Britannia P&I has issued a timely reminder regarding the impending changes to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention.
These amendments, which are scheduled to take effect on the first of January 2024, are anticipated to have a substantial effect on the marine sector. According to Britannia, some of the significant improvements that will soon come into force are as follows:
Safe mooring operations
The latest SOLAS regulations aim to enhance mooring safety by introducing extra criteria for the choice, configuration, inspection, maintenance, and replacement of mooring equipment, which includes lines. It will be mandatory to furnish and maintain documentation related to the mooring arrangement’s design and the selection of mooring equipment on board.
Amendments to Life-Saving Appliances
SOLAS Chapter III will introduce new requirements for life-saving appliances, including improved design and testing standards for lifeboats, rescue boats, and launching and embarkation appliances.
Ships using LNG as fuel
The International Code for Safety for Ships utilizing Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code) has undergone revisions to incorporate lessons learned since its adoption in 2017.
Modernisation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
The GMDSS requirements have been updated to incorporate broader, non-specific criteria, independent of service providers. Additionally, obsolete system carriage requirements have been eliminated.
Watertight doors on cargo ships
The requirements to watertight doors in MARPOL Annex I, the Load Lines Convention, the IBC Code and the IGC Code have been amended to harmonise the consideration of watertight doors in damage stability calculations with the same in SOLAS.
