SOLAS · ISPS · Drills
Ship drill frequency: how often each SOLAS and ISPS drill is due
Drill records are one of the first things PSC and vetting inspectors check — and increasingly they ask the crew to run one. Here is every common shipboard drill with its minimum interval and the regulation behind it, plus what turns a drill on paper into a drill that teaches something.
Updated 7 October 2026 · Written by SeaReady in our own words. Not affiliated with OCIMF, RightShip, CDI, any MoU or any administration — always check the current official documents.
Drill intervals at a glance
| Drill | Minimum interval | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Abandon ship — cargo ships | Every month for each crew member; within 24 h of leaving port if more than 25% of the crew missed the last one on this ship | SOLAS III/19.3.2 |
| Fire — cargo ships | Every month, with the abandon-ship drill | SOLAS III/19.3.2 · II-2/15.2.2 |
| Abandon ship and fire — passenger ships | Every week | SOLAS III/30.2 |
| Enclosed space entry and rescue | At least every 2 months | SOLAS III/19.3.6 |
| Lifeboat launched with its crew | At least every 3 months (free-fall: 6 months, flag may allow 12) | SOLAS III/19.3.3.3–4 |
| Rescue boat launched with its crew | Monthly where practicable, at least every 3 months | SOLAS III/19.3.3.6 |
| Emergency steering | At least every 3 months | SOLAS V/26.4 |
| Damage control (passenger ships) | At least every 3 months | SOLAS II-1/19-1 |
| Security drill | At least every 3 months; within a week if more than 25% of the crew changed | ISPS Code B/13.6 |
| Security exercise | Once each calendar year, no more than 18 months apart | ISPS Code B/13.7 |
| SOPEP / SMPEP exercise | Not fixed by MARPOL — set in your plan and SMS | MARPOL I/37 · II/17 |
| Man overboard | No SOLAS interval — set by your SMS drill matrix | ISM Code 8 |
Enclosed space entry: the drill inspectors test most
- Use the ship’s own portable gas detector in the drill — calibrated, with someone who can operate it (SOLAS XI-1/7).
- Rescue someone from a real space on your ship, not a convenient deck locker: pump room, cofferdam, chain locker, ballast tank.
- Time how long it takes to get breathing apparatus, a stretcher and the rescue team to the entrance.
- Enclosed space entry is the confirmed topic for the 2027 PSC campaign — prepare early.
Making drills count
- Vary the scenario: fire in the purifier room at night, a casualty in the steering flat, abandon ship with the starboard boat out of action.
- Debrief straight after: what went well, what did not, what changes. Write the lesson in the record.
- Hold drills when they disturb rest least — see the rest-hour rules on drills and compensatory rest.
- Expect an inspector to ask: “Tell me about the last drill that went badly. What changed afterwards?”
Drill records are checked in every PSC inspection, and drill questions come up in SIRE 2.0 interviews and in rest-hour reviews.
Questions seafarers ask
How often is the enclosed space entry drill?
At least every 2 months (SOLAS III/19.3.6). Use the portable atmosphere-testing instrument required by SOLAS XI-1/7 in the drill, calibrated and in the hands of someone who can operate it.
How often are fire and abandon ship drills on a cargo ship?
Every month for each crew member. If more than 25% of the crew did not take part in the last abandon-ship and fire drill on that ship, the drills must be held within 24 hours of leaving port. Passenger ships drill every week.
How often must lifeboats be launched?
Each lifeboat should be launched and manoeuvred in the water with its assigned crew at least every 3 months. Free-fall lifeboats: at least every 6 months, which the flag may extend to 12 months.
Is there a fixed interval for man-overboard or SOPEP drills?
No SOLAS interval. Man-overboard drills are set by your SMS drill matrix (ISM Code section 8). Oil pollution exercises are set in your approved SOPEP/SMPEP and company procedures — for US calls the Vessel Response Plan has its own programme.
Plan and log drills on board
SeaReady’s drill planner shows the interval and regulation for each drill for your ship type, flags what is due and keeps a dated log with lessons learned — offline.
Free toolkit, no card. Works offline at sea once installed.
Related guides
- PSC inspection checklistCertificates, crew, drills, LSA/FFA, MLC — and the current CIC.
- MLC and STCW rest hours10 hours in 24, 77 in 7 days, the split rule and the STCW exception.
- SIRE 2.0 questions by rankSample interview questions for every rank and how inspectors judge the answer.
- RightShip inspection checklistThe 17 RISQ 3.2 sections, what changed in 3.2 and the age-trigger dates.