Rigid life rafts are also known as traditional life rafts. Its structure is to use galvanized iron sheet, aluminum alloy plate, stainless steel plate or hard plastic materials to make a number of joint air boxes around the life rafts as the main buoyancy part of the life rafts, and then cover or not cover with flame retardant materials; The top of the raft is equipped with a fixed rigid roof and an entrance and exit, and the bottom of the raft is a wooden lattice plate. It is usually fixed and stored on the ship's side inclined slide or on the bridge deck, and the fixed hook of the slide is opened when releasing, so that the raft can slide down and launch by the slide or use the raft hanger to launch.

Life rafts refer to the boat gear without self-propelled ability for life saving on board. There is a certain amount of food and fresh water in the life raft for the crew to drift at sea for rescue. Life rafts can be divided into rigid life rafts and inflatable life rafts according to their structural forms.