Fantasy Lifeboats?

[truck1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I read somewhere that under SOLAS, modern cruise ships are required to carry a combination of enough lifeboats and life rafts on each side of the ship for the entire ships complement. I believe that this was done as a result of the sinking of the M/V Oceanos where the lifeboats on one side of the ship were unable to be launched due to her extreme list. It didn't help the situation that the Captain and bridge crew of the Oceanos were on the first lifeboats launched from the ship.

IMO,CLIA and a few other alphabet soup organizations meet regularly to review the happenings and what the future may hold. After certain events, yes, things do get changed quickly for 1 reason or another.(After the Concordia kissed the rocks, CLIA, and a few other organizations within weeks requested a change to the SOLAS requirements that the lifeboat drills are now held before the ship leaves port) A couple of recent examples would be the Star Princess fire, in that now any ship built after a certain period has to have either sprinklers on the balconies or fireproof horizontal and vertical dividers. Just about everything in a cabin or the interior of the ship has to be fire rated/proof to varying degrees. The latest thing Im seeing is that everything on the outside decks ie, the wooden or faux wooden handrails etc are going to be next on the fireproof hitlist.

In the case of the lifeboats, last time I looked, the way the standard read was that a given ship over a certain tonnage,(something like 100 tons) has to have a total lifeboat/raft capability for 150% of the ships capacity per side. Theoretically theres enough lifesaving space onboard for up to 300% of the ships total (including crew) capacity. The only way around it would be if there was a easily identifiable way, like Tonkas Skipper mentioned that a life raft could be easily transferred from 1 side to another.(What would define easily transferrable is anyones guess) On a cruise ship I dont see that happening (due to the position of the liferaft canisters)but since oil tankers, bulk carriers cargo ships etc are also covered under the rule, and their decks are typically clear, it would be easier for them to transfer a life raft canister either by hand or by ships crane over the deck.