ISO 7010:2019 / ISO 3864-1
ISO E037 Rescue boat Sign
ISO E037 Rescue boat Sign means the E037 sign locates the ship's rescue boat — a small, quickly launched craft for recovering people from the water and marshalling liferafts, not for carrying evacuees away — aimed at the trained crew who man it rather than at passengers. It should be used where the cited standard, facility risk assessment, SDS, emergency plan, or written safety procedure requires this hazard or safety message to be communicated.
High-Res Viewer
Reference artwork: Wikimedia Commons · License: CC0
Technical Data
| Legal Standard | ISO 7010:2019 / ISO 3864-1 |
|---|---|
| Color Codes | #009933 / RAL 6032 Signal Green |
| Viewing Distance | 100 mm: approximately 5 m; 200 mm: approximately 10 m; 300 mm: approximately 15 m; 400 mm: approximately 20 m; 600 mm: approximately 30 m. |
| Review Status | approved / last reviewed 2026-07-07 |
| Jurisdiction Scope | Global, United States, European Union |
| Keywords | e037, iso 7010, emergency, rescue, boat, indicate, location |
Standard Dimensions Table
| Sign Size | Recommended Visibility |
|---|---|
100 mm | approximately 5 m |
200 mm | approximately 10 m |
300 mm | approximately 15 m |
400 mm | approximately 20 m |
600 mm | approximately 30 m. |
Where This Sign Is Used
It is posted at the boat's stowage and launching position and along the deck access routes the boat crew will use, oriented to their approach rather than to passenger flow. Fast rescue boat installations on ro-ro passenger ships carry the same symbol paired with instructions for the dedicated launching appliance, kept visually separate from adjacent liferaft cradles so a glance distinguishes the two.
In-Depth Guidance
What ISO 7010 E037 Indicates
E037 locates the ship's rescue boat: a small, quickly launched craft whose job is to recover people from the water and to gather and tow liferafts, not to carry evacuees away from the vessel. The sign uses the safe-condition green square with a pictogram distinguishing the fast open boat from the enclosed survival craft symbols around it. It is aimed primarily at the trained crew who man the boat, since passengers are never mustered to it.
The equipment itself is governed by the LSA Code, which defines a rescue boat as a boat designed for rescue and marshalling duties, rigid or inflated or a combination of the two, with an engine and equipment suited to retrieving an unconscious person over the side. SOLAS Chapter III sets how many a ship must carry and how fast they must get into the water.
How E037 Differs from the Lifeboat Sign
Where E036 marks a craft people board to abandon ship, E037 marks a craft that leaves the ship in order to bring someone back to it. That inversion drives everything else: rescue boats are kept in continuous readiness with a davit arranged for launching in minutes, they carry a boat crew of a handful rather than a full complement, and they are expected to operate while the ship itself remains perfectly safe — a person overboard is the classic scenario.
Many vessels satisfy the carriage requirement by designating a lifeboat that also meets rescue boat standards. On such ships the position may carry both meanings, but on any vessel with a dedicated rescue boat the two symbols must not be interchanged, because sending evacuees to a six-person fast boat would be a wayfinding failure with real consequences.
Role in the Person-Overboard Chain
The rescue boat is the final link in a response that starts elsewhere on deck. A witness raises the alarm — increasingly at a marked E069 person overboard call point — lifebuoys with lights or smoke go over the side to mark and support the casualty, the bridge maneuvers to return, and the boat crew closes up at the E037-marked station to launch. Minutes matter in cold water, which is why readiness and quick-launching arrangements are regulatory requirements rather than good practice.
Beyond recovery work, the same boat marshals survival craft during an abandonment: rounding up drifting liferafts, distributing people between them, and towing rafts clear of the casualty vessel. Crews practice both roles in periodic drills that include launching and maneuvering the boat in the water, so the coxswain and crew named on the muster list have actually handled the craft they will be sent out in, not merely walked past its sign.
Where the Sign Belongs
Post E037 at the boat's stowage and launching position and on the deck access routes the boat crew will use, oriented to their approach rather than to general passenger flow. Because the station is crewed by specific people named on the muster list, supplementary panels often identify it simply as the rescue boat station without the numbering scheme used for lifeboats.
On fast rescue boat installations — required on ro-ro passenger ships — the same symbol applies, and the sign is usually paired with instructions for the dedicated launching appliance. Keep the E037 position visually separate from adjacent liferaft cradles so a glance distinguishes the boat for going out from the craft for getting away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a rescue boat and a lifeboat?
Purpose. A lifeboat evacuates its assigned complement when the ship is abandoned; a rescue boat launches fast with a small trained crew to pull people from the water and to gather liferafts. One takes people away from the ship, the other brings them back to safety. E036 marks lifeboats, E037 marks rescue boats, and a lifeboat approved for both roles may serve as the ship's rescue boat.
How quickly must a ship's rescue boat be launched?
SOLAS requires rescue boats to be stowed in continuous readiness so they can be launched within minutes — the convention specifies no more than five minutes for launching. That is why they have dedicated quick-launching davits and pre-assigned crews rather than relying on a general muster.
Do passengers go to the rescue boat in an emergency?
No. Passengers muster at assembly stations marked E032 and, if abandonment is ordered, board the ship's boats, rafts, or evacuation systems. The rescue boat is manned only by crew members assigned to it on the muster list, which is why E037 signage targets crew routes rather than passenger corridors.
What is a fast rescue boat?
A higher-performance rescue boat category required on ro-ro passenger ships, built to operate at speed in rougher conditions with a dedicated launching appliance and specially trained crew. It is still marked with the standard E037 symbol at its station.