Drills schedule

This drill schedule template shall be used to set up recurring tasks in the Planned Maintenance System (PMS) section of Deepblue©. Drills should be discussed at safety meetings, and the Master should report the drills conducted in the previous month in the Master’s monthly report.

Guidance on reporting completed drills

Required content of statutory drills

The minimum required content of any drill is specified in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and, where applicable, differing Flag State instructions. The guidelines below are a summary only; always consult the relevant SOLAS and Flag State regulations.

All emergency drills shall, as far as practicable, be conducted as if they were an actual emergency.

Fire and abandon ship drills

Each crew member must participate in at least one abandon‑ship drill and one fire drill every month. These drills must be held within 24 hours of leaving port if more than 25% of the crew have not taken part in drills on board the ship in the previous month.

On any yacht carrying passengers for more than 24 hours, a muster of the passengers must take place within 24 hours of embarkation. Passengers must receive instruction in how to don their lifejackets and the actions to take on hearing the general emergency alarm signal.

Fire drills

It is recommended that fire drills be held simultaneously with the first stage of the abandon‑ship drill. Searches for missing crew or passengers can be practised in conjunction with either drill each month.

Each fire drill must include:

• Reporting to stations and preparing for duties as described on the Muster List
• Starting fire pumps and using two jets of water to verify proper system operation
• Checking firemen’s outfits and other personal rescue equipment
• Checking relevant communications equipment
• Checking the operation of watertight doors, fire doors, fire dampers, and main inlets and outlets of ventilation systems in the drill area
• Checking the necessary arrangements for subsequent abandonment of the vessel

Note: Equipment used during drills must be returned to fully operational condition immediately after the drill.

Abandon‑ship drills

Abandon‑ship drills shall include:

• Muster of all persons to their muster stations
• Demonstration of the order to abandon ship
• Preparation by all personnel with duties on the Muster List to conduct those duties
• Checks that all persons are suitably dressed
• Verification that lifejackets or immersion suits are correctly donned
• Preparations for launching liferafts and rescue boat(s), where possible
• Testing of emergency lighting for mustering and abandonment at each abandon‑ship drill

Launch and recovery of rescue boat

As far as reasonable and practicable, the rescue boat shall be launched each month with its assigned crew on board and manoeuvred in the water. The operation of on‑load release mechanisms during launching shall be limited to no more than twice per year.

Recovery of persons from enclosed spaces

All persons involved in enclosed‑space entries or assigned enclosed‑space rescue duties shall take part in enclosed‑space entry and rescue drills at intervals not exceeding two months. Conduct these drills safely and in accordance with statutory guidance. Drills should include:

• Checking and use of personal protective equipment required for entry
• Checking and use of communication equipment and procedures
• Checking and use of instruments for measuring the atmosphere in enclosed spaces
• Checking and use of rescue equipment and procedures
• Instruction in first‑aid and resuscitation techniques

All crew members shall, as a minimum, receive instruction on the risks associated with enclosed spaces and their safe entry.

Oil pollution

Demonstrate the location and function of oil‑spill equipment in conjunction with practising the scenarios outlined within the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP).

SSAS testing

Testing of the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) shall include verification of contact numbers stated in the Ship Security Plan (SSP) and use of the covert phrase. This will be conducted by our Emergency Response provider (and monitored by Yachting Concept Monaco) each quarter, during the months of January, April, July, and October.

Security drills

In addition to SSAS testing, conduct drills each quarter based on the different security scenarios outlined within the SSP.

Recovery of persons from water (man overboard, MOB)

Conduct drills each quarter that test different elements of the plan to recover persons from the water. Incorporate these within routine man‑overboard (MOB) drills where practicable.

Emergency steering gear

In addition to routine testing of steering gear, emergency steering drills shall take place at least once every three months. These drills shall include direct control within the steering‑gear compartment, the communications procedure with the navigational bridge, and, where applicable, the operation of alternative power supplies.

Revision history

The Master is responsible for ensuring that the latest version of the manual is available on board.