How Many Life Rafts Are on a Cruise Ship?

By Anna Duncan

Life rafts are a crucial part of any cruise ship for the passengers’ safety. In the event of an emergency, the number and type of life rafts on board must meet certain regulations. The number of life rafts on a cruise ship depends on its size and passenger capacity.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) sets regulations for the number, size, and type of life rafts that must be carried on a cruise ship. According to IMO standards, cruise ships with a passenger capacity of more than 500 people must have at least 16 life rafts on board. A smaller vessel with a capacity of up to 500 people may have either 8 or 16 life rafts depending on its size.

The size and type of life raft also depend on the size and passenger capacity of the vessel. Smaller vessels may carry open-type inflatable life rafts which can accommodate up to 25 passengers while larger vessels must carry enclosed-type inflatable liferafts with a capacity for more than 50 passengers.

Cruise ships are also required to have enough reserve buoyancy for all passengers in case all other means of evacuation fail. This is typically achieved through additional inflatable lifeboats or inflatable liferafts stored separately from the main ones.

Conclusion:

Overall, the exact number and type of life rafts that must be carried by a cruise ship depend on its size and passenger capacity. Larger vessels will typically have more life rafts than smaller ones as per IMO regulations. Cruise ships must also have enough reserve buoyancy for all passengers in case all other means of evacuation fail.