460 person lifeboat is just 14 metres long

The new lifeboat has been developed in response to a contract signed at the end of 2015 for the development, production and delivery of about 100 ultra-large lifeboats suitable under realistic conditions for cruise ships. Hatecke claims that their lifeboat offers the best ratio of ‘person per metre boat length’.

After two years of development and structural preparation the prototype was completed and successfully passed all required approval tests. In the embarkation test more than 460 people aged between 17 and 83 boarded the new lifeboat in realistic conditions matching those of a cruise ship in less than 3 minutes. This test was carried out under classification society RINA supervision.

Hatecke claims that this extremely short embarkation time is the result of innovative comfortable seating and a new embarkation concept designed by the company. These innovative features include a gapless entry from ship to boat by a unique fender design, 3 double entrances on each side, seats on clearly separated levels which are easily accessible and barrier free inside passage ways of the interior. There is also more space and comfort for each passengers allowing them to stand up and turn around in the fully embarked boat.

Peter Hatecke, the CEO and owner of Hatecke commented, “This new lifeboat grants in emergency conditions a safe embarkation from the ship into lifeboats within the shortest time and it is a milestone development to increase safety comfort on board cruise ships.”

The lifeboat is fitted with twin engines as an added safety feature. The standard engines are 30hp units but larger engines up to 100hp can be installed. These are connected to a 3-bladed propeller operating in a nozzle and the 30hp units give a speed of 7.1 knots with 6 knots possible on just one engine. The bollard pull for towing is 1.2 tonnes. There are two hatches at each end for lifting hook connection and release and stainless steel release hooks are fitted with hydrostatic floater systems. The impact fender along each side is 7.5 metres long and the construction material of the boat is GRP.

Hatecke offers a wide range of lifeboat designs to meet most shipping requirements. This new high capacity lifeboat is claimed to reduce the length of the side of the ship required for lifeboats by about 30% which it is claimed will give shipyards more space for balcony cabins and increased public areas.

This development and classification society approval has taken place despite the IMO regulations stating that no lifeboat should have a capacity of more than 150 persons. RINA who gave the approval for this new design has not commented about the IMO requirements.