5332 NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE No. 190

(c) in a state of continuous readiness so that 2 crew members can carry out preparations for embarkation and launching in less than 5 minutes;

(d) fully equipped;

(e) as far as practicable, in a secure and sheltered position and protected from damage by fire and explosion.

(2) Lifeboats for lowering down the ship’s side shall be stowed as far forward of the propeller as practicable. On ships of Classes VII, VIIA or VIII, of 80 metres in length and over but less than 120 metres in length, each lifeboat shall be so stowed that the after end of the lifeboat is not less than the length of the lifeboat forward of the propeller. On such ships of 120 metres in length and over and on ships of Classes I, II or 80 metres in length and over, each lifeboat shall be so stowed that the after end of the lifeboat is not less than 1.5 times the length of the lifeboat forward of the propeller. Where appropriate, the ship shall be so arranged that lifeboats, in their stowed positions, are protected from damage by heavy seas.

(3) Lifeboats shall be stowed attached to launching appliances.

(4) In addition to meeting the requirements of subclause (7) or (8) of this clause liferafts shall be so stowed as to permit manual release from their securing arrangements.

(5) Davit-launched liferafts shall be stowed within reach of the lifting hooks, unless some means of transfer is provided which is not rendered inoperable within the limits of trim and list prescribed in sub-clause (1)(b) of this clause or by ship motion or power failure, provided that the liferafts required to be carried and stowed as far forward as reasonable and practicable on non-passenger ships of 150m in length or over which have no amidships superstructure, need not be so stowed.

(6) Liferafts intended for throw-overboard launching shall be so stowed as to be readily transferable for launching on either side of the ship unless such liferafts are required to be carried and stowed on each side of the ship.

(7) On ships of Classes I, II, VII, VIIIA, VIII or X every liferaft shall be stowed with its painter permanently attached to the ship and with a float-free arrangement complying with the requirements of Part VI of the Performance Standard for Liferafts so that the liferaft floats free and, if inflatable, inflates automatically when the ship sinks. In the case of existing ships, the float-free arrangement shall be provided before the 1st day of January 1990.

(8) Rescue boats shall be stowed:

(a) in a state of continuous readiness for launching in not more than 5 minutes;

(b) in a position suitable for launching and recovery;

(c) so that neither the rescue boat nor its stowage arrangements will interfere with the operation of any survival craft at any other launching station; and

(d) if it is also a lifeboat, in compliance with the requirements of this clause for the stowage of lifeboats.

(9) Inflated boats shall be stowed:

(a) in a state of continuous readiness for launching in the shortest possible time;

(b) in a position suitable for launching and recovery; and

(c) so that neither the inflated boat nor its stowage arrangements will interfere with the operation of any survival craft at any other launching station.

13. Launching Stations—Launching stations shall be in such positions as to ensure safe launching having particular regard to clearance from the propeller and steeply overhanging portions of the hull with the object of ensuring that so far as practicable, survival craft, except survival craft specially designed for free-fall launching, can be launched down the straight side of the ship. If positioned forward, survival craft shall be stowed abaft the collision bulkhead in a sheltered position, and the strength of the launching appliance shall be to the satisfaction of the Director.

14. Survival Craft Launching Arrangements—(1) Launching appliances complying with the requirements of the performance standard for launching appliances shall be provided for all liferafts except:

(a) liferafts which are boarded from a position which is less than 4.5 metres above the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition and which either:

(i) have a mass of not more than 185 kg, or

(ii) are stowed for launching directly from the stowed position under unfavourable conditions of trim of up to 10° and with the ship listed not less than 20° either way;

(b) liferafts having a mass of not more than 185 kg and which are carried in excess of the survival craft for 200 per cent of the total number of persons on board the ship; and

(c) the liferafts stowed as far forward or aft required on non-passenger ships of 150m in length or over which have no amidships superstructure;

Provided that these exceptions shall not apply where it is otherwise expressly required that launching appliances shall be provided.

(2) Each lifeboat shall be provided with an appliance which is capable of launching and recovering the lifeboat.

(3) Only 1 type of release mechanism shall be used for similar survival craft carried on board the ship.

(4) On ships of Classes I and II all survival craft required to provide for abandonment by the total number of persons on board shall be capable of being launched with their full complement of persons and equipment within a period of 30 minutes from the time the abandon ship signal is given.

(5) On ships of Classes VII, VIIA or VIII, with the exception of the survival craft referred to in sub-clause (1)(a) of this clause, all survival craft required to provide for abandonment by the total number of persons on board shall be capable of being launched with their full complement of persons and equipment within a period of 10 minutes from the time the abandon ship signal is given.

(6) On ships of Classes VII, VIIA and VIII of 20,000 gross tonnage and upwards, lifeboats shall be capable of being launched, where necessary utilising painters, with the ship making headway at speeds up to 5 knots in calm water.

(7) Preparation and handling of survival craft at any one launching station shall not interfere with the prompt preparation and handling of any other survival craft or rescue boat at any other station.

(8) Means shall be available to prevent any discharge of water on to survival craft during abandonment.

(9) If there is a danger of a survival craft being damaged by the ship’s stabiliser fins, means shall be available, powered by an emergency source of energy, to bring the stabiliser fins inboard. Indicators operated by an emergency source of energy shall be available on the navigating bridge to show the position of the stabiliser fins.

15. Marine Escape Systems—(1) A marine escape system or systems complying with the requirements of the Performance Standard for Marine Escape Systems may be substituted on ships of Class II for some or all of the liferafts and launching appliances required by clause (2)(1)(c) of the Code of Practice for Existing Ships of Classes I and II or clause (2)(1)(c) of the Code of Practice for New Ships of Classes I and II. The liferafts included in such system or systems shall together with any other liferafts served by launching appliances other than the liferafts referred to in clause 2(13) of the Code of Practice for Existing Ships of Classes I and II or clause 2(4) of the Code of Practice for New Ships of Classes I and II provide the same aggregate capacity as that required by clause (2)(1)(c) of the