The Merchant Shipping (Musters, Training and Decision Support Systems) Regulations 1999

Practice passenger musters

9.—(1) On any ship carrying passengers where the passengers are scheduled to be on board the ship for more than 24 hours, musters of the passengers shall take place within 24 hours after their embarkation.

(2) The muster required by paragraph (1) above shall include instruction of the passengers in the use of a lifejacket and the action to be taken in an emergency.

(3) If only a small number of passengers embark at a port after the muster has been held it shall be sufficient, instead of holding another muster, to draw the attention of these passengers to the emergency instructions required by regulation 5(8)(b) and (c) above.

(4) On any ship of–

(a) Class II, II(A) or III;

(b) VIII, VIII(T), VIII(A), VIII(A)(T), or IX where passengers are carried; or

(c) Class XI engaged on an international voyage,

if a muster of the passengers is not held on departure, the attention of the passengers shall be drawn to the emergency instructions required by regulation 5(8)(b) and (c) above.

(5) Whenever passengers embark on any ship, a passenger safety briefing shall be given, either immediately before or immediately after the ship next sails, by way of an announcement which shall–

(a) be made on the ship’s public address system or by other equivalent means likely to be heard at least by the passengers who have not yet heard the announcement during the voyage;

(b) be made in English and any other appropriate language; and

(c) include the instructions referred to in regulation 5(8)(b) and (c) above.

(6) The passenger safety briefing required by paragraph (5) above may be included in the muster required by paragraph (1) above if the muster is held immediately before or immediately after the ship next sails.

(7) Information cards, posters or video programmes displayed on a ship’s video system may be used to supplement the passenger safety briefing required by paragraph (5) above but shall not be used to replace the announcement required by that paragraph.