25/09/2025
A rescue boat on a ship is a small, fast craft specially designed for emergency situations at sea. It’s different from a lifeboat in both purpose and design:
🔹 Purpose
Recover persons overboard (crew or passengers).
Assist lifeboats in case of evacuation.
Towing liferafts or helping them clear the ship’s side.
Emergency transport for injured crew or urgent supplies.
🔹 Features
Quick launch system: Usually launched with a davit (gravity or slewing type) or free-fall, so it can be deployed within 5 minutes.
High maneuverability: Built to operate in rough seas with strong engines (outboard or inboard).
Capacity: Normally carries 6–15 people, depending on the vessel’s size and IMO (International Maritime Organization) rules.
Construction: Rigid-hulled (fiberglass/aluminum) or inflatable (RIB – Rigid Inflatable Boat).
Equipment onboard: Compass, first aid kit, searchlight, distress flares, rescue line, buoyant oars, lifejackets, engine spares, drinking water, and emergency rations.
🔹 Regulations
Governed by SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) requirements.
At least one rescue boat is required on most cargo ships and passenger vessels, except for certain small ships where lifeboats can double as rescue boats.
👉 In short: A ship’s rescue boat is like the “ambulance and patrol craft” of the sea—meant to act quickly, recover people, and provide support in emergencies.
