SOLAS Ch. II-2 & III · Safety Equipment
LSA & FFA Maintenance Checklist: Weekly, Monthly, Annual & 5-Year SOLAS Rules
Fire-fighting appliances (FFA) and life-saving appliances (LSA) consistently rank #1 and #2 among detainable Port State Control deficiencies worldwide across the Paris MoU, Tokyo MOU, Indian Ocean MOU and USCG. Whether you are preparing the Safety Officer’s weekly/monthly rounds, an annual Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (SEQ) survey, or a SIRE 2.0 / RightShip / CDI inspection, every check must match the ship’s approved onboard maintenance plan.
This guide covers the complete LSA maintenance schedule under SOLAS III/20, III/36 & IMO Resolution MSC.402(96) and the FFA maintenance schedule under SOLAS II-2/14 & IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1432.
Updated · Written by SeaReady in our own words. Not affiliated with OCIMF, RightShip, CDI, any MoU or any administration — always check the current official documents.
1. Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) schedule: SOLAS III/20, III/36 & MSC.402(96)
Under SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 20, all life-saving appliances must be in working order and ready for immediate use before the ship leaves port and at all times during the voyage. Keep a dedicated onboard SOLAS III/36 Maintenance Logbook covering:
| Interval | SOLAS / IMO Reference | Mandatory Onboard Inspection, Test & ASP Servicing Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly LSA inspections | SOLAS III/20.6 & III/36 | Visual inspection of all survival craft, rescue boats and launching appliances (hooks, falls, blocks, limit switches); run lifeboat and rescue boat engines ahead and astern for ≥ 3 minutes (checking gearbox engagement); test the general emergency alarm; check EPIRB/SART stowage and hydrostatic release units (HRUs). |
| Monthly LSA inspections | SOLAS III/20.7 & LSA Code | Turn out lifeboats from stowage (without crew on board first); inspect all lifeboat equipment against theSOLAS III/36 checklist; check lifebuoys, self-igniting lights, smoke signals, line-throwing appliances and pyrotechnic expiry dates; inspect immersion suits and anti-exposure suits under IMO MSC/Circ.1047. |
| 3-monthly / 6-monthly launching & drills | SOLAS III/19.3.4 & MSC.1/Circ.1578/Rev.1 | Lower each lifeboat at least once every month and launch/manoeuvre it in the water at least once every 3 months (for free-fall lifeboats, either free-fall launch or simulated launch per MSC.1/Circ.1578/Rev.1 at least every 6 months); launch and manoeuvre rescue boats in the water monthly where reasonable and at least every 3 months. |
| Annual thorough examination (ASP) | SOLAS III/20.11 & IMO Res. MSC.402(96) | Thorough examination and operational test of survival craft, rescue boats, davits, winches, on-load release gear and automatic release hooks by an Administration/Class-certified Authorised Service Provider (ASP) under MSC.402(96); annual servicing of inflatable liferafts, marine evacuation systems (MES) and inflatable lifejackets (SOLAS III/20.8); annual EPIRB testing (SOLAS IV/15.9). |
| 3-yearly immersion suit air-pressure test | IMO MSC/Circ.1114 | Air-pressure seam and closure integrity testing of immersion suits and anti-exposure suits every 3 years (and more frequently for suits over 10 years old). |
| 5-yearly overload test & fall renewal | SOLAS III/20.4 & IMO Res. MSC.402(96) | 5-yearly dynamic winch brake test at 1.1 times maximum working load and on-load release gear / davit-launched liferaft automatic release hook overhaul and 1.1x operational test by an approved ASP; wire falls turned/renewed at intervals not exceeding 5 years (or earlier when deterioration is found); 5-yearly EPIRB shore-based maintenance. |
- Lifeboat on-load release gear & hydrostatic interlocks: During every walkthrough, inspectors verify that the hydrostatic interlock indicator is in the fully reset position, the operating cables are free of corrosion or kinks, the release hook cam is completely seated, and the colour-coded operating instruction placards under LSA Code 4.4.7.6 match the installed hook system.
- Hydrostatic Release Units (HRUs) for liferafts & EPIRBs: Check that every liferaft painter is secured to the strongpoint through the weak link (and that the lashing strap has a senhouse slip for manual release), the HRU expiry date is in the future, and the float-free EPIRB HRU is free of paint or cable ties.
2. Fire-Fighting Appliances (FFA) schedule: SOLAS II-2/14 & MSC.1/Circ.1432
Under SOLAS Chapter II-2 Regulation 14 and IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1432 (Revised Guidelines for the Maintenance and Inspection of Fire Protection Systems and Appliances, as amended by MSC.1/Circ.1516 for water-mist testing and supplemented by MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 for fixed CO₂ systems and MSC.1/Circ.1515 for fixed foam/dry-powder systems), the ship’s Fire Maintenance Plan must cover every interval from weekly rounds to 10-yearly hydrostatic tests:
| Interval | IMO Circular Reference | Mandatory Fire-Fighting Appliance (FFA) Inspection & Test Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly FFA checks | IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 § 4 | Verify fire detection and alarm panel indicators, fixed gas/water-mist system pressure gauges and valve alignments, fire door release operation, SCBA and EEBD cylinder pressure gauges, and emergency fire pump starting and discharge pressure. |
| Monthly FFA checks | IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 § 5 | Check all fire hydrants, hoses, nozzles and international shore connection (ISC) bolts/gaskets; inspect portable fire extinguishers (pressure, safety pins, seals, brackets); verify fixed CO₂/gas room alarms, release cabinet keys and ventilation interlocks; check firefighter’s outfits, BA face masks and low-pressure whistles; test fixed deck foam / dry-powder valve freedom. |
| Quarterly FFA checks | IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 § 6 | Test all manual call points and sample smoke/heat/flame detectors across zones; inspect and operate all main ventilation fire dampers and skylight/funnel closures from both local and remote positions; check foam tank contents and international shore connection readiness. |
| Annual FFA maintenance & testing | IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 § 7 | Annual inspection of portable extinguishers; flow test of main and emergency fire pumps; blow-through of fixed CO₂/gas distribution piping with dry air; annual SCBA breathing-air compressor quality test (EN 12021) and BA demand-valve check; annual laboratory sample analysis of fixed foam concentrates (first check at 3 years for protein/alcohol-resistant foam as specified, then annually). |
| 2-yearly & 5-yearly FFA servicing | IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 §§ 8–9 & MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 | 2-yearly high-pressure CO₂ cylinder weight/liquid-level verification (max 10% loss per cylinder) and control-valve inspection; 5-yearly internal inspection and control-valve overhaul of fixed gas systems; 5-yearly hydrostatic test of all SCBA cylinders (and composite cylinders per manufacturer/flag interval). |
| 10-yearly hydrostatic testing | IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 § 10 & Res. A.951(23) | 10-yearly hydrostatic pressure testing of portable fire extinguishers, fixed CO₂ high-pressure cylinders (at least 10% of cylinders at 10 years, then every 10 years per MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1) and fixed dry-powder / water-mist pressure vessels. |
3. Inspector walkthrough traps: what PSCOs and vetting inspectors test first
Before opening the SEQ certificate file, walk the ship and test the physical items that trigger immediate Code 17 or Code 30 PSC deficiencies:
- Emergency fire pump under real suction conditions: Test the emergency fire pump with the ship in light ballast condition, verifying that it primes quickly, maintains the required SOLAS pressure at two simultaneous fire hydrants (typically bridge wing and forecastle), and has its sea suction valve and exhaust piping in good order.
- Ventilation fire dampers & quick-closing fuel valves: Physically operate engine-room, purifier-room, cargo-hold, battery-locker and galley exhaust fire dampers from outside the protected space, checking that the open/shut indicator matches the actual blade position inside the duct and that pneumatic/hydraulic quick-closing fuel tank valves trip cleanly.
- SCBA firefighter’s outfits & EEBD placement: Check that all required Firefighter’s Outfits (plus tanker extras) have full cylinders, working low-pressure whistle alarms, intrinsically safe torches and lifelines with snap hooks, and that every Escape Breathing Device (EEBD) in the machinery spaces and accommodation matches the Fire Control Plan (SOLAS II-2/15.2.4).
Questions seafarers ask
What is IMO Resolution MSC.402(96) and why do PSC inspectors check it?
IMO Resolution MSC.402(96) (in force since 1 January 2020 under SOLAS III/20.11) sets mandatory requirements for the maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats, rescue boats, fast rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear. Every annual and 5-yearly thorough examination must be performed by an Authorised Service Provider (ASP) and certified personnel specifically approved for that make and type of equipment by the Flag Administration or its Recognised Organisation.
What changed in IMO MSC.1/Circ.1578/Rev.1 (July 2026) for lifeboat drills?
Under IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1578/Rev.1 (Safety during Abandon Ship Drills using Lifeboats, issued 6 July 2026), before lowering a davit-launched lifeboat with the operating crew on board during a drill, the boat should first be lowered and recovered without persons on board to verify that the davit, winch brake, limit switches and falls operate smoothly. For free-fall lifeboats conducting a simulated launch, the restraining device must be verified before anyone boards and the release mechanism must be tested under load.
How often must fixed foam concentrates and BA air compressors be tested?
Under IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 Section 7 (and MSC.1/Circ.1312 / MSC.1/Circ.670), portable and fixed foam concentrates must undergo periodic shore-laboratory chemical stability and expansion-ratio analysis (typically after 3 years from supply for general alcohol-resistant/synthetic foams, or first year for protein-based foams, and annually thereafter). Breathing-air compressors used to recharge SCBA cylinders must have an annual air-quality analysis certificate (checking O2, CO, CO2, oil mist and water vapour against EN 12021).
What are the most common detainable LSA and FFA deficiencies in Port State Control?
Under IMO Resolution A.1206(34) and Paris/Tokyo/USCG PSC statistics, the top detainable LSA/FFA defects are: seized or corroded ventilation fire dampers (especially engine-room and galley dampers), inoperative emergency fire pump or leaking suction prime, seized lifeboat on-load release hooks or improperly reset hydrostatic interlocks, expired liferaft or HRU certificates, missing or uncharged SCBA/EEBD cylinders, and fire doors wedged or tied open.
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