NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

31 OCTOBER

5333

Code of Practice for Existing Ships of Classes I and II or clause (2)(1)(l)(c) of the Code of Practice for New Ships of Classes I and II.

(2) Where one or more marine escape system is provided on a ship, all such systems shall be subjected to a trial deployment after installation, and each system shall also be deployed thereafter at such intervals as may be specified by the Director.

(3) Where such a marine escape system is provided, provision for training the crew in its use shall be made.

16. Rescue Boat Embarkation, Launching and Recovery Arrangements—

(1) The rescue boat embarkation and launching arrangements shall be such that the rescue boat can be boarded and launched in the shortest possible time and in any case in not more than 5 minutes.

(2) If the rescue boat is one of the ship’s survival craft, the embarkation arrangements and launching station shall comply with the requirements of clauses 11 and 13 of this Code of Practice.

(3) Launching arrangements shall comply with the requirements of clause 14 of this Code of Practice and rescue boat launching appliances shall comply with the requirements of the performance standard for launching appliances. All rescue boats shall be capable of being launched, where necessary utilising painters, with the ship making headway at speeds up to 5 knots in calm water.

(4) Rapid recovery of the rescue boat shall be possible when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment. If the rescue boat is also a lifeboat, rapid recovery shall be possible when loaded with its lifeboat equipment, and the rescue boat complement of 6 persons whichever is the greater.

17. Stowage of Lifeboats—

(1) Lifeboats shall be so distributed as to be readily available on both sides of the ship and as far as practicable on all open decks extending to the ship’s side. At least 1 lifeboat shall be placed in the vicinity of the stern.

(2) Lifeboats shall be so stowed as to be capable of being rapidly cast loose, and not permanently secured in any way.

(3) Except as otherwise provided 1 lifeboat on each side of the ship shall be fitted with a buoyant lifeline.

(4) Except as otherwise provided lifeboats with lights and those with lights and smoke signals shall be equally distributed on both sides of the ship and shall not be the lifeboats provided with lifelines.

18. Stowage of Lifejackets—

(1) Lifejackets shall be stowed in locations approved by a surveyor and shall be readily accessible to persons on board in an emergency. Lifejackets for berthed passengers may be stowed adjacent to their berths and lifejackets for unberthed passengers shall be stowed in or adjacent to public rooms or muster stations. In ships of Classes I and II not less than 5 per cent of the number of lifejackets carried for passengers shall be stowed in lockers on or adjacent to open decks or muster stations. The stowage position of all lifejackets shall be clearly and permanently indicated.

(2) Where due to the particular arrangements of a ship, the lifejackets provided in compliance with the requirements of the Shipping (Lifesaving Appliances) Regulations 1989 may become inaccessible, alternative provisions shall be made to the satisfaction of a Surveyor which may include an increase in the number of lifejackets to be carried.

19. Stowage of Portable Radio Equipment—

Portable radio equipment for survival craft shall be stowed in a protected and easily accessible position ready to be moved to any survival craft in an emergency except that in the case of a ship with lifeboats stowed in widely separated positions fore and aft, portable radio equipment shall be stowed in the vicinity of the lifeboats which are furthest from the ship’s main transmitter.

20. Stowage and Packing of Pyrotechnic Distress Signals—

(1) Pyrotechnic distress signals provided for use on board ship shall be stowed on or near the navigating bridge. In the case of a line-throwing appliance which includes a pistol, the pistol, line and rockets together with the means of ignition shall be stowed in a container which provides protection from the weather.

(2) All pyrotechnic distress signals provided for use on board ships or for use in a lifeboat shall be packed in a watertight container.

21. Immersion Suits and Thermal Protective Aids—

(1) Immersion suits may be of the insulated or uninsulated type provided that immersion suits of the insulated type shall be carried on ships which make voyages:

(a) north of latitude 55°N in the Atlantic Ocean;

(b) north of latitude 55°N in the Pacific Ocean;

(c) south of latitude 50°S; and

(d) east of longitude 10°E in the Kattegat and Baltic Sea between 1 December and 30 April, both dates inclusive.

(2) Thermal protective aids may be bags or suits provided they are made of watertight material of low thermal conductivity and so constructed as to reduce both the convective and evaporative heat loss from the wearer’s body.

22. Manning of Survival Craft—

On ships of Classes I, II, VII, VIIA, and VIII:

(1) There shall be a sufficient number of crew members to operate the survival craft and launching arrangements required for abandonment by the total number of persons on board.

(2) A deck officer or certificated person shall be placed in charge of each lifeboat to be used. In addition a deck officer or certificated person shall be nominated second-in-command of such lifeboat.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this clause a deck officer or certificated person shall be placed in charge of each liferaft to be used. In ships of Class II the person placed in charge of each liferaft may in lieu of a deck officer or certificated person be a crew member practised in the handling and operation of liferafts.

(4) The person in charge of a survival craft shall have a list of the survival craft crew and shall ensure that the crew under his command are acquainted with their duties. In lifeboats the second-in-command shall also have a list of the lifeboat crew.

(5) In ships carrying liferafts served by launching appliances a deck officer or certificated person shall be assigned to each launching appliance.

(6) In ships carrying liferafts not served by launching appliances a deck officer or certificated person shall be assigned to each launching position.

(7) A person capable of operating the engine and carrying out minor adjustments shall be assigned to every motorised survival craft.

(8) A person capable of operating a radiotelegraph installation shall be assigned to every lifeboat required to carry such equipment.

(9) There shall be a sufficient number of trained persons on board for mustering and assisting untrained persons.

(10) The master shall ensure the equitable distribution of persons referred to in this clause when compiling the muster list referred to in the Shipping (Musters and Drills) Regulations 1989.

23. Lifejacket Lights—

(1) Every lifejacket carried on a ship of any of the Classes I, VII, VIIA, VIII and X shall be fitted with a lifejacket light.

(2) Every lifejacket carried on a ship of any of the Classes II and III and intended for use by a member of the crew shall be fitted with a lifejacket light, and every other lifejacket carried on such a ship shall be fitted with a lifejacket light not later than 1 July 1991.