ISCG issues policy letter
USCG has issued policy letter to provide guidance to assist U.S. flag ship owners and operators incomplying with recent SOLAS amendments requiring all ships subject to SOLAS, regardless ofbuild date, to identify and replace existing on-load release mechanisms (release hooks) that donot comply with specific provisions of the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code.
Ships subject to SOLAS or which carry a SOLAS Safety Equipment Certificate are required tocomply with the new SOLAS requirement in Chapter III no later than the applicable compliancedate, or they will not meet the requirements in 46 CFR 2.01-25 for maintenance of a SOLASSafety Equipment Certificate, and may also be subject to detention by foreign port state officialsand other administrative action by port states.
| Owners and operators of ships subject to SOLAS should use this guidance to assistin the evaluation of their lifeboats and rescue boats fitted with on-load release mechanisms todetermine what steps the Coast Guard recommends be taken to meet the new SOLASrequirements. Sector Commanders and Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMIs), andClassification Societies authorized to issue SOLAS Safety Equipment Certificates to U.S.flagged ships on behalf of the Coast Guard should use this guidance in the oversight of theirrespective U.S. flag fleets subject to SOLAS. |
More details may be found at the USCG Policy Letter
