Report of the Working Group
The IMO’s Sub-committee on Stability and Load Lines and on Fishing Vessels Safety (SLF) at its latest meeting (SLF 54) this week has established a Working Group (WG) to review and finalise the draft guidelines that had been developed by an intersessional correspondence group.
In reviewing the draft guidelines the WG also developed draft amendments to mandatory instruments proposed by the correspondence group (Annex 2 to the report of the WG). The WG agreed that the document should consist of two parts: the first part providing procedures for preparation and approval of tanker damage stability calculations, and the second part containing instructions for operation and demonstration of damage stability compliance.
Furthermore, recognising that this would be the most appropriate method to comply with the damage stability requirements, the WG concluded that mandatory stability instruments should be introduced on tankers to which MARPOL Annex I, IBC and IGC Codes apply.
The WG was of the view that the Guidelines should be finalised and issued as a completed package together with any amendments requiring the mandatory carriage of stability computers. With this view in mind, the WG submitted its report to the Sub-committee requesting clarification on whether the report should be forwarded to the Maritime Safety Committee for approval at its 90th session (May 2012) or whether this should be held until the Guidelines are finalised as a package.
As we go to press, the Sub-committee has yet to review the draft report of the WG. The full report will be provided via Weekly News once as soon as it has been published.
The draft report of the WG can be accessed by clicking here.
Source: IMO