Passengers vs Crew: Why the Distinction Matters
Passengers are not trained seafarers. In an emergency they will not self-organise, will not know the layout of the vessel, and may panic. Your entire response framework must account for this from the moment you plan the voyage, not from the moment the emergency begins.
Muster List and Emergency Duties
The muster list allocates specific crew members to passenger-related tasks. These assignments are not optional extras — they form the backbone of passenger protection:
- Mustering passengers to assembly stations, accounting for all persons
- Assisting passengers who require help (elderly, mobility-impaired, children, non-swimmers)
- Controlling crowd movement to prevent panic and blocking of escape routes
- Briefing passengers on the use of lifejackets (donning demonstration before departure on international voyages)
- Headcount — knowing the exact number of passengers embarked and being able to verify it in an emergency
The passenger manifest or embarkation card system gives you that number. You must be able to account for every person on board.
The Pre-Departure Safety Briefing
For yachts carrying passengers, the safety briefing (or muster drill for passengers) must occur before or immediately after departure. It covers:
- Location of lifejackets and how to don them
- Location of muster/assembly stations
- Actions on the emergency signal
- General emergency procedures relevant to passengers
This is not the same as a crew abandon-ship drill under SOLAS III/19. It is passenger-focused instruction. A passenger has never done this before; a crew member has been drilled monthly.
Passenger vs Crew Lifejackets
Passenger lifejackets must be accessible without entering a sleeping space in an emergency. Stowage locations must be clearly indicated. Infant and child lifejackets must be provided where children are carried — adult lifejackets are not an acceptable substitute.
Controlling Passengers During an Emergency
The examiner will probe whether you can distinguish mustering (accounting for and assembling) from evacuation (moving off the vessel). These are sequential actions, not simultaneous ones. Attempting evacuation of passengers before mustering is complete creates the risk of persons being left behind or injured in an uncontrolled evacuation.
Assign crew to remain with passengers at the assembly station until you, as master, give the order to abandon ship. Passengers must not self-initiate boarding of survival craft.
Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM)
You must have a specific plan for any PRM on board, identified at embarkation. Identify which crew member is responsible, and what the evacuation route and method are for that individual. This information belongs in your SMS.