How to Abandon a Cruise Ship - or - whatever next !

[Keith Tindell]

I dont know who dreams these systems up, i worked for a very short time on Shitelink, correction Wightlink ferries, and at that time the evacuation system, because of crew numbers, consisted of detailing a fit passenger, or passengers to assist you to abandon , yea, brilliant, when i was told the system i said i havnt laughed so much since granny caught her tits in the mangle, the guy detailing the procedure was not amused , KT

[cappy]

I dont know who dreams these systems up, i worked for a very short time on Shitelink, correction Wightlink ferries, and at that time the evacuation system, because of crew numbers, consisted of detailing a fit passenger, or passengers to assist you to abandon , yea, brilliant, when i was told the system i said i havnt laughed so much since granny caught her tits in the mangle, the guy detailing the procedure was not amused , KT

####jeez kt that must have been a ball breaker only went on that ferry once it must have done about 4 knots just going over did my head in that was from lymington.....would rather have rowed me own boat .....but then i suppose that wouldhave seen me off.....regards cappy

[Rodney Mills]

Thank you JS for a very good analogy between WW ll and today, and an extremely well thought out post. It gives me good food for thought.



Cheers, Rodney

[Ivan Cloherty]

Used a similar system to discharge 20,000 tonnes bagged cement in Aqaba in the 1980's at anchorage onto barges, worked a treat, very few broken bags, but then again it was smooth water, nice and sunny and the bags (no pun intended) were not 70 + years old

[happy daze john in oz]

Not sure which is worse, that or the lifeboats on cargo ships. Saw one in Port Melbourne yesterday loading cement. The lifeboat at the stern was situated in such a manner that when launched it would have gone straight down nose first into the water.
Have not seen any of the 'chutes' yet but on most of the 2000 passenger ships there are enough lifeboats at 150 each to take all passengers. As for the crew, I guess thye must contend with the inflateable liferafts.

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Not sure which is worse, that or the lifeboats on cargo ships. Saw one in Port Melbourne yesterday loading cement. The lifeboat at the stern was situated in such a manner that when launched it would have gone straight down nose first into the water.
Have not seen any of the 'chutes' yet but on most of the 2000 passenger ships there are enough lifeboats at 150 each to take all passengers. As for the crew, I guess thye must contend with the inflateable liferafts.

[John Arton]

On gcaptain there is a video of a free fall launch from a production platform in the Norwegian sector. At first you cannot sea the lifeboat as it is hidden by the structures on the platforms deck. It the shoots out and makes a perfect arc into the water, entering at a fairly steep angle but resurfacing shortly after.
rgds
JA

[Louis the fly]

In an emergency such as abandoning ship the only way to save lives is for the crew to have complete control of the situation. This chute system takes away this control. When a person goes into the evacuation area they must sit down above the escape hatch, hold onto a bar above their head, then swing their legs into the hatch and let go. Many people would be too scared to drop into the unknown. Crowds of passengers would be lining up behind, many hysterical and panicking, many drunk and many too fat. The time lost in getting people off the ship could be critical.
Thankfully there are lifeboats for mothers with children, the old, the sick and disabled.

[Chris Allman]

On gcaptain there is a video of a free fall launch from a production platform in the Norwegian sector. At first you cannot sea the lifeboat as it is hidden by the structures on the platforms deck. It the shoots out and makes a perfect arc into the water, entering at a fairly steep angle but resurfacing shortly after.
rgds
JA

Just watched it John, thanks for the information. Now that appears to be a lot better.

[Captain Kong]

A friend of mine has just arrived on the PIPER BRAVO RIG,
.here is a mail from him..........................
.
.Working on Piper Bravo, built after Alpha disaster.

Quite a big platform - has 6 x freefall lifeboats (see pic) - been in them - sharp descent angle, wouldn't like to have to launch in one, have head straps to cope with descent speed- and sick bags everwhere !
The Six lifeboats are on the right below the rig.
Alpha's marker buoy is only 100 yards away, showing where it was - bit spooky.

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Cheers
Brian

[Chris Allman]

Feel very sorry for those guys, I really do. Choice of get fried or break your neck. I take my hat off to them I really do. I don't think the average person knows just how dangerous it is out there, and what goes on to keep us warm. Lets us not forget it also lines the pockets of the gas company executives whose desire to make bigger and bigger profits stretches the whole safety aspect.