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US Navy HSV 2 Swift Catamaran

HSV 2 Swift is one of US Military Sealift Command's two High- Speed Vessels and is part of the 26 ships in US Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program. HSV 2 Swift is capable of maintaining an average speed of 35 knots (65 km/h) or greater, loaded with 500 short tons, consisting of 350 personnel and military equipment. A minimum operating range of 1100 nautical miles (2,037 km) at 35 knots (65 km/h) was required by the contract, as was a minimum transit range of 4000 nautical miles (7,408 km) at an average speed of 20 knots (37 km/h). Furthermore, she is capable of 24 hour operations at slow speeds (3-10 knots) (6-19 km/h) for experimentation with unmanned autonomous vehicles, and to support dedicated and emerging organic mine warfare missions.

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HSV-2 Swift (High Speed Vehicle)

The HSV-2 Swift (HSV 2) is a chartered high-speed vessel of the US Navy Military Sealift Command. The hybrid wave piercing catamaran was designed and built by Bollinger / Incat.

35 (total people - 353 maximum)

Bollinger / Incat

Length – 97.22m, beam – 26.6m, draft – 3.43m

Displacement

Four x Caterpillar 3618 diesel engines at 7,200kW

38kt at 627t deadweight, 42kt at 300t deadweight

Four 0.5C M2 Browning machine gun stations

The HSV-2 Swift (HSV 2) is a chartered high-speed vessel of the US Navy Military Sealift Command. The hybrid wave piercing catamaran was designed and built by Bollinger / Incat in Hobart, Tasmania.

It is the fourth high speed catamaran built by the partners, after HMAS Jervis Bay, HSV X1 Joint Venture and TSV 1X Spearhead. The HSV-2 Swift is also acting as a prototype for the joint high speed vessel (JHSV) programme.

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The HSV-2 Swift is owned and operated by the New York-based shipping company Sealift. The HSV-2 was leased by the US Navy and delivered to the Military Sealift Command from Lockport, Louisiana, in August 2003.

The vessel was built for the Navy in eight months from the award of contract. Sea trials of the HSV-2 were conducted from February to May 2004. She was designed to conduct sea basing tests and support transformational mine warfare modular payloads.

The vessel has a crew of 35-18 military personnel and 17 civilian contract mariners from the Seafarers International Union and American Maritime Officers.

The vessel serves for 11 months of every year and participates in exercises such as Southern Partnership Station by USSOUTHCOM AOR. The HSV-2 catamaran currently serves the navy in humanitarian missions, experiments, training, exercises and fleet support operations. In April 2011, the vessel was deployed in the disaster relief operations in Haiti.

Design and features of the chartered high-speed vessel

The HSV-2 is an all-aluminium naval vessel. It is 97.22m long and has a beam of 26.6m, a draft of 3.43m and a mission deck of 2,601m2.

The 24.7m x 15.24m helideck of the vessel is NAVAIR certified to carry helicopters such as the AH-1, MH-60, CH-46 and UH-1. She can also accommodate about 350 personnel and military equipment, or a payload of up to 500t at a top speed of about 35kt.

She has space to store and maintain two MH-60 choppers in weather protected space. A ramp at the stern allows loading and unloading of military vehicles of up to 11,793kg, such as an M1A1.

The vehicles are moved to and fro the flight deck using a crane that supports 9,979kg RIB or small craft launch and recovery.

Accommodation onboard HSV-2 Swift

The HSV has 170 sleeping berths, crew storerooms and 128 aircraft-style permanent seating and 122 temporary seating, configurable to additional berthing for 87 people.

It has a 39-seat crew mess / day. Other amenities include laundry space, medical space, a planning room, sanitary and watertight storage spaces, office spaces and computer workstations.

Safety systems, propulsion and performance of the US Navy Military Sealift Command’s HSV 2

The vessel is equipped with two marine evacuation systems consisting of a 17m inflatable slide with SOLAS A pack life rafts for a total capacity of 500 people.

A 30hp SOLAS RHIB dinghy acts as a rescue boat and another 7m RHIB stowed on the deck can carry about 15 personnel. It is also mounted with four 0.5C M2 Browning machine guns.

The HSV is powered by four resiliently mounted Caterpillar 3618 marine diesel engines. Each of the engines produces 7,200kW at 35/53oC and has a vertical dry exhaust system.

Four Wartsila LIPS LJ120E waterjets allow the reverse and steering of the vessel. Four ZF 53000 NRH gearboxes provide the transmission.

An active Maritime Dynamics ride control system with fold-down T-foil, bow fins and trim tabs aft increase passenger comfort. The HSV-2 Swift has a minimum operating range of 1,100nmi at 35kt and can be operated 24 hours a day at speeds of 3-10kt.

It does not need tugboats for pier assistance and can manoeuvre in waters of depths as low as 12ft.

Command and control

The catamaran is equipped with a Mine Countermeasures Squadron Staff (MCMRON) designed command and control (C2) facility. It provides commercial and military satellite communications and has all digital switch transceivers allowing HF, VHF and UHF communications.

The main deck has a combat information centre (CIC) with workstations and tactical displays, a mission planning and post mission analysis room, a conferencing facility and manned equipment space.

A 700ft² upper C4ISR room and a 200ft2 lower C4I equipment room supply 70kW for electrical and climatic control requirements.

A multicompartment and an equipment room is connected to the command centre configurable to allow five independent missions.

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HSV-2 Swift

Catamaran experimental navy craft, united states | 2003, "the hsv-2 swift is being used by the united states navy to develop their future littoral combat ship doctrine.".

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Austal Unveils High Speed Military Vessel

Highly capable, multi-role catamaran is purpose designed for defence duties.

Reflecting the heightened military interest in the use of commercial fast ferry technology, Austal has, for the first time, released details of one of its advanced military platforms to the global defence industry. Developed in response to existing naval requirements and incorporating advanced hull and propulsion technology, the Austal High Speed Vessel – Multipurpose (HSV–M) is just one example of the potential effectiveness of high-speed vessels for future naval and other military roles.

The surge in military interest in large high speed craft is evidenced by United States defence organizations contracting four such vessels in the last 20 months, and a number of major projects in the pipeline. This includes the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project, which may eventually require 60 ships, and the US Army’s upcoming Theater Support Vessel program.

Austal is well-positioned to fulfil these contracts, with the purpose-built Austal USA shipyard already well-established in Mobile, Alabama and already providing Austal’s world-leading high-speed vessel technology to the US market.

Austal’s new HSV–M design is based on the company’s proven 101 metre catamaran platform which has proved to be a great success in both commercial and military roles, including the Theatre Support Vessel “WestPac Express” currently operating with great success for the US Marines.

Although based on Austal’s world-leading fast ferry design and construction technology, the Austal HSV–M has been designed from the keel up to meet military requirements for a highly capable and multi-purpose platform. For example, the military vessel incorporates a significant increase in structural strength in the bow and tunnel areas, enabling it to operate at higher speeds in more extreme sea conditions than a typical fast ferry.

It can undertake a variety of roles with a high degree of interoperability, both with other vessels and port infrastructures. Possible roles for the Austal HSV–M include:

• Support of amphibious assault operations using small boats and amphibious vehicles;
• High speed deployment of troops and military hardware including tanks;
• Deployment and support of helicopters for reconnaissance, combat search and rescue, vertical replenishment, special warfare support, airborne mine countermeasures and other military activities;
• Co-ordination and command of other military vessels; and
• Disaster and humanitarian relief operations including the provision of supplies and evacuation of personnel and equipment.

To ensure these capabilities are delivered in a cost-effective manner the Austal HSV–M would be produced to commercial construction standards and outfitted with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment wherever possible.

Propelled by four steerable waterjets that deliver extreme manoeuvrability, and powered by four fuel efficient medium speed diesel engines, the Austal HSV–M can sustain speeds in excess of 38 knots in Sea State 3 when loaded with 450 tonnes of troops and equipment and carrying sufficient fuel for a range of 1,100 nautical miles. It has a range of over 4,000 nautical miles at an average speed of 20 knots.

The HSV–M’s layout features one vehicle deck with stern and side ramps; main deck level with helicopter deck and hanger, accommodation and work spaces; and the bridge deck.

The vehicle deck provides over 1,765 square metres of useable space and can carry a range of military hardware including M1 Abrams (M1A1) Main Battle Tanks, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), LARC and AAV amphibious vehicles, and semi-trailers. Helicopters and cargo can also be transported on the vehicle deck.

Stern and side ramps allow for rapid and efficient loading and offloading of vehicles even in rudimentary ports and the amphibious vehicles can be launched and retrieved directly to and from the water via the stern ramp. Boats up to 11 metres in length and a variety of unmanned underwater and surface vehicles can be carried on the vehicle deck and launched and retrieved in up to Sea State 3.

The Austal HSV–M has been configured to carry and support a detachment of two multi-mission military helicopters such as the Sikorsky MH-60S. These can be stored and maintained in a weather-tight hanger space on the upper deck.

In addition to the MH-60S aircraft, the helo deck enables the HSV–M to operate with military helicopters including twin rotor medium lift assault helicopters and the latest attack helicopters.

This unique design provides permanent berthing for 100 ships personnel, including toilet and shower facilities on the upper deck. In addition, 250 business class quality reclining seats with armrests and tray tables are fitted forward for troops or survivors/evacuees. Part of this area can be quickly and easily re-configured to provide berthing space for 100 personnel. This allows the vessel to operate with a variety of manning profiles, depending on operational requirements, including 200 berthed personnel or 100 berthed and 250 seated personnel.

Austal has an established track record in the timely construction and delivery of similarly sophisticated vessels from its shipyard in Western Australia, and with over 80 vessels to its credit, most of them over 40 metres in length, is clearly a world leader in high performance aluminium vessels. In addition to 14 catamarans over 80 metres, these vessels have included smaller catamaran ferries and monohull patrol boats – a blend that confirms the company’s superior technical expertise in the design, engineering and construction of customized vessels.

With its eyes firmly on the US market for large military vessels, Austal is also increasing capacity at Austal USA, its modern shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. Established over two years ago, the US shipyard currently has a 110 metre by 28 metre assembly hall, with a second facility on the way. The yard has already successfully built three high-speed and one medium-speed aluminium vessels and has another two under construction. This has resulted in a very significant transfer of leading edge production skills and technology from Australia to Austal USA.

With its sound financial base; an extensive and talented design department; flexible production facilities in both Australia and the USA; a large and highly skilled workforce; and professional and experienced management, Austal is confident that it is best able to meet long-term global needs for cost-effective, high speed military capability at sea. The Austal HSV–M justifies that confidence.

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Recommended, us navy funds conversion of catamaran transport to an autonomous vessel.

The US Navy has awarded Austal USA a $44 million contract modification to integrate and demonstrate autonomous capability for one of the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) ships currently being built.

Austal is the primary contractor on the shallow-draft, all-aluminum, commercial-based catamaran program and has so far delivered 12 vessels in the class to the navy.

The autonomy package will be introduced on the 13th EPF ship, the future USNS Apalachicola, which is currently under construction at Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard.

“Winning a $44 million contract is welcome from a revenue perspective, but strategically this contract award is even more significant for Austal,” CEO Paddy Gregg said.

“Autonomous vessel capability has been identified as an area of strategic importance by the US Navy, so it is promising for Austal that the US Navy has awarded Austal USA a contract for the design, procurement, production implementation and demonstration of autonomous capability of one of our vessels, the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 13, the future USNS Apalachicola.”

Austal did not elaborate on what degree of autonomy USNS Apalachicola will have following the conversion.

In a report from July 2020, the House Armed Services Committee said the navy initially expects these vessels to be minimally manned rather than fully unmanned in order to maximize concept of operations (CONOPS) development. The committee recommended the navy to modify existing mature manned ships to support autonomous operations in order to develop CONOPS rather than procuring new ships that will need to support manned operations, but will eventually be fully unmanned.

By featuring autonomy systems, EPF 13 is joining the Ghost Fleet Overlord vessels , which are former commercial ocean-going vessels integrated with equipment on board to create unmanned surface vessels.

EPFs are capable of transporting 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots. Each vessel includes a flight deck to support day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations. The ships are capable of interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, as well as on/off-loading vehicles such as a fully combat-loaded Abrams main battle tank.

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Austal Delivers Aluminum EPF Catamaran to U.S. Navy

June 9, 2017, 2:53 pm

Austal USA delivered the USNS Yuma , the eigth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, to the U.S. Navy. The EPF program provides the Navy with providing high-speed, high-payload transport capability to fleet and combatant commanders.

The 338-foot long Yuma is an aluminum catamaran capable of transporting 600 tons, 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, and is designed to operate in austere ports and waterways, providing added flexibility to U.S. warfighters worldwide. The ship’s flight deck can also support flight operations for a wide variety of aircraft, including a CH-53 Super Stallion.

Around 700 tonnes of aluminum in the form of plate, extrusions, and forgings is used in the construction of the Yuma . Custom panels created by friction stir welding are joined with custom extrusions using a combination of TIG and gas metal arc welding. Although no surface treatment is used above the waterline, the hull is painted below the waterline. Aluminum provides a strong weight ratio and enables Austal to produce a ship that can efficiently achieve high speeds with a shallow draft. The structure weight of an aluminum ship is approximately half that of a steel ship and is comparable to fiberglass. Other benefits of using aluminum in marine applications is that it is also easy to form, resistant to corrosion, doesn’t require paint to protect the surface, can be welded with well-established commercial processes, and is easy to repair.

“It’s so exciting to see Yu ma join the fleet; an incredible ship built by incredible people”. Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle said. “What’s even more exciting is seeing how our U.S. Navy is taking these great platforms and expanding their mission sets to support a wide variety of operational needs – demonstrating their value and versatility to our forward deployed Naval forces across the globe.”

Upon delivery of USNS Yuma , three additional Spearhead-class EPFs were under construction at Austal’s Mobile, AL, shipyard. The City of Bismarck (EPF 9) was christened in May, representing the ninth of 12 Expeditionary Fast Transport vessels (EPF) that Austal has under contract with the U.S. Navy as part of a contract worth over $1.9 billion. The modules for Burlington (EPF 10) and Puerto Rico (EPF 11) are under construction in Austal’s module manufacturing facility.

In addition to the EPF program, Austal is also under contract to build Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) — high-speed and agile 419-foot aluminum trimaran combat ships — for the U.S. Navy. Five LCS have been delivered while an additional six are in various stages of construction.

Tagged with: aluminum , aluminum plate , Austal USA , marine applications , U.S. Navy

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Unmanned Surface Vessels: The Catamaran Advantage

There is little question that maritime autonomous systems have a key place in the evolution of distributed maritime concepts of operations. Each type of platform has its place, its advantages, and its limits.

But one consideration is where does one fit in the design, construction, and utility of different form factors of these systems when looking at the way ahead for fleet operations?

One aspect of this challenge is considering the relationship of platform design in these various classes of systems within the broader experience navies have had in building and operating larger sea going vessels. How are these new systems different?

For example, how should they be considered within the overall build approach of the U.S. Navy?

This issue came to my attention when talking with a recently retired USMC general when we were discussing the role for maritime autonomous for the USMC going forward. He stated: “When you look at a catamaran versus shaped hull form for small boat and what speeds they are going to do and what sea states they have to do them in, I am not sure the Navy has that hull form on their scope engineering wise.”

I have been to many shipyards worldwide, and the only catamaran I saw being built for the Navy was at the A ustral shipyard in Mobile, ALA and that actually was a trimaran. The Joint High-Speed vessel is a catamaran hull also built at the Austral shipyard.

The Navy has had mixed results with the two vessels, with the LCS version having more limited speed and endurance than anticipated in the decision-making phase of this class of ships.

But a small boat USV is so different that this experience is not really relevant to considerations of utilizing a small boat design like the MARTAC USVs.

Recently, I interviewed Bruce Hanson, CEO of MARTAC, and an expert on vessel design and operation of small boat catamarans. Clearly, V-hulls have the advantage of cargo space for there is a top deck and a lower deck which is usually necessary for the personnel that operate them. The small boat catamaran being unmanned clearly does not need a lower deck, so we start with that simple point. The inherent speed advantages of a catamaran hull are clearly obvious as there is no need to support manpower with a lower deck.

And the aerodynamics are different between the two hull forms. As Hanson notes: “The V-hull operates by splitting through the water; the catamaran by creating an air cushion between the two hulls and the water.  This air cushion adds stability to the operation of the boat for this air cushion operates as a shock absorber as well as providing lift. As you increase the speed of the catamaran in operations, the ride gets smoother as well because of the air cushion it creates. In other words, the speed which a smaller catamaran is capable of allows it to operate properly from an aerodynamic design point of view. The more air also provides for less wetted surface and thus less drag.”

He noted that the Austral LCS in comparison does not operate at speeds that take full advantage of the speed and stability attributes of the smaller boat catamaran form.  In comparison to the Austral LCS (as cargo and personnel truck), the MARTAC UAS is like a fighter jet that can operate at higher speeds efficiently,

Hanson then pointed out that the catamaran smaller boat form provides for significant stability as well for the payloads onboard which can include humans if a special operation requires them. “The single point of the V-hull operates like a gymnast on a balance beam. With the catamaran design the gymnast now has two feet on the ground with much greater stability.”

And if you want the USV to go ashore, the catamaran smaller boat form can go directly onto the beach, for example. The catamaran will still stay flat when you’re running onto a shore.

The biggest disadvantage of catamaran very small boat form is that if it flips over it is challenging to right the boat. But the V-hull does not do well with this either, unless is designed and built to do so as some USCG vessels are built to do. Hanson highlighted that his company had designed a capability for their smaller class of catamarans to be able to autonomously right themselves.

In short, while shaping kill web forces, the payload is key, the platform is critical as well in determining where that payload can be carried, operate, and delivered.

In a 2016 interview which I did with the RAAF Chief Leo Davies, we discussed the platform-kill web relationship In terms of the service’s Plan Jericho approach. “Plan Jericho is about opening the aperture on thinking both about the pieces and the various puzzle pictures, which can be created. This clearly affects thinking about platforms. The shift from a platform centric world is not about platforms not mattering—they do—but what is crucial is now evaluating how a new platform contributes in a multi-mission, or multi-tasking and specialized effect for the evolving force. The government as well as the services work more effectively to shape how their particular new platform contributes to both the service’s core missions as well as the effects desired for the extended battlespace.” [1]

So how does the unique qualities of a catamaran smaller boat form operating as a USV change and empower distributed maritime operations?

High speed, good stability, precise maneuverability, scalability from 10 to 100 feet, and being able to operate like a wolfpack provide significant capabilities for the operational force to leverage. It is about operations; it is not simply about experimentation. It is about including them in fleet mission rehearsal, not simply experimentation far from the operational fleet.

[1] Robbin Laird. Joint by Design: The Evolution of Australian Defence Strategy (p. 136). Kindle Edition.

U.S. Navy expands Expeditionary Medical Capability with two EPFs

At sea air space 2021, austal showcased a new expeditionary fast transport (epf) medical ship concept intended to replace the current and aging usns mercy (t-ah-19) and usns comfort (t-ah-20), two ships converted from oil tankers into hospital ships that are about 35 years old. naval news asked the u.s. navy for more information regarding the future replacements for the t-ah hospital ships and what the u.s. navy intends to do for expanded expeditionary shipborne medical coverage..

Peter Ong 05 Sep 2021

Naval News provided video coverage of the Austal USA’s new Medical Expeditionary Ship concept at Sea Air Space 2021.

SEAPOWER magazine reported the news on the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPFs) having expanded medical capabilities. According to SEAPOWER , the modified EPFs will have “ significant structural changes’ for medical facilities, including an 18-bed intensive care unit, two operating rooms, and feeding and berthing for a medical team of about 100 personnel. Its flight deck would be capable of landing helicopters and V-22 tiltrotor aircraft.”

Naval News reached out to the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Information Department (CHINFO) in August 2021 for more details.  U.S. Navy Lieutenant Lewis Aldridge of CHINFO replied by stating:

“The Navy continues to expand Role 2 afloat medical capability through construction of USNS Cody (EPF 14) and Point Loma (EPF 15).  Role 2 provides limited hospital capability consisting of advanced resuscitation and surgery.  The Navy also continues the sustainment of the two T-AH hospital ships, which offer Role 3 medical capability.  Role 3 provides full, but short-term, hospital capability, consisting of surgery, intensive care, postoperative care, and specialty care.”

The U.S. Navy has confirmed the expanded medical capabilities of EPF 14 here and for EPF 15 here.

Naval News Comments

For purely speculative analysis , to give an idea of the impressive medical capabilities the two USNS (T-AH) Mercy -class ships provide, consider these impressive statistics on the USNS Mercy :

Patient capacity:

• Intensive care wards: 80 beds
• Recovery wards: 20 beds
• Intermediate care wards: 280 beds
• Light care wards: 120 beds
• Limited care wards: 500 beds
• Total patient capacity: 1000 beds
• Operating rooms: 12

Departments and facilities:

• Casualty reception
• Radiological services including CT
• Main laboratory plus satellite lab
• Central sterile processing
• Medical supply/pharmacy
• Physical therapy and burn care
• Intensive care unit
• Dental services
• Optometry/lens lab
• Burn treatment
• Angiography
• Oxygen producing plants (two)”

As Naval News reported previously, information released during Sea Air Space 2021 shows that the current EMS design is a 118 meters-long catamaran with a beam of 30 meters and a draft of 4.5 meters. The Austal’s hospital ship can sail over 2,000 nautical miles at a cruise speed of 18 knots and can reach a top speed of 27 knots. It features a helicopter deck large enough to accommodate one V-22 Osprey, a CH-53 Sea Stallion or a Sikorsky H-60. The ship has a total of 185 berthing including the crew, medical and aviation personnel.

Regarding its medical facilities, the EMS would have 124 medical beds in total including four operating rooms, 8 isolation beds, 32 light care beds and 80 ER, ACW, ICU and recovery beds.

The intended goal of the medical EPFs will be to build enough of them to provide faster and closer expeditionary medical relief in multiple areas of the world compared to relying on just the two T-AH hospital ships, USNS Mercy, stationed on the West Coast, and USNS Comfort, stationed on the East Coast of the United States. 

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The usa’s spearhead-class, expeditionary fast transports.

[youtube:v=PHd02bpHLqM]

March 20/19: Shipyad Availability Colonna Shipyards won an $8.9 million deal for an 80-day shipyard availability for the emergency dry-docking of Navy Ship Spearhead (T-EPF 1) . The Spearhead Class Expeditionary Fast Transport shipbuilding program to provide “a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intratheater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) is a shallow draft, all aluminum, commercial-based catamaran capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo lift, providing combatant commanders high-speed sealift mobility with inherent cargo handling capability and agility to achieve positional advantage over operational distances. Work will take place in Norfolk, Virginia and is expected to be finished 2020.

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See the 10 types of new US Navy warships plagued by shipbuilding delays

• The US Navy's highly-anticipated shipbuilding projects are years behind schedule, a review found.
• The Navy attributed the delays to pandemic-related supply chain issues.
• The delayed warships include submarines, guided missile destroyers, and a new aircraft carrier.

All of the US Navy's highly anticipated shipbuilding projects face yearslong delays, the service said earlier this month.

The delayed ships include a new fleet of Virginia-class attack submarines, guided-missile destroyers, and a new Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier .

The announcement came after a 45-day review ordered by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in January. The review identified the "shortfalls" that caused the delays, including labor shortages and supply chain issues.

Speaking at the Navy League's Sea Air Space conference on April 9, Del Toro said the review found that "too many of our industry partners are behind schedule and over budget on our highest priority programs."

Del Toro also said the Navy's Office of Strategic Assessment will perform a "deep dive" to find solutions to address the delays, including advanced material procurement and multi-ship buys.

"I think there's a lot of promise about being able to reduce those timelines into the future," he said.

The major delays come amid concerns that China is outpacing American shipbuilding and increasing its naval capabilities. The US Department of Defense said China now has "the largest navy in the world with a battle force of over 370 platforms," and it is only expected to grow — with up to 435 ships by the end of the decade.

But China isn't the only shipbuilding superpower in the Indo-Pacific. The Navy secretary said he and his team were "floored" by US ally South Korea's shipbuilding capabilities .

In a February statement , the Navy recognized Korean and Japanese shipbuilding as an asset to the US as "China continues to aggressively pursue worldwide shipbuilding dominance."

A new Ford-class aircraft carrier

Last month, the Navy announced that the future aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80), the third Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, is set to deliver a year and a half behind schedule.

Contracted to Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding — the US's only aircraft carrier builder — the Enterprise was initially scheduled to deliver by March 2028. However, the Navy's shipbuilding review found that it will now deliver in September 2029 from the earliest to May 2030 at the latest.

In August 2022, Olympians Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky commemorated the keel-laying of the Enterprise in a ceremony in Virginia, chalking their initials on the ship's steel plates.

Production delays have plagued all of the Ford-class carriers. The second-in-class John F. Kennedy was set to deliver in June 2024 but was delayed a year so the Navy could perform more work to prepare it for deployment in the Indo-Pacific.

The first-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford also faced its fair share of delays, deploying in May 2023 — a few months before the 10-year anniversary of its 2013 launch. Then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday said it was the supercarrier's new, untested technologies that contributed to cost overruns and its yearslong delay.

"We had 23 new technologies on that ship, which quite frankly increased the risk … of delivery on time and cost right from the get-go," Gilday said during Navy League's symposium in 2021.

"We really shouldn't introduce more than maybe one or two new technologies on any complex platform like that in order to make sure that we keep risk at a manageable level," Gilday continued.

Guided-missile frigates

The first-in-class PCU Constellation , a guided-missile frigate, has been under construction since August 2022.

It was the first time a new frigate had been built since the 1980s, when USS Ingraham, the last Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, was built.

Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri Marinette Marine was awarded the contract for the first-in-class warship in 2020, as well as sister ships, Chesapeake and Congress. The company also has contract options for seven additional ships.

The next-generation small surface combatant is designed for multi-mission capabilities, including air, surface, and underwater warfare. The versatile frigate features an advanced 3D air surveillance radar, sonar, a Mk 41 vertical launch system, and an upgraded version of the Aegis Combat System, which operates aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers.

But the Constellation also faces significant delays, with its delivery pushed back by three years from its original 2026 date, according to the Navy's shipbuilding review. Last Friday, the Navy held a keel-laying ceremony for the Constellation at the Wisconsin shipyard.

"I'm not here to put blame on mistakes that were made in the past either by Fincantieri or the Navy," Del Toro said. "I want to move this forward more aggressively to a better place. And so we're going to work as a team, with industry, with the government, to get us there quicker. And that's what we're doing."

Ballistic missile submarines

With the US Navy's submarine fleet carrying about 70% of the deployed US nuclear arsenal , the service's highest priority shipbuilding program is a new fleet of "boomers" to carry them.

In June 2022, the Navy laid the keel for the future District of Columbia , the lead ship of the upcoming class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile subs that will replace the 14 existing Ohio-class submarines.

The Columbia-class submarines will be the largest submarines ever built by the US, measuring 560 feet long and 43 feet wide. The Columbia is designed to carry Mk 48 Advanced Capability torpedoes and 16 Trident II D5 nuclear ballistic missiles. It will also feature "superior acoustic performance and state-of-the-art sensors to make it the most capable and quiet submarine ever built," according to the Navy .

Construction on the first-in-class submarine began in 2021, designed in collaboration between General Dynamics' Electric Boat and HII's Newport News. The stern of the boat was delivered to a facility in Rhode Island in January 2024.

The Navy plans to build 12 Columbia-class boats in a $136 billion contract, with the District of Columbia and future Wisconsin being the only two ordered so far.

However, the Navy's review found that the lead ship's delivery could be pushed back at least 12 to 16 months. The District of Columbia was scheduled to deliver in October 2027, the same year the first Ohio-class submarine, USS Henry M. Jackson, is set to decommission. The delays, brought on by ballooning costs, workforce shortages, and late supply deliveries , could prompt the Navy to keep its aging Ohio-class submarines a while longer.

"A delay of that length would make it more likely for the Navy to implement its backup plan to extend the service lives of up to five Ohio-class by a little bit," Ronald O'Rourke, a naval analyst for the Congressional Research Service, told Bloomberg . "There would be some cost for doing those service life extensions."

Virginia Block IV submarines

Pandemic-related supply chain issues and workforce shortages also impacted the upcoming Block IV Virginia-class fast-attack submarines , putting the program three years behind schedule.

These attack submarines are contracted to Electric Boat and Newport News, the same shipbuilders and suppliers as the higher-priority Columbia-class boats.

Virginia Block IV submarines differ from Block III in that the design is focused on reducing procurement costs and maintenance periods through smaller-scale design changes. Block IV boats will still have the same armament as Block III, carrying Mk 48 torpedos and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Four of the 10 submarines in Block IV are in service: USS Vermont, Oregon, Montana, and Hyman G. Rickover. Three Block IV vessels have yet to be commissioned — PCUs New Jersey, Iowa, and Massachusetts — and three are still under construction — PCUs Idaho, Arkansas, and Utah.

Virginia Block V submarines

Ten Virginia-class Block V attack submarines are also under construction in a $24.1 billion contract awarded to Electric Boat and Newport News in December 2019, the Navy's largest-ever shipbuilding contract.

According to a report from the Congressional Research Service , the design of Block V boats differs from that of Block IV boats by about 20%, including acoustic superiority, additional payload tubes, and a high-resolution photonic mast .

The Block V submarine is designed to be 461 feet and displace 10,200 tons, making it the second-largest US submarine behind the Ohio class.

The additional length comes from the Virginia Payload Module , an 84-foot-long extension that expands the sub's missile capacity. With the VPM, Block V boats increase the number of Tomahawk missiles they can carry from 12 to 40. The VPM can also be used to store and deploy additional payloads, such as missiles, seabed sensors, or sea drones.

While the Virginia-class boats are not as well-armed as the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarines, the Block V boats will be equipped with a larger launcher that can deploy advanced hypersonic missile technology as it becomes available, including a new version of the anti-ship Maritime Strike Tomahawk.

Three boats have been laid down so far, PCUs Oklahoma, Arizona, and Tang, with another seven ordered that have yet to begin construction.

However, the Block V submarines have faced problems since they were ordered in 2019, with insufficient staffing and workforce efficiency potentially pushing back their projected delivery by an average of two years.

Ocean surveillance ships

In response to China and Russia continuing to modernize their naval capabilities , including submarine activity, the US Navy is looking to procure a new fleet of ocean surveillance ships, designated TAGOS-25.

The unarmed naval surveillance vessels are designed to operate surveillance patrols for submarines and are maintained by civilian contractors for the Military Sealift Command.

In 2022, the Navy initially procured the first vessel of the planned TAGOS-25 class at a cost of $434.4 million from Alabama-based shipbuilder Austal USA.

But two years later, the cost skyrocketed to $789.6 million in the Navy's 2024 budget submission — an 81.8% increase — due to factors like "direct material inflation, supply chain challenges, and increased nonrecurring engineering costs," according to the Congressional Research Service .

As a result, the Navy proposed to defer the procurement of a second TAGOS-25-class ship from 2025 to 2026 to cover the additional costs. Nonetheless, Austal USA was also awarded a contract to design and construct seven more TAGOS-25-class vessels.

The future TAGOS-25 ships will succeed four Victorious-class vessels and USNS Impeccable, which entered service more than two decades ago.

The ships will be about 359 feet long and feature a catamaran-like Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) design. Powered by three diesel generators and a gas turbine, the vessel will travel at speeds of up to 22 knots with a range of 960 miles, making it the largest and fastest TAGOS ship operated by the US Navy.

Guided-missile destroyers

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer program is one of the Navy's longest-running shipbuilding programs. Since the first-in-class USS Arleigh Burke was commissioned on July 4, 1991, more than 70 destroyers have been added to the Navy's fleet, with dozens more still on deck for delivery.

The Navy is modernizing its existing warship fleet with an updated Flight III variant of the Aegis destroyers . The Flight III design includes an upgraded Aegis Weapons System and a new SPY-6 radar, enhancing its air defense operations.

The Flight III contract was awarded to General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works and Huntington Ingalls Industries/Ingalls Shipbuilding, costing about $2.5 billion per vessel. While the program schedule is still stable despite late delivery dates, the limited capacity of the shipbuilding industry reduced the procurement rate of DDG-51s a year despite Congress pushing for more.

"I'm not hating on DDGs — my only point was that last year Congress added a third, and the reason we didn't budget for three is, again, we don't see the yards being able to produce three a year," Mike McCord, the Pentagon's top budget officer, told USNI News at a 2023 conference. "We don't see them being able to produce two a year. And that's just data. It's not what we wish to be true."

"Everybody's struggling with skilled labor. Everybody's struggling with supply chain," McCord added. "So it's not getting better very fast from the data that I've seen — whether with submarines or DDGs. So two a year seems to be a reasonable place."

Helicopter-carrying assault ships

Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries/Ingalls Shipbuilding, the Navy is currently procuring large-deck amphibious helicopter-carrying assault ships , designated LHA. These "big deck" ships carry Marine aviators and landing craft.

The Navy's 2024 budget submission estimates the procurement cost for the fourth America-class ship, PCU Fallujah, at $3.8 billion, which has been incrementally funded by Congress over the last few years.

The Fallujah will feature a similar design to USS America , but the new vessel will have a larger deck configuration to accommodate F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and MV-22 Osprey aircraft , as well as a well deck that floods to launch landing craft.

The Fallujah's predecessor, PCU Bougainville, was delayed by over a year due to engine defects and staff shortages, now expected to be delivered in 2025. The Navy also plans to buy the next America-class ship, LHA-10, nearly a decade after the Fallujah will be potentially procured, which could lead to cost increases and impacts on the shipbuilding industrial base.

"Between LHA-9 and LHA-10, there's an 11-year gap, depending on when you decide it was appropriated," Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, deputy commandant of the Marine Corps, said in a 2022 congressional hearing . "We're returning to well decks with the flight deck; it's a very capable platform, very important to what we're doing, very important to the nation's crisis response force."

Amphibious transport dock ships

Designed and constructed by Ingalls Shipbuilding, the forthcoming variant of San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships was planned to replace the Navy's existing class of dock landing ships (LSDs), which were set for early retirement after the Defense Department found them to be in "poor material condition."

The three Flight II San Antonio-class vessels, the first of which is the future Harrisburg, will feature an advanced air surveillance radar and a new steel mast. Overall, they will equal the capabilities of the Flight I ship with lower production costs.

Last year, the Navy halted plans to buy any more future San Antonio-class ships to reassess their worth compared to the Flight I design, especially amid growing costs and delays in the shipyard.

The pause on shipbuilding, in conjunction with the early retirement of the LSDs, could reduce the amphibious fleet to below 31 ships, potentially violating the legally required minimum in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Fleet replenishment oil tankers

Shipyard delays and ballooning costs aren't just impacting the Navy's warships and submarines but also its newest class of replenishment oil tankers.

Since the first-in-class John Lewis-class oiler was procured in 2016, the Navy plans to buy a total of 20 ships in a contract with General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding (NASSCO). The ships are expected to cost about $650 million each.

While transporting fuel for ships and aircraft during replenishments-at-sea is one of the vessel's primary missions, it can also supply dry cargo, fresh water, and ammunition at sea. The tanker can also be armed with a close-in weapon system or anti-ship missile defense system to detect and engage cruise missiles. It is also fitted with a defense system to counter torpedo attacks and fast-attack craft.

The lead ship, PCU John Lewis, was originally scheduled to deliver in August 2020, but it was ultimately delivered almost two years later in July 2022, also pushing back subsequent ship deliveries by 12 to 15 months.

According to a report from the Congressional Research Service, several factors contributed to the Lewis' delay, including late delivery of materials, a need to rework parts of the ship, and the shipbuilder's dry dock flooding in 2018.

• Main content

Iran Is Quietly Building a Fleet of Missile-Slinging Catamarans

Armed with anti-ship and anti-air missiles, the cats would be formidable adversaries.

• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (Iran's paramilitary) would crew the ships.
• They're similar in concept and appearance to China's Type 022 fast-attack missile boats.

Iran's paramilitary navy is constructing the first of what will likely be a whole new fleet of fast-attack craft—a type of small, nimble warship that operates on the offensive in close proximity to the coast. The boat is a twin-hulled catamaran that will one day carry both anti-ship and anti-air missiles.

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The new vessel is currently under construction at the Shahid Mahallati Shipyard in Bushehr, Iran. Naval News first spotted it last week in commercial satellites images. From above, you can see the boat's two narrow hulls are placed side by side, supporting a wide bridge deck.

The bridge deck itself is angled and appears to be built for speed. Catamarans are typically faster than average vessels owing to their use of two small hulls instead of one large one, lessening hydrodynamic resistance and increasing speed.

The Shahid Mahallati Shipyard has built warships for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the past. IRGC is Iran's second armed force—a land, air, and sea paramilitary force that serves the country's theocratic government. At sea, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGC-N) is responsible for protecting and advancing the regime's interests in the Persian Gulf .

The IRGC-N has relied on a ragtag assemblage of armed speedboats for decades. Typically, these are cigarette boat crafts armed with heavy machine guns, 107-millimeter rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and sometimes anti-tank missiles. The IRGC, as naval analyst H.I. Sutton points out in U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) News , seems to be shifting toward the construction of larger, more conventionally oriented ships.

The new warship, according to an IRGC general speaking in May 2020, would be 213 feet long, equipped with a helipad, and armed with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. The incorporation of a helipad on such a small ship suggests that engineers might be burying the missile launchers inside the hull, pointing upward.

While USNI News doesn't speculate on the exact types of armament that IRGC-N will carry on the new vessel, we can make some informed guesses. The warship—tentatively named the Soleimani class after the IRGC general that U.S. forces killed in a 2020 drone strike—could carry the Qader , Iran's updated copy of the Chinese C-802 anti-ship missile. Qader is a 20.9-foot-long sea-skimming missile with a 341-pound high explosive warhead and a range of 74 miles.

How many Qaders does the Soleimani class carry? Iranian-backed Houthi guerrillas have used Iranian missiles in at least two attacks , including the 2016 skirmish on the destroyer USS Mason in 2016, and a strike on the commercial catamaran HSV Swift .

Iran has likely analyzed the attack on the Mason , in which the American guided-missile destroyer swatted down both incoming missiles. The result of that attack suggests Iranian warships should carry a minimum of three missiles (or more) if possible.

The Soleimani class will reportedly carry anti-aircraft missiles, too. However, the limited internal volume of a catamaran hull—coupled with the need to optimize it for anti-ship missiles and a helicopter landing pad—reduces its ability to carry anything other than short-range, shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.

Western helicopters carry missiles like the American Hellfire and the new Anglo-French Sea Venom . They can easily outrange shoulder-fired missiles; the Soleimani class will be particularly vulnerable.

The Soleimani class may have been inspired by China's Type 022 Houbei- class fast-attack craft. The Houbei class is a high-speed catamaran that, although 50 percent smaller than the Soleimani craft, carries eight C-802-type anti-ship missiles. This suggests the Iranian boat could carry eight or more similarly sized Qader missiles. China built at least 83 of the Type 022 boats for coastal defense in the 2000s before graduating to larger, more capable ships.

According to USNI News, at least three hulls are under construction simultaneously. Iran could build more than a dozen of the ships, though, giving the IRGC the ability to swarm larger vessels with missiles. That is, if they're not sunk first.

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Kyle Mizokami is a writer on defense and security issues and has been at Popular Mechanics since 2015. If it involves explosions or projectiles, he's generally in favor of it. Kyle’s articles have appeared at The Daily Beast, U.S. Naval Institute News, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, Combat Aircraft Monthly, VICE News , and others. He lives in San Francisco.

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Cruise ship lifeboats and rafts: How your ship is prepared for an emergency

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Do cruise ships have enough lifeboats for everyone?

It’s a question that comes to many cruisers’ minds, especially if they’re hesitant about sailing across oceans and seas, far from land.

You can rest assured that cruise lines have many safety systems in place in the rare instance that a major emergency occurs at sea. Among these systems are, of course, the brightly colored lifeboats that you’ll see lining the sides of your ship. Not only are they there to carry passengers to safety if the ship needs to be abandoned, but they’re also used as tender boats in a port where the ship can’t dock at a pier.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter .

You may have other questions about lifeboats, either from curiosity or safety concerns. How reliable are the small vessels? What supplies are on board? Do they have restrooms?

Here are the top things to know about cruise ship lifeboats, so you’ll feel safe and confident when heading out on your next voyage.

What does a lifeboat look like?

Lifeboats are orange or yellow watercraft that you’ll find lining the sides of the ship. You’ll find two main types of lifeboats on many cruise ships: enclosed lifeboats and lifeboat tenders. The majority of cruise ship lifeboats are enclosed lifeboats, which are tough and built with superior watertight integrity, with the ability to easily right themselves if tossed around by rough waves.

Lifeboat tenders are partially enclosed and are designed for two main functions: to serve as a lifeboat if needed and to ferry guests from the ship to the shore during a port call where the vessel can’t dock. Lifeboat tenders are more expensive to maintain than traditional lifeboats, so cruise ships will usually have just enough lifeboat tenders to operate port tender service while the rest are the standard enclosed lifeboats.

The interior of a lifeboat includes rows of seating, which may or may not have a seatback. A steering area with windows and a hatch is located toward the top of the vessel. According to lifeboat manufacturer Fassmer, enclosed lifeboats have no windows besides those in the steering area, while lifeboat tenders have windows for viewing the surroundings from the seats. These windows do not open.

Fun fact: When Disney Cruise Line launched in the ‘90s, regulations required all cruise ship lifeboats to be orange. However, Disney wanted the exteriors of its ships to match the colors of Mickey Mouse, so it requested an exemption to paint its lifeboats yellow to match Mickey’s shoes.

The U.S. Coast Guard granted the unique request, and the lifeboats were painted in Mickey’s yellow, Pantone 99, which is a patented color that only Disney can use. Since then, other lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises , have painted their lifeboats yellow.

What’s the typical capacity of cruise ship lifeboats?

The maximum capacity of a cruise ship lifeboat is 150 people, according to the International Maritime Organization’s International Life-Saving Appliance Code. Most cruise ships have lifeboats that can hold this maximum number of passengers because it is easier, more cost-effective and takes up less space to have fewer large lifeboats instead of a greater number of smaller ones.

Despite the LSA’s 150-person capacity limit for lifeboats, an exception allows for larger lifeboats on some of the world’s largest cruise ships.

Related: Are cruises safe? Here’s what you need to know about cruise ship security and safety

Royal Caribbean’s massive Oasis of the Seas, which holds 8,880 passengers and crew members in total, was the first ship to use 370-person CRV55 catamaran lifeboats (or “rescue vessels”), designed and built by marine life-saving equipment company Umoe Schat-Harding. The enclosed vessels are unique in that they can be lowered directly from their storage position on the ship into the water (no moving outward needed), and passengers can board on two levels simultaneously, reducing the loading time. Their catamaran-style hull increases stability, while twin diesel engines and twin propellers allow these “mega” lifeboats to move at speeds of up to 6 knots.

On a cruise ship, there must be enough lifeboats to accommodate 37.5% of passengers and crew members on either side (75% total), according to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. What happens to the other 25%? This leads us to our next question.

Do cruise ships carry inflatable life rafts?

The remaining 25% of passengers that can’t be accommodated in the traditional lifeboats can use cruise ship inflatable life rafts. These are generally designated for crew members, while guests will board the lifeboats first — though rafts can also be used for guests if necessary.

Collapsible cruise ship life rafts are stored in fiberglass canisters and usually utilize a high-pressure gas to automatically inflate once deployed. While lifeboats have motors, life rafts do not. They do, however, have oars. Ships may also carry rigid, noninflatable life rafts, but they aren’t as common for large cruise vessels.

On newer cruise ships, life rafts may be used with a Marine Evacuation System, which utilizes a fully enclosed inflatable spiral slide to transfer passengers from the embarkation deck to an automatically inflated raft in the water.

If some lifeboats become damaged or can’t be lowered during an emergency, cruise ships have extra life rafts to pick up the slack. SOLAS requires that there are enough additional life rafts for 25% of the ship’s capacity. Cruise ships have also been designed to allow lifeboats and life rafts to deploy even if the ship is listing up to 20 degrees.

Where are lifeboats located on cruise ships?

Lifeboats are located outside on both sides of the cruise ship, typically stored on or just above one of the middle decks with an outdoor promenade so passengers can easily board them. This spot is ideal because it’s a central location for both the upper- and lower-deck cabins, as well as many public indoor and outdoor venues and amenities.

It also works because it keeps the lifeboats high enough out of the water that they won’t be in the way when the ship docks and most likely won’t be affected by rough waves. On the flip side, it keeps them low enough that they don’t have to be lowered the entire height of the ship (plus, no one wants a lifeboat view from the lido pool or their upper-deck suite).

In an emergency, passengers should not head directly to the lifeboats. Instead, every cabin is assigned an assembly station, where they will meet with crew members and be escorted to a lifeboat if an evacuation is deemed necessary. Passengers must attend a muster drill to identify their assembly station and learn about their ship’s emergency procedures. These drills must take place before a cruise ship can set sail.

Related: What is a cruise ship muster drill?

What can be found on a lifeboat?

While this list is not exhaustive, here’s most of what you’ll find on a cruise ship lifeboat, according to the LSA:

• Enough fuel to travel at 6 knots for at least a full day (24 hours)
• 48 hours’ worth of anti-seasickness medication per person
• 2 seasickness bags per person
• 3 liters of fresh water per person
• 2,390 calories’ worth of food rations per person
• Life jackets
• Enough thermal protective aid suits for 10% of the lifeboat’s capacity
• Three can openers
• First aid supplies
• Buoyant oars
• Illuminated compass
• Hand and parachute flares
• Smoke signals
• Survival manual
• One whistle
• One jackknife
• One searchlight that can work continuously for at least three hours
• Portable fire extinguishing equipment
• Fishing gear
• Tools to repair the engine

Do lifeboats have bathrooms?

Traditional 150-person lifeboats don’t have toilet facilities, but the 370-person catamaran lifeboats used on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships do.

What are other requirements for lifeboats on cruise ships?

Cruise ship lifeboats must be made of noncombustible and flame-retardant materials, according to SOLAS. Modern lifeboats are usually made of fiberglass.

All seating on the lifeboat must support a person weighing a minimum of 220 pounds. In addition, the lifeboats and the wires that move them up and down must be strong enough to allow the lifeboat to be lowered at full capacity.

How are lifeboats tested?

During the manufacturing process, lifeboats are tested using water weights, which can mimic the weight of passengers in various spots around the vessel. These water weights are pumped to fill and drain with water remotely. They’re placed in various spots in the lifeboat throughout the testing period to gather data on how the watercraft would handle passenger weight in various locations and scenarios.

Once a lifeboat is delivered to the shipyard for installation on a ship, the inspections and tests do not stop. Throughout the life of the cruise ship, time, weather and use all mean that — like with any type of equipment — things on the lifeboats will degrade and endure wear and tear over time. This is why SOLAS includes requirements for regular lifeboat drills and inspections.

Related: 15 cruise ship rules you shouldn’t break

Cruise crew members conduct weekly and monthly lifeboat inspections and undergo periodic training so lifeboat operations stay fresh in their minds.

A more thorough inspection — by either a certified lifeboat technician from an independent company or an inspector from the lifeboat manufacturer itself — occurs annually. According to the International Maritime Organization, this process includes an inspection of these key components:

• The hull is inspected for cracks, damage or other defects.
• The propulsion system, including the engine, is inspected to ensure it’s in good working condition. The cooling, exhaust and fuel systems are also examined.
• The electrical system, including the battery, charging, lighting and communications systems, are checked for defects or malfunctions.
• The maneuvering system is inspected, including the steering mechanism, the rudder and other steering gear.
• Lifeboat equipment, such as life jackets and survival equipment, is examined to ensure it’s in good condition.
• The davit and winch system, including the winch and wire ropes, are checked for defects or damage.
• The lifeboat undergoes a load test to ensure that it can withstand its maximum weight of crew and passengers.

Any equipment or systems found to have defects or deficiencies during the inspection are either repaired or replaced.

Bottom line

The chances of passengers ever experiencing an emergency on a cruise that requires abandoning ship via lifeboats is extremely slim. Still, it’s good to know your ship is outfitted with safety equipment to give you peace of mind when taking your next cruise.

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Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.