50 FOGHORN T he PVA Deckhand Training Manual states: “There are multiple reasons why you may need to abandon ship. These can range from serious—fire, taking on water, to less urgent matters such as a mechanical breakdown. Remember, that in most circumstances your vessel is your best protection, but once the captain decides that the vessel is no longer a safe refuge the order will be given to abandon ship.” Abandon ship is one of three core drills all passenger and small passen- ger vessel crews need to conduct on a routine basis. While drills such as firefighting and man overboard are relatively quick practical crew profi- ciency demonstrations of procedures and techniques, an abandon ship drill, with notable exceptions discussed below, usually is a mustering exercise and crew discussion that stops at the point of passengers disembarking the vessel. Casualties in the not so recent past remind us that being prepared for this low probability/high conse- quence event can mean the difference between life and death. Fortunately, there are ways to improve crew pre- paredness through determining op- erational risks, training, and engaging local first responders. THE REGULATIONS Subchapters K (46 CFR 122.520), T (46 CFR 185.520), and W (46 CFR 199.180) have similar provisions for an abandon ship drill. All domestic passenger and small passenger vessel masters must conduct drills and train- ing for new crew members prior to getting underway for the first time on a particular vessel their duties in an emergency. After that, Subchapters K and W require monthly drills or when more than 25 percent of the crew has not participated in a drill on board the particular vessel or a sister vessel in the previous month. Subchapter T requires abandon ship drills every three months. Generally, the regulations require each abandon ship drill to include: • Summoning the crew to report to assigned stations and prepare for assigned duties • Summoning passengers on a vessel on an overnight voyage to muster stations or embarkation stations and ensuring that they are made aware of how the order to abandon ship will be given • Checking that passenger have correctly donned life jackets • Operation of any davits used for launching life rafts (if installed) at least every three months • Instruction on the automatic and manual deployment of survival craft (life floats, inflatable buoyant apparatus, inflatable life rafts, or lifeboats) ERIC CHRISTENSEN // PVA DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS & RISK MANAGEMENT Tips to Improve Abandon Ship Drills and Training SAFETY MATTERS We do more than collaborate; we empower you through partnership Kongsberg Maritime Protechting People and Planet
View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.