A maritime evacuation system to be installed on a vessel or offshore facility comprises a storage unit to be installed on the vessel or offshore facility, at least two survival crafts, each having a hull, predominantly made of non-rigid inflatable tubes and one or more shells, the survival crafts being configured to be stored in the storage unit in a deflated state, each survival craft comprises at least two engine powered propulsion means, the maritime evacuation system further comprising a central control unit being operatively connected with each engine powered propulsion means, wherein the central control unit is configured to observe the condition of and test the readiness of each engine powered propulsion means at predetermined intervals so that it is continuously monitored if the maritime evacuation system meets the requirements for being ready for rescue.

A refuge unit has an outer structure and an inner structure. The inner structure is rotatable relative to the outer structure about an axis of rotation. The inner structure is capable of accommodating one or more people. The inner structure is biased toward a substantially constant rotational position about the axis such that if the axis lies in horizontal plane, a floor of the inner structure also lies in a horizontal plane. One or more doors are provided at respective opposite entrances to the unit.