph 5.1.1.1.

The SOLAS timeframe for evaluating and replacing mechanisms on lifeboats is the first scheduled dry-docking after 1 July, 2014, but not later than 1 July, 2019. For vessels that have already completed their dry-docking and are now required to evaluate their rescue boat on-load release mechanisms, the RMI Maritime Administrator will – on a case-by-case basis – allow extra time to complete the replacement.
 
Full details of the requirement are in Technical Circular 20, issued by the RMI Maritime Administrator.

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