I don't see why not carrying a lifeboat means life is cheap. Most fishing vessels in Alaskan waters don't carry a lifeboat either, only inflatable rafts and survival suits, and that is generally considered one of the world's deadliest areas of maritime commerce. With how fast a small vessel can go down, a lifeboat would generally be useless, anyways.
Kind Regards, Kyle

So despite the international maritime safety treaty, SOLAS, life is still cheap in these developing countries?

If a cargo ship has a length between perpendiculars (waterline length) under 85.00 meters then lifeboat is not required, unless it's a tanker or for carrying dangerous goods.
That's why there's a number of (standard European, for example) freighters that have overall length 86-95m but have no lifeboat, because they have a LBP of some 84.99 or less meters.

HUANG PU 1 -see Viktor's set at http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/search.php?search_imo=7378016

There's a life raft visible on Deck 1, and may well be another on the port side. Trading in national (Chinese) categorised waters only won't be covered by IMO requirements - though the crew will presumably be larger than for the equivalent European vessel

Do you know the identity of the blue ship in background? It looks very old

On a lot of smaller commercial vessels it's rather impractical to have lifeboats. They generally have both a minimum of crew and available deck space, so it makes more sense to just carry inflatable life rafts and survival suits, which can both be stored in smaller nooks, and suit the handful of people aboard just fine.
Kind Regards, Kyle

Interesting info Robbie. I thought having lifeboats was an absolute requisite whatever country you lived in. I guess a life has a different worth to some people. The "it's only business" acumen obviously still exists then. I just hope whoever's on board can swim !

Chinese ships are allergic to paint.

If i remember correctly lifeboats are only a requirement if a vessel is more than 90m (this number may be out a bit) or if she is a tanker of any size. the owner of the vessel can opt to apply for an exemption with the classification society to not have lifeboats but a classification society can opt for the boat owner to have additional life rafts or similar if need be.
So there is a good chance she was never built to have lifeboats.

Regards Robbie

Guangzhou Shitai Shipping Ltd, Guangzhou
reg Guangzhou.

Like looking at old tubs like this - looks like she's been around the block a few times. She's even lost her lifeboats !