Specialized Lifeboats
Some ships have freefall lifeboats, stored on a downward sloping slipway, dropping into the water as holdback is released. Such lifeboats are considerably heavier as they are strongly constructed to survive the impact with water. Freefall lifeboats are used for their capability to launch nearly instantly and high reliability in any conditions, and since 2006 are required on bulk carriers that are in danger of sinking too rapidly for conventional lifeboats to be released.
Tankers are required to carry fireproof lifeboats, tested to survive a flaming oil or petroleum product spill from the tanker. Fire protection of such boats is provided by insulation and sprinkler system, which has pipe system on top, through which water is pumped and sprayed to cool the surface. This system, while not failsafe against engine failure, allows fireproof lifeboats to be built of fiberglass.
Vessels that house saturation divers carry hyperbaric lifeboats which incorporate a hyperbaric chamber to allow the divers to escape without undergoing decompression.
Read more about this topic: Lifeboat (shipboard)
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