ISO 18079-5:2018

Ships and marine technology — Servicing of inflatable life-saving appliances — Part 5: Inflated rescue boats

This document, in conjunction with ISO 18079‑1, provides provisions for servicing stations servicing inflated rescue boats referred to in SOLAS III/20.8. This document is applicable to non-SOLAS inflated rescue boats, as appropriate.

Navires et technologie maritime — Entretien des dispositifs de sauvetage gonflables — Partie 5: Bateaux de sauvetage gonflables

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 29-May-2018
• ICS: 47.020.99 - Other standards related to shipbuilding and marine structures
• ICS: 47.080 - Small craft
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 1 - Maritime safety
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 1/WG 1 - Lifesaving appliances and arrangements
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 19-Sep-2023
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Overview

ISO 18079-5:2018 - Ships and marine technology: Servicing of inflatable life‑saving appliances - Part 5: Inflated rescue boats - sets out requirements for the inspection, testing, maintenance and documentation of inflated rescue boats. Designed as a companion to ISO 18079‑1 and to IMO/SOLAS III/20.8, it provides servicing stations with practical provisions to ensure inflated rescue boats remain safe and airworthy. The standard is applicable to SOLAS appliances referenced in SOLAS III/20.8 and, where appropriate, to non‑SOLAS inflated rescue boats.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and relationship: Works in conjunction with ISO 18079‑1 and complements IMO Assembly resolution A.761(18) and SOLAS servicing requirements.
• Visual inspection: Under inflation, check air chambers, cordage (lifelines, tow lines, painters), valve mountings, bonded parts, retro‑reflective materials, rigid floors, self‑righting devices, marking, fender/skate arrangements and external void boundaries for deterioration, peeling, cracking or deformation.
• Air chamber testing
  • Working Pressure (WP) test: Inflate with dry air to working pressure (or manufacturer’s specified pressure) and hold for at least 1 hour. Pressure drop must not exceed 5% (temperature corrected).
  • Necessary Additional Pressure (NAP) test: Required annually after the 10th year from manufacture. Inflate, plug pressure‑relief valves and raise pressure to the lesser of 2.0× WP or the pressure producing a specified tensile load (manufacturers must provide NAP tables and calculation details). Any seam cracking or significant pressure loss leads to condemnation.
  • Overload suspension test: At 5 and 10 years and annually thereafter: inflate, load with 1.1× the mass of the full complement, suspend for 5 minutes with relief valves operative, then inspect for slippage or peeling.
• Pressure relief valves: Measure activation and closing pressures (must lie within specified ranges) and confirm zero leakage after closing.
• Equipment and systems: Check onboard equipment condition, engines/propulsion, manoeuvring, electrical/power systems and automatic self‑bailing systems per manufacturer’s servicing manual.
• Documentation: Record test results, condition on receipt, maintenance actions, deficiency records and use a condemnation form where required.

Applications and users

ISO 18079-5:2018 is used by:

• Servicing stations seeking certification and consistent inspection procedures
• Ship owners and operators to meet SOLAS servicing obligations
• Manufacturers for servicing manual development and specifying NAP data
• Maritime administrations, surveyors and auditors for compliance verification

Practical benefits include improved safety of life‑saving appliances, consistent servicing outcomes, and clear documentation for audits and port state control.

Related standards

• ISO 18079‑1 (general servicing provisions for inflatable life‑saving appliances)
• IMO SOLAS Chapter III, Regulation 20.8 and IMO Assembly resolution A.761(18) (context and statutory requirements)

Keywords: ISO 18079-5:2018, inflated rescue boats, servicing, inspection, working pressure test, NAP test, SOLAS, life‑saving appliances, servicing stations.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 18079-5
First edition
2018-06
Ships and marine technology —
Servicing of inflatable life-saving
appliances —
Part 5:
Inflated rescue boats
Navires et technologie maritime — Entretien des dispositifs
de sauvetage gonflables —
Partie 5: Bateaux de sauvetage gonflables
Reference number
©
ISO 2018
© ISO 2018
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
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below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Inspection . 1
4.1 General . 1
4.2 Visual inspection . 1
4.2.1 General. 1
4.2.2 Air chamber and cordage . 1
4.2.3 Valves, valve mounting and cordage mountings . 2
4.2.4 Bonded parts . 2
4.2.5 Inflation valves and pressure relief valves . 2
4.2.6 Retro-reflective materials . 2
4.2.7 Rigid floor . 2
4.2.8 Self-righting device . 2
4.2.9 Marking . 2
4.2.10 Fender/skate arrangements . 2
4.2.11 External boundaries of void spaces . 2
4.3 Air chamber . 2
4.3.1 Working pressure (WP) test . 2
4.3.2 Necessary additional pressure (NAP) test . 3
4.3.3 Overload suspension test for main air chambers . 3
4.4 Pressure relief valve . 3
4.5 Equipment . 3
4.6 Engines and propulsion system . 4
4.7 Manoeuvring system . 4
4.8 Power supply system and electrical equipment . 4
4.9 Automatically self-bailing system . 4
5 Maintenance . 4
6 Documentation . 5
6.1 Overview . 5
6.2 General information . 5
6.3 Information about inflated rescue boat condition when received . 5
6.4 Test documentation to be recorded . 5
6.5 Condemnation documentation for inflated rescue boats . 5
6.6 Control objects to be included in the inspection schedule . 6
7 Deficiency records . 6
Annex A (informative) Condemnation form for inflated rescue boats . 7
Bibliography . 8
Foreword
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 8, Ships and marine technology,
Subcommittee SC 1, Maritime safety.
A list of all parts in the ISO 18079 series can be found on the ISO website.
iv © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Introduction
The IMO International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea of 1974 (SOLAS 74) Chapter III
Regulation 20.8 sets requirements for the annual servicing and inspection of inflatable life rafts,
inflatable lifejackets, marine evacuation systems, and maintenance and repair of inflated rescue boats
on ships. This regulation refers to the IMO Recommendation on the conditions for the approval of
servicing stations for inflatable life rafts Assembly resolution A.761(18).
However, this resolution only provides specific standards for the servicing, maintenance and repair
of inflatable life rafts and remains silent for other types of inflatable or inflated life-saving appliances
mentioned by SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 20.8 and consequently, the application of this statutory
requirement could vary widely in practice.
The ISO 18079 series addresses those areas in which the IMO recommendation is silent, in order to
facilitate consistent implementation by maritime Administrations. It is intended for use as a companion
to the IMO recommendation and also to encompass all other relevant life-saving appliances covered by
the ISO 18079 series and not necessarily regulated by IMO instruments.
The IMO Recommendation on the conditions for the approval of servicing stations for inflatable
life rafts Assembly resolution A.761(18) specifies obligations and responsibilities for Administrations,
manufacturers and ship owners. While the ISO 18079 series covers the requirements of this resolution,
it has been rearranged and reformulated in order to enable a single entity, i.e. a servicing station, to
attain certification in accordance with the ISO 18079 series. This does not mean that the specified
obligations and responsibilities are lifted, delegated or otherwise transferred by authority from those
parties to the single entity being certified.
This document addresses the maintenance and repair of inflated rescue boats and it is intended for use
as a companion to the IMO resolution.
...