What should you know before buying ship safety equipment?
Ship safety equipment spans life-saving appliances, fire-fighting gear and personal protective equipment. SOLAS and its codes set the framework, but the exact items, approvals and service intervals for a vessel come from its flag administration and class society, so confirm them before you order. This guide is general information only.
What are SOLAS, the LSA Code and the FSS Code?
SOLAS is the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). It sets minimum standards for the construction, equipment and operation of ships. The LSA Code and FSS Code are the technical codes that support its life-saving and fire-safety chapters.
The IMO describes the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code as the set of technical requirements for life-saving appliances under SOLAS chapter III. The International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code) plays the same role for fire protection under chapter II-2, covering items such as fire detection and alarms, fixed extinguishing systems and firefighter's equipment. Which requirements apply to a particular ship depends on its type, size, trade and flag.
What categories of safety equipment are there?
Typical categories are life-saving appliances, fire-fighting equipment, distress and signalling equipment, and personal protective equipment (PPE). The table lists them with what a purchaser usually specifies. It is a general list, not a statement of what any ship must carry.
| Category | Examples | What you typically specify |
|---|---|---|
| Personal life-saving | Lifejackets, immersion suits, thermal protective aids | Type, adult or child size, light and whistle fittings, quantity |
| Floating and signalling | Lifebuoys, lifebuoy lights, smoke signals | Size, light type, line length, markings |
| Survival craft equipment | Lifeboat and liferaft equipment, pyrotechnics | Craft model and capacity, expiry date, pack contents |
| Distress alerting | EPIRB, SART | Model, battery and hydrostatic release details, expiry |
| Fire-fighting | Portable extinguishers, fire hoses, firefighter's outfit | Agent, capacity, coupling type, hose length and diameter |
| Personal protection | Helmets, gloves, goggles, safety harnesses | Standard, size, rating, quantity |
Which items carry an expiry date or need servicing?
Several items have limited life or need periodic servicing, such as pyrotechnics, some distress beacons, lifejacket lights, liferaft contents and extinguishers. The service interval or expiry is set by the manufacturer's instructions together with the flag administration and class society requirements. When you order, ask for the remaining shelf life on delivery and the manufacturer's stated service interval for the exact model, and keep this separate from any general rule of thumb.
What approval or marking should you ask a manufacturer for?
For items in categories that require approval, ask for the manufacturer's documentation showing the approval relevant to your vessel's flag. For EU-flagged ships, that normally means the MED mark of conformity, also called the wheelmark.
The EU Marine Equipment Directive (Directive 2014/90/EU) aims to improve safety and reduce pollution by applying international rules on marine equipment consistently. It covers equipment that is or will be placed on an EU ship and that needs flag-state approval under SOLAS, MARPOL or COLREG, even if the ship is outside the EU when the equipment is fitted. Equipment that has passed the conformity assessment carries the wheelmark. The Directive's annexes list which items are covered, so check the list for the specific product rather than assuming. Other flags have their own approval systems; ask the flag administration which they accept.
Why must you confirm with the flag administration and class society?
The flag administration is the authority that applies SOLAS to ships registered under it, and the class society inspects and surveys the vessel to its rules and often on the flag's behalf. Either may require specific types, approval marks, quantities or service providers beyond what a general guide can say. Confirm the requirement before you buy, and keep the manufacturer's certificate and the vessel's own safety records together. This guide does not say that any product complies with a regulation; that is established through approval documents for the product and decisions by the authorities for the ship.
Where are safety items coded in IMPA?
The IMPA Marine Stores Guide gives each product a six-digit code. Safety items are mainly in two sections: section 31, Safety / Protective Gear, and section 33, Safety Equipment. Check which section a given item sits in by searching its description, because the split is not always obvious. In the ShipsBay catalogue they appear under the main category Safety Equipment. The unit of measure is usually pieces, but check the item description for pairs, sets or packs.
How do you ask for a quotation for safety equipment?
State the item, standard or approval you require, size or capacity, quantity and the vessel's flag and class. Ask for the expiry or manufacture date and the documents that will accompany the goods. You can search the catalogue for lifejackets, read what an IMPA code is, and see how to prepare a ship stores RFQ. When you are ready, send an RFQ as a document.
Related catalog categories
IMPA sections: 31, 33
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More guides
General information for buyers. Always confirm the specification, certification and regulatory requirements for your vessel with the manufacturer, your classification society or your flag administration before ordering.