What Equipment Is Used to Recover a Person During a Man Overboard (MOB) Rescue?
The Importance of MOB Recovery Procedures
Recovering a person overboard is one of the most critical emergency operations carried out at sea. When a person falls overboard, the crew must be able to locate, approach, and safely recover the casualty as quickly as possible.
International maritime guidance recognises that recovery operations must minimise injury to both the casualty and rescuers. Ships are therefore required to have procedures and equipment ready for these situations.
Under SOLAS Regulation III/17-1, all ships must carry ship-specific plans and procedures for recovering persons from the water, including identifying the equipment used and the methods of recovery.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) further explains under IMO MSC.1/Circ.1447 that recovery procedures should be designed to safely transfer a person from the water to the vessel while minimising impact with the ship’s side and reducing risk to the crew. Recovery plans should “facilitate the transfer of persons from the water to the ship while minimising the risk of injury from impact with the ship’s side or other structures, including the recovery appliance itself,” and, where practicable, recovery in a horizontal or near-horizontal position should be provided.
Different types of man overboard recovery equipment are used depending on:
- Vessel freeboard height (recovery from the water to the deck in the shortest possible time)
- Casualty condition (conscious or unconscious)
- Available crew (operable by the minimum number of people)
- Sea conditions (suitable to withstand harsh maritime environments)
- Vessel design (Effective in the vessel's full operating envelope)
Below are the most widely used recovery methods for man overboard casualties:
Recovering a Person Over Low Freeboard
Where vessels have low freeboard, casualties may be recovered directly over the side using simple boarding equipment such as a ladder, or a climbable net.
This method is common on:
- Small workboats
- Pilot boats
- Rigid inflatable boats (RIBs)
- Fishing vessels
Typical equipment used includes:
- Boarding ladders or rope ladders
- Pilot ladders or embarkation ladders
- Scramble nets or rescue nets
- Recovery poles or boat hooks
- MOB Cradles (which can be used to climb if casualty is fit and able)
These recovery methods allow a conscious casualty to assist with their own recovery, significantly reducing the time required to bring them on board. However, this method is not suitable if the casualty is injured, immobilised, unconscious, suffering from severe hypothermia, or if the freeboard is high.
Where possible, these man overboard rescue techniques should be combined or replaced with horizontal recovery equipment such as a MOB cradle or rescue stretcher. For example, a rescue sling, recovery pole, or hook can guide a conscious casualty into the cradle or stretcher—often via a davit—allowing a horizontal lift on board for immediate medical attention.
Recovering a Person Over High Freeboard
High freeboard vessels usually require additional equipment to safely recover casualties, as ladders or direct boarding are often impractical, time-consuming, and inefficient. There is also a risk of further injury if the freeboard is too high and a casualty attempts to climb the side unassisted, particularly in rough conditions.
The casualty is lifted from the water near the side of the vessel and guided onto a rescue cradle or stretcher on deck, providing controlled support during the lift, and allowing casualties to be recovered safely even when crew numbers are limited.
This method is common on:
- Commercial vessels and ferries
- Offshore support vessels
- Large pilot boats
- Ships with deck freeboards over 2–3 metres
Typical equipment used includes:
- Rescue slings, used in combination with davits and cranes
- Lifting harnesses and strops
- Rescue cradles (effective using the 2-1 lifting parbuckling method*)
- Recovery stretchers
Horizontal recovery equipment, such as rescue cradles and recovery stretchers, can be used in combination with vertical lifting man overboard equipment, keeping the casualty supported in a horizontal or near-horizontal position, reducing the risk of rescue collapse.
Horizontal Man Overboard Recovery
Many maritime safety authorities recommend that casualties are recovered in a horizontal or near-horizontal position whenever possible. According to IMO guidance, lifting a casualty vertically should be avoided where practicable because it may increase the risk of rescue collapse in cold or hypothermic casualties. Rescue cradles are designed specifically for this purpose.
These systems allow the casualty to be rolled or lifted onto the vessel while remaining supported along the body, reducing strain and allowing immediate medical treatment once on board.
Common features include:
- High-strength webbing ladder or cradle structure
- Rapid deployment from deck storage.
- Multiple lifting points for crew
- Compact storage bags or lockers
- 2:1 mechanical advantage design
Horizontal recovery systems are widely used on:
- Private and Commercial vessels
- Offshore support vessels
- Harbour and pilot boats
- Wind farm support craft
- Search and rescue vessels
They are particularly effective when recovering unconscious or immobile casualties, or when crew numbers are limited.
Parbuckling Method*
A widely used technique with rescue cradles is the parbuckling method, which allows two crew members to recover a casualty with minimal effort. The cradle is deployed over the vessel’s side, and as the casualty is positioned inside, the crew haul the recovery lines, causing the cradle to roll up the hull.
This pivoting action transfers part of the casualty’s weight to the water and the vessel, significantly reducing the lifting load while keeping the person supported in a horizontal or near-horizontal position, allowing immediate medical attention and aligning with IMO guidance to minimise vertical lifting and reduce risks to hypothermic or injured casualties.
Vertical Man Overboard Recovery
Vertical lifting systems are used when freeboard is too high or when additional rescue equipment is needed for mechanical advantage. This type of MOB equipment includes rescue slings, lifting strops, harnesses, davits, cranes, or helicopter winches.
Common features include:
- High-strength rescue slings, lifting strops, or harnesses
- Compatible davits, cranes, or helicopter winches
- Multiple attachment points for controlled lifting
- Corrosion-resistant shackles, hooks, and ropes
- Quick-release mechanisms for safety
Vertical recovery systems are widely used on:
- Commercial vessels and Ferries
- Small fishing vessel
- Offshore support vessels
- Harbour and pilot boats
- Search and rescue vessels
- Ships with high freeboard where direct boarding is impractical
These MOB systems allow casualties to be safely lifted from the water and guided into rescue cradles or stretchers on deck. Vertical lifting, such as using a strop or sling, is most effective when combined with horizontal recovery systems, allowing the casualty to be guided into a cradle or stretcher on deck while minimising stress and risk.
All lifting equipment must meet SOLAS and IMO safe working load requirements and be operated by competent personnel
Key Takeaway for Man Overboard Rescue Equipment
Safe and efficient man overboard (MOB) recovery requires planned procedures, trained personnel, and the correct combination of equipment. Recovery methods should be selected based on vessel freeboard, casualty condition, and crew availability, keeping the casualty supported in a horizontal or near-horizontal position to reduce the risk of rescue collapse and allow immediate medical attention.
- Low freeboard: Boarding ladders, pilot ladders, scramble nets, and recovery poles allow conscious casualties to assist their own recovery.
- High freeboard: Vertical lifting systems, often combined with horizontal equipment like MOB cradles or rescue stretchers, safely bring casualties aboard.
- Horizontal recovery: Rescue cradles provide mechanical advantage, allow parbuckling recovery by limited crew, and support unconscious or immobile casualties.
- Vertical recovery: Slings and lifting systems guide casualties into cradles or stretchers, particularly on vessels where direct boarding is impractical.
- Supporting equipment: Throwing lines, lifebuoys, rescue poles, stretchers, and hypothermia protection stabilise casualties during recovery.
- Regulatory compliance: Procedures and equipment must meet SOLAS and IMO MSC.1/Circ.1447 guidance, ensuring safe and efficient recovery.
By combining the right equipment with trained procedures, vessels can recover persons from the water safely and quickly in any MOB scenario, protecting both the casualty and the crew.