24 July 2024

On Monday 22 July 2024, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) issued a new guidance note, not only for how servicing stations gain approval, but also new considerations for vessel owners.

Before submitting a SOLAS-certificated inflatable life-saving appliance (LSA) to a service station, owners, masters, or skippers of UK-registered ships, fishing vessels, and small commercial vessels, should check that the station is a UK-Approved Service Station and is capable of servicing the particular make and model of equipment.

Where a UK ship, fishing vessel, small commercial vessel, or pleasure vessel is carrying SOLAS-certificated inflatable LSA which needs servicing in a country other than the UK, the MCA will also accept service stations which are accredited by the relevant OEM and have been approved by the relevant maritime Administration of that country in accordance with IMO Resolution A.761(18), as amended. In such cases it remains the responsibility of the owner, master, or skipper to ensure that any service station used to service a SOLAS-certificated inflatable LSA meets these criteria.

If a product was manufactured by a company for which there is no UK-based Approved Service Station, it is the responsibility of the owner, master, skipper or agent to contact the OEM and request details on the location of manufacturer Approved Service Stations for the specific equipment. In all cases, only a service station accredited by the relevant OEM and approved by a Maritime Administration in accordance with IMO resolution A.761(18) may be used.

A link to the full document can be found here.

Any questions or concerns about the MCA’s database of UK-Approved Service Stations, or the process outlined in this article should be addressed to MCA HQ, Technical Services Ship Standards using the contact details provided below.

UK Technical Services Ship Standards
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG

Email: Infoline@mcga.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)203 817 2000 
Website: www.gov.uk/mca

For more information or any queries related to this MGN, members should contact the technical team technical@britishmarine.co.uk