What to check on a Inflatable Life Raft (SOLAS-B).
Both packs use the same style of inflatable raft — canopy, buoyancy tubes, boarding ramp, righting strap — and both must meet the same LSA Code performance requirements for inflation, capacity and stability in the water. The difference is entirely in what is packed inside. A SOLAS-A pack is built for voyages where rescue could take longer, so it carries a fuller equipment set, including a larger water and food ration, more pyrotechnics, and additional survival aids. A SOLAS-B pack strips this back to a reduced list, reflecting the shorter…
What sets a SOLAS-B raft apart from SOLAS-A
Both packs use the same style of inflatable raft — canopy, buoyancy tubes, boarding ramp, righting strap — and both must meet the same LSA Code performance requirements for inflation, capacity and stability in the water. The difference is entirely in what is packed inside. A SOLAS-A pack is built for voyages where rescue could take longer, so it carries a fuller equipment set, including a larger water and food ration, more pyrotechnics, and additional survival aids. A SOLAS-B pack strips this back to a reduced list, reflecting the shorter expected time to rescue on the voyages it is approved for. Choosing SOLAS-B is a decision about the ship's trading area, not a lower-quality raft.
Main components
Buoyancy chamber and canopy
Dual, independently inflatable buoyancy tubes and an insulated canopy that inflates automatically with the raft, giving protection from wind, spray and sun once boarded.
Painter line and hydrostatic release unit
The painter triggers inflation when paid out and, together with a hydrostatic release unit on the cradle, allows the raft to float free and inflate automatically if the ship sinks before it is launched by hand.
Equipment pack (SOLAS-B specific)
A reduced pack against the SOLAS-A list: it still includes essentials such as a bailer, sponge, paddles, repair kit, first aid kit, seasickness tablets, and signalling equipment, but with lower quantities of items like water, food rations and pyrotechnic distress signals than a SOLAS-A pack for the same raft capacity.
Cradle and stowage
Holds the raft ready for launch, typically with a weak link and hydrostatic release arrangement so the raft is not dragged down with a sinking ship.
Selection and sizing
Selection is governed by the ship's certificated area of operation as much as by capacity:
- Whether the ship's trading pattern qualifies for SOLAS-B equipment under flag and class rules, typically tied to short international voyages or defined coastal areas
- Rated capacity against the ship's maximum complement, with enough rafts of the fitted capacity to cover the total persons on board plus any required margin
- Servicing interval and the location of an approved service station on the ship's normal trading route
- Deck stowage arrangement and launching method, davit-launched or throw-overboard, suited to freeboard and available deck space
Regulations and class
SOLAS Ch. III and the LSA Code set both the raft's performance standards and the exact contents lists for SOLAS-A and SOLAS-B equipment packs. Servicing is required at intervals set by the manufacturer's approval, generally not exceeding twelve months, at a station approved for that raft type, with hydrostatic release units and painter systems checked and renewed on their own separate schedules. Flag administrations decide which ships and voyages may carry SOLAS-B rather than SOLAS-A equipment.
Typical faults
| Fault | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Service overdue at the annual station visit | Raft certificate lapses, and the ship may not be permitted to sail without a valid raft |
| Hydrostatic release unit past its expiry date | Raft may not float free and inflate automatically if the ship sinks before manual launch |
| Cradle corrosion or lashing wrongly re-secured after servicing | Raft fails to release cleanly during an actual launch |
| SOLAS-B raft carried on a voyage that actually requires SOLAS-A equipment | Non-compliance found at port state control, and a genuine shortfall in survival equipment if the raft is ever used |
What to look for in a supplier
- Approval certificate confirming SOLAS-B contents match the current LSA Code list for the raft's capacity
- Service station network covering the ship's actual trading pattern, not just the home port
- Clear labelling distinguishing SOLAS-A and SOLAS-B stock where a ship's stores hold both types
- Documented history of hydrostatic release unit and cradle condition if buying a raft already in service
Confirm which pack, SOLAS-A or SOLAS-B, is actually loaded in each raft rather than assuming from the raft's outer case — the two are visually similar and mixing them up on a voyage that requires SOLAS-A is a real port state control finding.