1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its sixty-second
session (24 to 28 May 1993), approved Guidelines on inspection and
maintenance of lifeboat on-load release gear, issued as MSC/Circ.614.
2 Recognizing the experience gained since the
approval of the Guidelines by MSC 62 and that the implementation of
expanded and improved guidelines could contribute towards a reduction
of the incidence of accidents with lifeboats, the Maritime Safety
Committee, at its seventy-seventh session (28 May to 6 June 2003),
approved the Guidelines for periodic servicing and maintenance of
lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear, set out
in the annex, which could also be used for the periodic servicing
and maintenance of liferafts, rescue boats and fast rescue boats and
their launching appliances and on-load release gear.
3 Member Governments are invited to give effect
to the annexed Guidelines as soon as possible and to bring them to
the attention of shipowners, ship operators, ship personnel, surveyors,
manufacturers and all others concerned with the inspection and maintenance
of lifeboats, liferafts, rescue boats and fast rescue boats and their
launching appliances and on-load release gear.
4 This circular supersedes MSC/Circ.614.