Guidance

MGN 558 (M) Amendment 1 Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) servicing and deployments

MCA interpretation for SOLAS Chapter III rotational deployments of MES, roles different parties should play and pass criteria for deployment

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Published: 14 June 2021
• Last updated: 15 June 2021 — See all updates

Documents

MGN 558 (M) Amendment 1 Life-Saving Appliances - Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) - Servicing and Deployments.

PDF, 278 KB, 10 pages

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Details

This note clarifies the MCA interpretation of requirements for SOLAS Chapter III/20.8.2: rotational deployments of Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) with respect to the roles that different parties should play, and the pass criteria for the deployment. It also recommends the expansion of rotational deployment requirements to cover MES that do not fall within the scope of SOLAS but are permitted under carriage provisions in UK Statutory Instruments. This note also explains the position of the MCA with respect to the provision of SOLAS Chapter III/20.8.1.1 to extend MES service intervals.

The MCA encourages ship specific training for the use of MES by taking advantage of the rotational deployment as a training opportunity.

The MCA has reformed the reporting structure and its data collation on the success rate of 6 yearly rotational deployments with the aim of making informed future policy decisions with respect to MES.

Notice to all:

• shipowners
• ship operators and managers
• masters, officers and crew of merchant ships
• manufacturers of MES
• service agents of MES
• UK recognised organisations.

This amendment provides further clarification on the training requirements for Marine Evacuation Systems through additional wording in section 6.1 of this notice.

MGN 558 (M) Amendment 1 updates and replaces the information contained in MGN 558 (M) previously published in October 2016.

Published 14 June 2021
Last updated 15 June 2021 + show all updates

1. 15 June 2021

   Title correction and summary update

2. 14 June 2021

   First published.