46 CFR 122.520: Abandon ship and man overboard drills
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section requires the master to conduct enough drills and instruction so crew know their duties in abandon ship and man overboard emergencies. It sets monthly abandon ship drills, rescue boat launch timing, davit liferaft training intervals, and logging of each drill.
What it says
The master must conduct enough drills and give enough instruction so all crew members know their emergency duties for abandoning ship or recovering persons who have fallen overboard.
46 CFR 122.520(a)“The master shall conduct sufficient drills and give sufficient instructions to make sure that all crew members are familiar with their duties”
Each crew member must take part in at least one abandon ship drill each month.
46 CFR 122.520(b)(1)“Each member of the crew shall participate in at least one abandon ship drill each month”
If more than 25% of the crew have not taken part in an abandon ship drill on board that vessel or a sister vessel in the previous month, a drill must be held before the vessel gets underway with passengers aboard.
46 CFR 122.520(b)(2)“If more than 25% of the crew have not participated in an abandon ship drill on board that particular vessel or sister vessel in the previous month”
Each abandon ship drill must include checking that life jackets are correctly donned.
46 CFR 122.520(c)(3)“Checking that life jackets are correctly donned;”
Each abandon ship drill must, as far as practicable, be conducted as if there were an actual emergency.
46 CFR 122.520(d)“Each abandon ship drill must, as far as practicable, be conducted as if there were an actual emergency.”
Each rescue boat required by § 117.210 of this subchapter must be launched with its assigned crew aboard and maneuvered in the water as if in an actual man overboard situation. This must happen once each month if reasonable and practicable, and at least once within a 3 month period before the vessel gets underway with passengers.
46 CFR 122.520(e)(2)“At least once within a 3 month period before the vessel gets underway with passengers.”
On a vessel with a davit launched liferaft, onboard training in using davit launched liferafts must take place at intervals of not more than 3 months.
46 CFR 122.520(f)“Onboard training in the use of davit launched liferafts must take place at intervals of not more than 3 months”
Drills and training must be logged or otherwise documented for Coast Guard review on request. Each entry must include the date and a general description of the drill scenario and training topics.
46 CFR 122.520(g)(2)“General description of the drill scenario and training topics.”
Common questions
How often must crew take part in an abandon ship drill?
Each crew member must take part in at least one abandon ship drill each month.
“Each member of the crew shall participate in at least one abandon ship drill each month”
How often must davit launched liferaft training be done?
On a vessel with a davit launched liferaft, onboard training must take place at intervals of not more than 3 months.
“Onboard training in the use of davit launched liferafts must take place at intervals of not more than 3 months”
What must be recorded for an abandon ship or man overboard drill?
The drill entry must include the date of the drill and training, and a general description of the drill scenario and training topics.
“Date of the drill and training; and”
The text of 46 CFR 122.520
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Abandon ship and man overboard drills and training
(a) The master shall conduct sufficient drills and give sufficient instructions to make sure that all crew members are familiar with their duties during emergencies that necessitate abandoning ship or the recovery of persons who have fallen overboard.
(b) An abandon ship drill must be conducted as follows:
(1) Each member of the crew shall participate in at least one abandon ship drill each month; and
(2) If more than 25% of the crew have not participated in an abandon ship drill on board that particular vessel or sister vessel in the previous month, a drill must be conducted before the vessel gets underway with passengers aboard.
(c) Each abandon ship drill must include:
(1) Summoning the crew to report to assigned stations and prepare for assigned duties;
(2) Summoning passengers on a vessel on an overnight voyage to areas of refuge or embarkation stations and ensuring that they are made aware of how the order to abandon ship will be given;
(3) Checking that life jackets are correctly donned;
(4) Operation of any davits used for launching liferafts; and
(5) Instruction on the automatic and manual deployment of survival craft.
(d) Each abandon ship drill must, as far as practicable, be conducted as if there were an actual emergency.
(e) Each rescue boat required in accordance with § 117.210 of this subchapter must be launched with its assigned crew aboard and maneuvered in the water as if during the actual man overboard situation;
(1) Once each month, if reasonable and practicable; but
(2) At least once within a 3 month period before the vessel gets underway with passengers.
(f) Onboard training in the use of davit launched liferafts must take place at intervals of not more than 3 months on a vessel with a davit launched liferaft.
(g) Abandon ship and man overboard drills and training shall be logged or otherwise documented for review by the Coast Guard upon request. The drill entry shall include the following information:
(1) Date of the drill and training; and
(2) General description of the drill scenario and training topics.
Sections it refers to
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.