2 Procedure for calculating the travel time in ideal conditions
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1238 – Guidelines for Evacuation Analysis for New and Existing Passenger Ships – (30 October 2007) - Annex 1 - Guidelines for a Simplified Evacuation Analysis for New and Existing Passenger Ships - Appendix 1 - Method to Calculate the Travel Time (T) - 2 Procedure for calculating the travel time in ideal conditions

2 Procedure for calculating the travel time in ideal conditions

2.1 Symbols

 To illustrate the procedure, the following notation is used:

tstair = stairway travel time(s) of the escape route to the assembly station
tdeck = travel time(s) to move from the farthest point of the escape route of a deck to the stairway
tassembly = travel time(s) to move from the end of the stairway to the entrance of the assigned assembly station

2.2 Quantification of flow time

 The basic steps of the calculation are the following:

  • .1 Schematization of the escape routes as a hydraulic network, where the pipes are the corridors and stairways, the valves are the doors and restrictions in general, and the tanks are the public spaces.

  • .2 Calculation of the density D in the main escape routes of each deck. In the case of cabin rows facing a corridor, it is assumed that the people in the cabins simultaneously move into the corridor; the corridor density is therefore the number of cabin occupants per corridor unit area calculated considering the clear width. For public spaces, it is assumed that all persons simultaneously begin the evacuation at the exit door (the specific flow to be used in the calculations is the door’s maximum specific flow); the number of evacuees using each door may be assumed proportional to the door clear width.

  • .3 Calculation of the initial specific flows Fs, by linear interpolation from table 1.1, as a function of the densities.

  • .4 Calculation of the flow Fc for corridors and doors, in the direction of the correspondent assigned escape stairway.

  • .5 Once a transition point is reached; formula (1.7) is used to obtain the outlet calculated flow(s) Fc. In cases where two or more routes leave the transition point, it is assumed that the flow Fc of each route is proportional to its clear width. The outlet specific flow(s), Fs, is obtained as the outlet calculated flow(s) divided by the clear width(s); two possibilities exist:

    • .1 Fs does not exceed the maximum value of table 1.2; the corresponding outlet speed (S) is then taken by linear interpolation from table 1.3, as a function of the specific flow; or

    • .2 Fs exceeds the maximum value of table 1.2 above; in this case, a queue will form at the transition point, Fs is the maximum of table 1.2 and the corresponding outlet speed (S) is taken from table 1.3.

  • .6 The above procedure is repeated for each deck, resulting in a set of values of calculated flows Fc and speed S, each entering the assigned escape stairway.

  • .7 Calculation, from N (number of persons entering a flight or corridor) and from the relevant Fc, of the flow time tF of each stairway and corridor. The flow time tF of each escape route is the longest among those corresponding to each portion of the escape route.

  • .8 Calculation of the travel time tdeck from the farthest point of each escape route to the stairway, is defined as the ratio of length/speed. For the various portions of the escape route, the travel times should be summed up if the portions are used in series, otherwise the largest among them should be adopted. This calculation should be performed for each deck; as the people are assumed to move in parallel on each deck to the assigned stairway, the dominant value tdeck should be taken as the largest among them. No tdeck is calculated for public spaces.

  • .9 Calculation, for each stair flight, of its travel time as the ratio of inclined stair flight length and speed. For each deck, the total stair travel time, tstair , is the sum of the travel times of all stairs flights connecting the deck with the assembly station.

  • .10 Calculation of the travel time t assembly from the end of the stairway (at the assembly station deck) to the entrance of the assembly station.

  • .11 The overall time to travel along an escape route to the assigned assembly station is:

    tI = tF + tdeck + tstair + tassembly (2.2.11)
  • .12 The procedure should be repeated for both the day and night cases. This will result in two values (one for each case) of tI for each main escape route leading to the assigned assembly station.

  • .13 Congestion points are identified as follows:

    • .1 in those spaces where the initial density is equal, or greater than, 3.5 persons/m2; and

    • .2 in those locations where the difference between inlet and outlet calculated flows (FC ) is in more than 1.5 persons per second.

  • .14 Once the calculation is performed for all the escape routes, the highest tI should be selected for calculating the travel time T using formula (1.8).


Copyright 2022 Clasifications Register Group Limited, International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization or Maritime and Coastguard Agency. All rights reserved. Clasifications Register Group Limited, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as 'Clasifications Register'. Clasifications Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Clasifications Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.