Section 4 General requirements
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Clasifications Register Rules and Regulations - Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Naval Ships, January 2023 - Volume 3 Additional Class Notations - Part 1 Ship Type Capability - Chapter 7 Boat and Waterborne Operations - Section 4 General requirements

Section 4 General requirements

Parent topic: Chapter 7 Boat and Waterborne Operations

4.1 Application

4.1.1 This Section details the requirements for onboard arrangements for the launch, recovery and carriage of small boats and watercraft and for the interfacing of the parent vessel with waterborne craft alongside, or persons in the water.

4.1.2 Application of this chapter will also facilitate the verification of the performance requirements of ANEP-77 NATO Naval Ship Code, Chapter V, Regulation 5, 6, 7, and 12.

4.1.3 Vessels compliant with the requirements of this chapter will be eligible for the BOATS notation, indicating that the onboard arrangements for the launch, recovery and carriage of small boats and for interfacing of the vessel with waterborne craft alongside or persons in the water are demonstrated to be in accordance with the requirements of this Chapter and the applicable requirements of the ANEP-77 NATO Naval Ship Code (NSC).

4.1.4 The BOATS notation does not include boats or watercraft which are launched and recovered or carried in a well dock area, stern ramp or launched within a separate launching cradle. These may be considered subject to special consideration.

4.1.5 Where a boat, watercraft or station forms part of the escape, evacuation and rescue arrangements for the parent vessel, compliance with the relevant requirements for escape, evacuation and rescue are to be complied with separately.

4.2 Definitions

4.2.1 The following definitions are used for the purposes of this Section.

4.2.2 Boat: A boat shall be taken to mean any manned/unmanned vessel provided onboard a parent vessel as a part of its ship type capability which is launched and recovered whilst underway at sea, e.g. ship’s boat, landing craft. It is not intended to include dedicated survival craft, such as lifeboats or dedicated rescue boats; however, it does include boats with a dual purpose.

4.2.3 Watercraft: Watercraft shall be taken to mean any manned/unmanned vessel provided onboard a parent vessel as a part of its capability which is deployed to the sea surface using onboard lifting appliances or dedicated launch and recovery appliances, whilst the parent vessel is stationary (or underway but not making way), e.g. ROV, UUV, Mexiflote, USV, workboat, passenger tender.

4.2.4 Waterborne craft: A waterborne craft shall be taken to mean any manned/unmanned vessel with which the parent vessel interacts with whilst it is waterborne alongside – it may or may not be hosted onboard; e.g. (hosted) ROV, UUV, Mexiflote, USV, workboat, passenger tender; (un-hosted) bunker barge, pilot boat, tug boat, pontoon, passenger transfer vessel.

4.2.5 Boat Station: A defined area on the parent vessel where a boat or watercraft is stowed, prepared, launched from and recovered to during an operational cycle; it includes the area occupied by the boat or watercraft, the handling space, the launch and recovery appliance and the control station.

4.2.6 Control Position: A position from which control of the equipment associated with boat operations or alongside operations is physically undertaken using the control interface.

4.2.7 Conning Position: The position from which control of the parent vessel is exercised by an Officer responsible for oversight of all boat or alongside operations; this may also include a secondary conning position.

4.2.8 Defined Operating Conditions: The defined range of conditions in which boat operations, alongside operations or recovery operations are required to be conducted, including at least the following: day/night operations, sea-state, wind speed, tempo, ahead speed, external air temperature, safe working loads.

4.2.9 Embarkation Station: A defined location from where access from the ships side to a waterborne craft alongside may be undertaken, or vice versa.

4.2.10 Launch and recovery equipment: Any equipment required to enable the boat to be launched and recovered from the parent vessel, including lifting appliances, painter arrangements or boat guides.

4.2.11 Observation Position: A position which may be, but is not necessarily, incorporated into the boat station, and from where the launch, recovery or embarkation cycle may be observed in all required operating conditions.

4.2.12 Parent Vessel: The naval vessel to which the requirements of this Section are being applied with respect to boats and watercraft which are hosted onboard.

4.2.13 Recovery Position: A position from which a person may be recovered to the parent vessel from the sea surface.

4.2.14 Securing Point: A location provided with appropriate securing or attachment points from which a boat or watercraft may be moored, towed or secured to; this includes locations for painter booms and recessed bollards.

4.2.15 Transfer Position: A position from which stores, cargo, liquids, munitions, etc. may be transferred to and from the parent vessel to a boat or watercraft alongside.

4.3 Operational safety considerations

4.3.1 Launch and recovery of boats at sea whilst underway is a hazardous peacetime activity practised and conducted on a nearly continual basis in a wide range of conditions and sea states; similarly, the at-sea transfer of people and cargo to and from waterborne craft alongside or the sea surface also presents significant hazards. It is important that the following areas are considered when designing, building, operating and maintaining systems for the launch, recovery and carriage of small boats and for the associated interfacing of the parent vessel with waterborne craft or personnel alongside:
  1. Launch and recovery whilst underway or ‘at-sea’: Launch and recovery of boats whilst underway or in heavy sea states results in high dynamic loads and motions which are difficult to quantify and present significant hazards when the boat and parent vessel are connected via the launch and recovery appliance.
  2. Close proximity of disproportionately sized vessels whilst underway or ‘at-sea’: Wake and wave interaction areas alongside parent vessels whilst underway or at-sea present a greater hazard to boats and watercraft when operating in proximity, particularly when connected.
  3. Transfer of Personnel: Lifting appliance design codes stipulate enhanced factors of safety, specific machinery arrangements, and more frequent testing for equipment used for the launch and recovery of personnel, particularly under ‘at-sea’ conditions and must be carefully designed to meet the enhanced operating tempos and dynamic loads expected for the parent vessel operations.
  4. Safety of Personnel: Care is to be taken in the design and operation of boat, embarkation and recovery systems to minimize risks to personnel who are engaged in the operation, are alongside or are transferring to and from the parent vessel.

4.3.2 Compliance with the requirements of this Chapter addresses the hazards identified above but relies on the appropriate specification and management of operational requirements by the Owner and the appropriate identification and management of hazards associated with those operational requirements by the Designer and Equipment Suppliers.

4.3.3 The designer should engage with the system operators to ensure that, in addressing the areas described above, the system design takes account of the required competencies, training and experience of the intended crew and is optimised to improve operational safety.

4.3.4 Where required by the Owner, the HCD1(Boat Operations) notation may also be selected to provide enhanced assurance of the human-centred design process, see Vol 1, Pt 1, Ch 2, 3.10 Other notations 3.10.27.

4.3.5 The provision of suitably trained, qualified and experienced crew is the responsibility of the Owner.

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