Operational Drills

Operational drills are the periodic emergency exercises that keep crews competent in abandon-ship, fire, and other shipboard emergencies. SOLAS III/19 sets the schedule: each crew member takes part in at least one abandon-ship drill and one fire drill every month, and on passenger ships engaged on voyages over 24 hours a muster is held within 24 hours of leaving port. Every lifeboat is launched with its operating crew at least every three months, and enclosed-space entry and rescue drills run on the same regulation since the 2015 amendments. Records are entered in the log and checked at survey and port state control.