Free-Fall Lifeboats
Free-fall lifeboats are specially designed survival craft that are launched by sliding freely from an inclined ramp directly into the sea. They provide one of the fastest and safest methods of abandoning a ship, particularly in severe weather conditions.
The approved carrying capacity of a free-fall lifeboat is determined by the number of persons, each assumed to have an average mass of 82.5 kilograms (181 pounds), who can be seated comfortably without interfering with the operation of the propulsion system or other essential equipment.
After entering the water, the lifeboat must immediately move safely away from the parent vessel under its own power. Even when the ship has a trim of up to 10 degrees and a list of 20 degrees on either side, the lifeboat must avoid coming into contact with the ship after launching.