The IMO MSC 104 adopted revised guidelines for safe access to tanker bow, calling all governments concerned to take appropriate steps to implement the new guidelines.
According to MSC, tankers, including oil tankers as defined in SOLAS regulation II-1/2.12, chemical tankers as defined in regulation VII/8.2 and gas carriers as defined in regulation VII/11.2, should be provided with means to enable the crew to gain safe access to the bow even in severe weather conditions.
For tankers constructed on or after 1 July 1998, the access should be by means of either a walkway on the deck or a permanently constructed gangway of substantial strength at or above the level of the superstructure deck, or at the first tier of a deckhouse, which should:
- Be not less than 1 m in width, situated on or as near as practicable to the centreline of the ship and located so as not to hinder easy access across working areas of the deck;
- Be fitted at each side throughout its length with a foot-stop and guard rails supported by stanchions. Such rails should consist of no less than three courses, the lowest being not more than 230 mm and the uppermost being at least 1 m above the gangway or walkway, and no intermediate opening should be more than 380 mm in height. Stanchions should be at intervals of not more than 1.5 m. A permanent walkway located at the freeboard deck level, on or as near as practicable to the centreline of the ship, need not be fitted with foot-stops;
- Be constructed of fire resistant and non-slip material;
- Have openings, with ladders where appropriate, to and from the deck. Openings should not be more than 40 m apart;
- If the length of exposed deck to be traversed exceeds 70 m, have shelters of substantial construction set in way of the gangways or walkways at intervals not exceeding 45 m. Every such shelter should be capable of accommodating at least one person and be so constructed as to afford weather protection on the forward, port and starboard sides;
- If obstructed by pipes or other fittings of a permanent nature, be provided with means of passage over such obstruction.
The Administration may also accept alternative or modified arrangements for tankers with space constraint, such as small tankers, or tankers with large freeboard, such as gas carriers, provided that such alternative or modified arrangements achieve an equivalent level of safety for access to the bow.
Arrangements already approved by the Administration for tankers constructed before 1 July 1998 may be accepted, provided that such existing arrangements achieve an equivalent level of safety for access to the bow.