Abandoned Ship Drill Guide: How to Reach Your Muster Station & Properly Don a Life Jacket
Emergency Training • Life-Saving Appliances • STCW Personal Survival
Abandoned Ship Drill Guide: How to Reach Your Muster Station & Properly Don a Life Jacket
A practical guide for seafarers on alarm signals, muster routes, lifejacket fitting, headcounts, lifeboat safety, SOLAS Chapter III, STCW personal-survival training and genuine DGMA-approved courses.
The alarm sounds during the night watch. For one second, the person who has just joined the vessel may not know whether it is a drill, a machinery alarm or the beginning of a real emergency. The crew member who has practised the route does not need to search for a cabin plan. They take the lifejacket from its marked location, check the direction, move along the escape route and report to the assigned muster station.
That is the real purpose of an abandon-ship drill. It is not a performance for a stopwatch. It is a rehearsal that turns emergency information into a safe, repeatable action. The drill tests whether everyone can hear the alarm, reach the correct place, put on the right equipment, understand their duty and remain accounted for when the ship’s normal routine has broken down.
In a serious casualty, people may face smoke, darkness, list, noise, blocked corridors, cold weather, injured colleagues or conflicting information. A lifejacket does not solve those problems by itself. A trained crew, a clear Muster List, maintained life-saving appliances and calm communication work together.
What is an abandon-ship drill?
An abandon-ship drill is a planned emergency exercise in which the crew practises the actions required if the Master orders the vessel to be abandoned. It normally involves the alarm or emergency announcement, movement to muster stations, lifejacket or immersion-suit preparation, headcount, assigned duties, survival-craft readiness and a review of communications and launching arrangements.
The exact drill depends on the ship, flag, operation, crew, passengers, survival craft and company procedures. SOLAS Chapter III covers life-saving appliances and arrangements. Its listed provisions include personal life-saving appliances, muster lists and emergency instructions, survival-craft muster and embarkation arrangements, emergency training and drills, operational readiness, maintenance, inspections and onboard training aids.
That means there is no safe universal internet script that overrides the ship’s own Muster List. The vessel’s posted instructions identify your station, your survival craft, your role and any special assistance duty. Read them during familiarisation and ask the officer if anything is unclear.
Hear and understand
Recognise the emergency alarm and listen for the spoken instruction or drill announcement. Do not assume every alarm means abandon ship.
Move safely
Use the assigned primary route and know the alternative route if the normal passage is blocked, dark or smoky.
Report and account
Reach the muster station, report to the responsible officer and remain available for headcount and assigned duties.
Prepare, do not improvise
Use the life-saving appliance and survival-craft procedure displayed onboard. Do not release, launch or enter equipment without instruction.
Alarm signals and the Muster List
Many ships use the general emergency alarm of seven short blasts followed by one prolonged blast, followed by an announcement. The precise signal, public-address wording and drill instructions must be confirmed from the vessel’s Muster List and emergency instructions. The alarm pattern is not a reason to ignore a spoken order or local ship procedure.
The Muster List is the crew’s emergency assignment document. It normally identifies the alarm signals, muster stations, survival-craft duties, fire and damage-control roles, communication responsibilities, assistance for passengers or persons needing help and the officers responsible for each task.
Read the list at the start of every contract and whenever your cabin, rank, duty or survival craft changes. A new seafarer should not rely on memory from a previous vessel because deck layouts, alarms, lifejacket locations and station assignments differ.
How to reach your muster station
When the alarm sounds, pause long enough to identify the signal and hear the announcement. If you see an immediate danger, raise the alarm and report it.
Collect your lifejacket or immersion suit if instructed. Follow the Muster List about warm clothing, personal medicines, documents or other items. Do not delay for luggage or valuables.
Follow emergency lighting, signs and the familiar route. If smoke, heat, flooding or damage blocks it, use the approved alternative and report the obstruction.
Running creates falls and congestion. Keep one hand available where appropriate, help only within your assigned role and allow injured or vulnerable persons to pass safely.
Tell the officer or team leader that you have arrived. Remain in the assigned area so the headcount is accurate.
Do not leave to search for friends, return to the cabin or enter a lifeboat unless directed by the responsible officer.
How to put on a lifejacket correctly
Lifejackets are designed differently. Some are slipped over the head, some open at the front, and some are integrated with workwear or special equipment. The lifejacket’s label and the ship’s training instruction take priority. The general method below helps a seafarer think through the fitting process, but it is not a substitute for practising with the exact model carried on the vessel.
Find the neck or head opening, buoyancy sections, straps, whistle, light and reflective material. Do not put it on upside down or with the flotation parts behind you.
Put the head and arms through the correct openings or open the front closure according to the manufacturer’s label and the vessel’s instructions.
Secure waist, chest, crotch or leg straps fitted to that model. Fastenings should not be twisted, trapped or left hanging.
The jacket should not ride over your head when you pull upward on the shoulder area. It must remain comfortable enough for breathing and movement.
Make sure the whistle and light are accessible and that reflective areas are not covered by clothing or equipment.
Another crew member can quickly identify a loose strap, twisted fastening, upside-down jacket or missing light. Correct the problem before leaving the station.
A lifejacket is a flotation aid. It does not make rough water safe, prevent cold shock or remove the risk of hypothermia. Keep it secured, follow the crew’s instructions and avoid jumping into the water unless there is no safer option. If a jump is unavoidable, use the technique taught in your approved training and keep the jacket correctly fitted.
Lifejacket checks during the drill
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Correct size and type | A lifejacket must be suitable for the wearer and the vessel’s approved arrangement. |
| Straps and fastenings | Loose, twisted or damaged straps can allow the jacket to move or come off in the water. |
| Whistle | Sound helps rescuers locate a person, especially when visibility is poor. |
| Light | A working light can improve visibility at night or in spray. Check it according to the drill procedure without damaging the unit. |
| Reflective material | Reflective surfaces assist visual detection when illuminated by searchlights. |
| Condition | Tears, missing components, contamination or unauthorised modifications must be reported. |
Immersion suits and additional protection
Some vessels carry immersion suits or anti-exposure suits for the operating area and voyage. These garments provide protection against cold water and exposure, but they must fit the wearer and be donned according to the ship’s training. They can restrict movement, affect balance and make climbing or boarding more difficult.
Do not assume a lifejacket and immersion suit are interchangeable. Follow the vessel’s instruction about which item to take, whether the lifejacket is worn over the suit and how the suit’s hood, zip, gloves and face seal are checked. A crew member who has never tried the suit may lose valuable time during a real emergency.
What happens at the muster station?
The muster station is a controlled gathering point, not simply a place to wait. The officer responsible for the station confirms who has arrived, checks equipment, receives instructions and prepares people for embarkation. Crew members may have duties such as collecting equipment, assisting passengers, preparing a survival craft, operating communications, bringing medical supplies or supporting a search.
Answer your name clearly during the headcount. If you know someone is missing, report it immediately and provide the last known location. Do not leave the station to search unless the command structure assigns you that task. Uncontrolled searching can create a second casualty and make the headcount unreliable.
Stay visible
Remain in the marked area and keep the correct group together. Do not block access, launch equipment or gather at the ship’s edge without instruction.
Protect communication
Listen to the officer. Avoid shouting, phone calls and rumours that prevent the team from hearing important instructions.
Assist correctly
Help children, passengers, injured persons or colleagues only as assigned. Report medical needs early.
Prepare for embarkation
Follow the team’s sequence for boarding. Keep hands free when instructed and avoid crowding ladders, doors or launching areas.
Survival craft safety during drills
Lifeboats, liferafts, rescue boats, launching appliances and marine evacuation systems are life-saving appliances with specific design, maintenance and operating requirements. The IMO explains that the LSA Code sets technical requirements for manufacturing, testing, maintenance and recordkeeping.
A drill should never become a casualty. No one should release, lower, launch or enter a survival craft outside the approved drill plan. The Master and responsible officers must consider weather, sea state, traffic, equipment condition, communications, crew competence and the specific safety guidance for the vessel’s launching arrangement.
Free-fall lifeboat exercises and boat-lowering drills need particular care. The operation should be conducted by trained personnel under the vessel’s procedures and the applicable safety guidance. A seafarer must not treat an online video as permission to operate a launching appliance.
Training under STCW and DGMA in India
Personal Survival Techniques, commonly abbreviated as PST, is part of the basic STCW safety-training framework. DGMA Circular No. 03 of 2024 describes Basic STCW Safety Training as including Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, Elementary First Aid and Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities.
IMO lists Model Course 1.19, Proficiency in Personal Survival Techniques, and Model Course 1.23, Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats. Model courses support training design, but the certificate process is implemented through the national administration and approved training system.
For Indian seafarers, DGMA’s approved-course list and approved-MTI list should be checked before booking. The certificate validity and refresher rules can depend on the course, certificate, rank and current DGMA order. Circular 03 of 2024 explains the combined Basic STCW Safety Course certificate and states that PST and Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting refresher training is required every five years for the described validity arrangement. Verify the current official position before relying on an older certificate or advertisement.
How to book genuine PST training at an MTI
Confirm whether you need PST, a refresher, Proficiency in Survival Craft, Fast Rescue Boat training or another rank-specific course.
Search DGMA’s approved-course page for the exact course title. Institute approval alone does not prove approval for every course.
Use the official approved-MTI directory and check withdrawal, suspension or restriction notices relevant to your booking.
Ask for eligibility, batch date, practical requirements, assessment method, certificate type, attendance policy, accommodation and refund terms.
Confirm tuition, assessment, certificate, taxes, meals, accommodation, equipment, medical checks and reattempt charges.
Save the invoice, receipt, attendance proof, result and certificate. Ask how the certificate is verified for CDC, joining or revalidation purposes.
What does the training cost?
There is no single universal PST or abandon-ship-drill fee. The price depends on the institute, city, course level, practical facilities, accommodation, assessment, certificate processing and whether the course is basic, refresher or advanced.
A genuine quotation should separate the training fee from optional accommodation and meals. It should say whether practical pool work, life-raft exercises, equipment use, assessment, taxes and reattempts are included. A very low price may exclude the practical component that makes the course useful.
Abandon-ship drill scams to avoid
- Guaranteed certificate claims: no legitimate provider can guarantee a certificate without attendance, assessment and the approved process.
- Guaranteed job claims: a survival course does not guarantee a vessel, rank, salary or joining date.
- Fake urgency: a caller says your CDC will be cancelled today unless you pay a personal account.
- Copied institute websites: verify the MTI through DGMA rather than a logo or social-media page.
- Online-only replacement claims: an online video does not automatically replace practical survival training.
- Unclear certificates: attendance letters and private workshop certificates are not necessarily STCW certificates.
Use official DGMA links and contact details. Request an invoice. Pay through the institute’s formal account or gateway. Keep the receipt. If a recruiter says you must buy a secret “abandon ship licence” from a personal account, stop and verify the claim before paying.
How to improve the next drill
A useful drill measures more than speed. It asks whether the crew can make safe decisions under pressure. The drill leader should review the route, alarm, headcount, lifejacket fitting, communication, station discipline, assistance duties, survival-craft readiness and any delay or confusion.
Common weaknesses include missing names on the headcount, lifejackets fitted incorrectly, crew members arriving without required equipment, blocked routes, poor radio discipline, uncertainty about the alternative muster route and unsafe crowding near a lifeboat. Each weakness should be recorded and corrected through the ship’s safety-management process.
Drills should be realistic without becoming reckless. Do not create an uncontrolled launch, force a person into cold water, enter a smoke-filled space without proper equipment or use a damaged appliance for dramatic effect. The goal is a crew that can survive an emergency, not a video that looks impressive.
Frequently asked questions
What is the abandon-ship alarm?
Many ships use seven short blasts followed by one prolonged blast for the general emergency alarm and then a spoken announcement. The vessel’s Muster List and emergency instructions are the controlling reference.
Where is my muster station?
Your station is identified on the vessel’s Muster List and posted emergency instructions. It can change with your role, cabin, ship or assignment, so confirm it during familiarisation.
Should I take my passport or luggage to the station?
Follow the Muster List and ship instructions. Do not delay for luggage or personal belongings. Take only the items specifically required or directed, such as warm clothing or personal medicine.
Can I jump into the sea wearing a lifejacket?
Only if the situation requires it and the crew or Master’s instructions cannot be followed safely. A lifejacket does not remove the risks of height, cold shock, injury, current or impact. Use the technique taught in approved training.
Is PST the same as survival-craft training?
No. Personal Survival Techniques is basic survival training. Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats is a separate competency for personnel with the relevant duties.
How often should an abandon-ship drill be held?
Frequency depends on the ship, operation, SOLAS requirements, flag administration and company procedures. Follow the vessel’s drill schedule and do not replace it with a generic internet timetable.
Final abandon-ship checklist
- Know the alarm signals and listen for the spoken instruction.
- Read your Muster List and confirm your primary and alternative routes.
- Locate your lifejacket and practise with the exact model carried onboard.
- Fasten every required strap and complete a buddy check.
- Report to the correct muster station and remain for the headcount.
- Help others only within your assigned duty and report missing persons quickly.
- Do not return for belongings or leave the station without instruction.
- Do not launch, lower or enter a survival craft outside the approved plan.
- Check that drills identify real weaknesses and that corrective actions are recorded.
- Verify PST and related training through the current DGMA course and MTI lists.
An abandon-ship drill is a promise the crew makes to one another: if the normal life of the vessel fails, we will know where to go, what to wear, whom to report to and how to protect the people beside us. The lifejacket is important, but the system around it matters just as much.
Walk the route before you need it. Fit the jacket before the alarm. Listen before moving. Report before searching. Follow the Muster List before improvising. Those simple habits turn emergency training into a real chance of survival.
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