Merchant ships are equipped with a comprehensive range of life-saving appliances designed to protect the crew and passengers during emergencies. These appliances include survival craft, personal life-saving equipment, and emergency communication devices.

Survival craft consist primarily of lifeboats and liferafts, which provide a safe means of evacuation and temporary shelter after abandoning the ship. Personal life-saving appliances include lifebuoys, lifejackets, immersion suits, and thermal protective aids, all of which are designed to increase an individual’s chances of survival in the water.

Ships are also equipped with various emergency communication and rescue devices. These include portable VHF radios, Search and Rescue Transponders (SART), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), and line-throwing apparatus, which help establish communication and assist rescue teams in locating survivors.

Pyrotechnic distress signals are another important category of survival equipment. These include rocket parachute flares, hand flares, and buoyant smoke floats, which are used to signal distress and guide rescue vessels or aircraft to the survivors’ location.

Proper knowledge of the purpose, operation, and maintenance of each piece of survival equipment is essential for ensuring effective emergency response.