46 CFR § 117.202 - Survival craft—vessels operating on oceans routes.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t46/s117.202"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "46 CFR § 117.202 - Survival craft—vessels operating on oceans routes."
title_number: 46
title_name: "Shipping"
section_number: "117.202"
section_name: "Survival craft—vessels operating on oceans routes."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "K"
subchapter_name: "SMALL PASSENGER VESSELS CARRYING MORE THAN 150 PASSENGERS OR WITH OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS FOR MORE THAN 49 PASSENGERS"
part_number: "117"
part_name: "LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT AND ARRANGEMENTS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "46 U.S.C. 2103, 3306; E.O. 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; DHS Delegation 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4."
regulatory_source: "CGD 85-080, 61 FR 911, Jan. 10, 1996, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "117"
---
# 117.202 Survival craft—vessels operating on oceans routes.
(a) Except as allowed by paragraph (b) of this section, each vessel certificated to operate on an oceans route in cold water must be provided with inflatable liferafts of an aggregate capacity that will accommodate at least 100% of the total number of persons permitted on board.
(b) Each vessel certificated to operate on an oceans route not more than 50 nautical miles offshore in cold water must be provided with inflatable buoyant apparatus of an aggregate capacity that will accommodate at least 100% of the total number of persons permitted on board.
(c) Each vessel with overnight accommodations certificated to operate on an oceans route in warm water must be provided with inflatable buoyant apparatus of an aggregate capacity that will accommodate at least 100% of the total number of overnight persons permitted on board.
(d) Where the total number of persons allowed on the COI exceeds the total number of overnight persons allowed, the survival craft requirements contained in paragraph (e) of this section apply when not engaged in an overnight voyage.
(e) Each vessel certificated to operate on an oceans route in warm water must be provided with either:
(i) Inflatable buoyant apparatus of an aggregate capacity that will accommodate at least 67% of the total number of persons permitted on board; or
(ii) Life floats of an aggregate capacity that will accommodate at least 100% of the total number of persons permitted on board.