What is the role of lifeboats and rescue boats? What is the difference between the two

Lifeboats are small, sturdy, or inflatable boats used for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster. The law requires lifeboat drills for large merchant ships. Life rafts are also available. These boats can sail safely. Both the Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Code for Life-saving Equipment (LSA) require ships on international voyages to be provided with lifeboats. Modern lifeboats carry emergency pointing radio beacons (EPIRB) and radar wave reflectors or radar interrogators.

Lifeboat is the most important life-saving tool on board. It is a special lifeboat used by ship crews to rescue themselves or rescue people in distress at sea. An air box is installed under the inner seat plate of the boat to ensure that the boat is completely filled with water and will not sink. The boat is equipped with food, drinking water, first aid, attachments, communication equipment, sails, paddles, sterns and other propulsion equipment, and some also have motorized propulsion devices. According to structural materials, it is divided into wooden lifeboats, metal lifeboats and fiberglass lifeboats. According to the structure, it is divided into open, closed and fully enclosed lifeboats. The length is not less than 5m. It is propelled by paddles, sails, or machines, and those with more than 60 passengers are motor boats. The International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea and the Code for Life-saving Equipment of Sea-going Ships have strict regulations on the equipment, strength, buoyancy, stability and unsinkability of ship lifeboats. At the same time, it is also required that the lifeboats on passenger ships must be able to land in the water within 30 minutes under normal weather conditions. The ship can land safely even under unfavorable trim or 15 ° on either side of the ship; the lifeboat should be arranged so as not to hinder the operation and use of other lifesaving equipment, and all lifeboats are immediately available in emergency situations. The lifeboat's bow indicates the ship's name and number, and the stern indicates the port of registry. The lifeboat is usually set on the lifting equipment of the rescue deck, so that people can board the boat and be quickly put on the water.