🟢 Regulation: IMO MSC.81(70), Part 1, paragraph 1.4
🟢 Purpose: To test whether the lifebuoy will retain its properties when exposed to oil products (diesel, fuel oil) that may surface during an accident.
🗣 How the Test Is Performed
1️⃣ Preparation
- One lifebuoy is selected from a sample batch.
- Its weight and appearance are checked.
2️⃣ Immersion in Oil
- The lifebuoy is completely immersed in a container of diesel fuel.
- The coating must be at least 100 mm above the lifebuoy’s surface.
- Temperature: normal room temperature.
3️⃣ Duration
- The lifebuoy remains submerged for 24 hours.
4️⃣ Removal and Inspection
- After the time has elapsed, remove the float and inspect it thoroughly.
- Check for:
- any softening of the material;
- any cracks, delamination, or deformation;
- any remaining strength and buoyancy.
🗣 Success Criteria
✅ The float has not lost its shape.
✅ The material has not softened or collapsed.
✅ Buoyancy has remained at its original level.
🗣 Why is this important?
Fuel spills often occur during an accident. A person overboard will end up in water covered in diesel or fuel oil. If the float absorbs oil or loses buoyancy, it will not perform its intended function. This is why the IMO requires a mandatory oil resistance test.
⚠️ Bottom Line: An oil resistance test ensures that a lifebuoy will work even in severe oil and fuel spill conditions.
Seamen’s Club 🇺🇦 | #education