Why This Question Matters

One of the most common questions asked during maritime interviews, PSC inspections, onboard drills, and oral examinations is:

“What are the minimum requirements for the number of crew and time needed to prepare a survival craft for launching?”

At first glance, the question seems simple. However, many seafarers confuse the operational requirements with launching procedures or forget the exact wording from SOLAS.

The correct answer comes directly from:

📚 SOLAS Chapter III, Regulation 13 - Stowage of Survival Craft

According to Paragraph 1.3, every survival craft must be arranged:

“...in a state of continuous readiness so that two crew members can carry out preparations for embarkation and launching in less than 5 minutes.”

Correct Answer

• Minimum crew required: 2 crew members
• Maximum preparation time: Less than 5 minutes

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What Does “Preparation for Launching” Actually Mean?

This requirement refers to the ability of the crew to quickly prepare the survival craft for safe embarkation and launching during an emergency.

Typical preparation actions may include:

• Removing securing arrangements
• Preparing embarkation areas
• Checking falls and release systems
• Powering emergency systems if required
• Making the craft ready for immediate boarding and launching

The purpose of this SOLAS requirement is simple:

⚠️ In a real emergency, there may be very limited time available.

A survival craft that cannot be prepared quickly becomes useless regardless of how modern or expensive the equipment is.

Additional SOLAS Requirements from Regulation 13

Besides the “2 crew / 5 minutes” requirement, SOLAS also requires that survival craft must be:

1️⃣ Positioned without interfering with other craft

Launching one survival craft must not block or affect another launching station.

2️⃣ Located as close to the water as safely possible

For most survival craft, the embarkation position should not be less than 2 meters above the waterline under specified trim and list conditions.

3️⃣ Kept in continuous readiness

The equipment must always remain ready for immediate use.

4️⃣ Fully equipped

All survival craft must contain the equipment required by SOLAS and the LSA Code.

5️⃣ Protected from damage

Where practicable, craft should be sheltered from:

• Fire
• Explosion
• Structural damage

That is why regular drills and familiarity with launching arrangements remain critically important onboard every vessel.

Test Your Knowledge

We invite you to explore how SOLAS knowledge is tested in practice in the GYRO app.

As an example, you can review our SOLAS Safety of Life at Sea test, which demonstrates the structure and approach used in GYRO tests:
https://app.gyro.team/tests/solas-safety-of-life-at-sea-e2767a65/

Use the Start Test button above to go directly to the test and check your knowledge.