12.6 Performance MSC.54(66)
12.6.1 It should be demonstrated in harbour by a full deployment of a system, including the launching and inflation of all the associated liferafts, that the system sill provide a satisfactory means of evacuation. For this trial the number of persons to be used should be that for which the system is to be certificated. The various stages of this trial should be timed so as to permit the calculation of the number of persons that can be evacuated in any specified period.
12.6.2 It should be demonstrated at sea by a full deployment of a system, including the launching and inflation of the associated liferafts, that the system will provide a satisfactory means of evacuation in a sea state associated with a wind of force 6 on the Beaufort scale, and in association with a significant wave height of at least 3 m During the sea trail, a spectrum analysis of the recorded wave height shall be performed. The signal shall be highpass filtered at 0.08Hz to exclude any contributions from swell. The significant wave height shall be calculated based on filtered spectrum and shall not be less than 3.0 m. The demonstration should be carried out in accordance with the following procedures; MSC.81(70)
.1 Phase 1 - Initial deployment of system
1] with the ship in a simulated "dead ship" condition, and the bow into the wind the system(passage and platform or any other configuration) should be deployed in its normal design manner; and
2] the platform and passage are to be observed from the ship to verify in this condition that it forms a stable evacuation system for the platform crew to descend and carry out their initial duties in preparation for evacuation;
.2 Phase 2 - Lee side trial
1] the ship to be manoeuvred to place the system on the lee side and then allowed to freely drift;
2] where the system employs a platform the nominated number of the platform crew are to descend via the passage and retrieve at least two liferafts which have been launched separately;
3] where the system employs a passage giving direct access to the liferaft the nominated number of liferaft boarding crew are to descend via the passage. If additional liferafts are employed with the system, then they should be launched separately and be retrieved by the liferaft crew; and MSC.54(66)
4] after the liferafts have been satisfactorily deployed, dependant upon safety considerations 20 persons in suitable protective clothing are to evacuate to the liferafts through the passage;
.3 Phase 3 - Loaded trial lee side
1] the platform if fitted, and the required number of liferafts are to be loaded to their certified capacity with weights representing 75 kg/person; and
2] when loaded with the required weights the system is to be observed for a period of 30 min, with the ship free to drift to confirm the system continues to provide a safe and stable evacuation system;
.4 Phase 4-Loaded trial weather side
1] the trials in paragraphs 12.6.2.2 and 12.6.2.3 should be repeated with the system deployed on the weather side of the ship. The lee side trial and the weather side trial may be conducted in any convenient order;
2] where ship manoeuvres are required to place the system on any one side any damage or failure sustained during this manoeuvre should not constitute a failure of the system; and
3] the system should be tested as far as practicable, on a vessel having similar characteristics to the types of ships the equipment is to be fitted to.
