The maximum evacuation capacity, or MEC, of a starship was the maximum number of people a starship could safely evacuate in emergency situations without overloading the life support systems. This term was also known as maximum evacuation limit or emergency evacuation limit. Prison ships were usually designed to be operated continuously under MEC. Hydran ships were usually considered to have the best capability under continuous MEC conditions, as not doing so would offend the God of Evacuation. (RIS Bouteina: "Fury of the Prison Ships")