Abandonment may require a powered, navigable craft. A lifeboat is a rigid or partially enclosed boat carried on a ship for emergency evacuation, capable of being launched with its full complement of people and equipment.

Modern lifeboats are often totally enclosed, self-righting, and fitted with engines, so they can move clear of a burning or sinking ship. Davits or free-fall systems launch them. Capacity, equipment, and launching arrangements are regulated in detail by SOLAS.

Weekly inspections and monthly drills keep boats and crews ready. Free-fall lifeboats demand careful training because of the impact of launch. A well-maintained lifeboat with a drilled crew is a primary survival asset when the ship itself is no longer safe.

• Emergency boat for evacuating a ship
• Often enclosed, self-righting, and powered
• Launched by davits or free-fall systems
• Subject to strict equipment and drill requirements