Background

Passenger ship evacuation remains one of the most critical aspects of maritime safety, particularly as passenger capacities continue to increase. To support improvements in this area, EMSA has launched a dedicated study titled “Evacuation Procedures Using Large Lifeboats (exceeding 150 persons)” under tender reference EMSA/2024/OP/0014. The aim is to strengthen the regulatory and operational framework for large-scale evacuations at sea.

Objective

The objective of this study is to enhance maritime safety and improve the effectiveness of evacuation procedures aboard passenger ships. The comprehensive assessment focuses on:

• Evaluating current evacuation procedures, including crew performance, ship readiness, and passenger behaviour during emergency situations;
• Analysing the layout and design of passenger ships, particularly in relation to evacuation flow and access to life-saving appliances;
• Assessing large lifeboats, and innovative lifesaving appliances including their design, practical use, and compliance with current international regulations.

The study will provide insight into the operational and regulatory challenges involved in evacuating large numbers of passengers and will contribute to the improvement of ship design, training, and emergency preparedness in line with IMO and EU requirements.

Project Details

• Period: September 2024 – December 2026
• Contractor: DNV
• Deliverables: 6 Tasks

Work Breakdown

Task 1: Development of a Comprehensive Questionnaire - view document

Task 2: Analysis of Lessons Learned from Accidents - view document

Task 3: Qualitative Assessment of Life-Saving Appliances (LSAs)

Task 4: Evaluation of Passenger Ship Layouts

Task 5: Evacuation Analysis – Critical Review

5.1: Advanced evacuation analysis in line with MSC.1/Circ.1533
5.2: Review of existing methods for evacuation analysis
5.3: Comparative analysis of evacuation strategies in different designed generic ships
5.4: Practical recommendations

Task 6: Guidance on Alternative Design and Arrangements

6.1: Development of a general guidance document on alternative designs
6.2: Application of the guidance to Large Lifeboats (>150 persons)
6.3: Application of the guidance to other innovative life-saving appliances