Tag: SOLAS

MPA Singapore has issued circular to inform maritime community on the entering into force of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 and Merchant Shipping (Load Line) (Amendment) Regulations 2013.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) have issued an exemption certificate stating that iron ore fines must be carried and tested in accordance with the draft IMSBC Code schedule.

On ship safety, testing of free-fall lifeboats, min safe manning levels, prohibition of blending A number of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and the 1988 Load Lines Protocol entered into force or took effect from 1 January 2014.The amendments cover passenger ship safety (in relation to safe return to port after a flooding casualty); the testing of free-fall lifeboats; minimum safe manning levels; prohibition of blending onboard; the revised MARPOL Annex III; the United States Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area; and the Winter Seasonal Zone off the southern tip of Africa.2012 May SOLAS amendmentsThe SOLAS amendments which entered into force on 1 January 2014 include the following:- amendment to SOLAS regulation II-1/8-1, to introduce a mandatory requirement for new passenger ships for either onboard stability computers or shore-based support, for the purpose of providing operational information to the Master for safe return to port after a flooding casualty;- amendment to SOLAS regulation III/20.11.2 regarding the testing of free-fall lifeboats, to require that the operational testing of free-fall lifeboat release systems shall be performed either by free-fall launch with only the operating ...

Effective from January 1st, 2014 From January 1st 2014, new regualtions will come into force and also amendments of existing regulations will be effective. EU Ship Recycling RegulationThe objective of the Regulation is to reduce the negative impacts linked to the recycling of EU-flagged ships, especially in South Asia, without creating unnecessary economic burdens.It brings into force an early implementation of the requirements of the2009 Hong Kong ConventionEU Regulations will establish a EU list of approved ship recycling facilities by 31DEC16 where all EU-flagged ships will be required to engage (6 months after sufficient capacity is available). All ships should possess an inventory of hazardous materials (IHM). Newbuilds will need an IHM by 31DEC18Additional InformationEU- Ship RecyclingEU Ship Recycling Regulation enters into forceEuropean lawmakers tighten rules on ship-breaking industryShip Recycling DevelopmentsEU: Towards cleaner scrapping of old shipsCARB Regulated California Waters Regs 'At-Berth Ocean- Going Vessels Regulation'For Container / Refrigerated cargo ships (visit California port at least 25 times/year) and passenger vessels (visit California port at least 5 times/year), while docked at berth at a California port 2 options provided :1)Reduced onboard power generation option: 50% of the fleet's port visits must comply with regulations specifying a 3 hour or 5 ...

ClassNK received authorization from the Finnish Transport Safety Agency to carry out surveys for Finnish flagged vessels. The agreement allows ClassNK to perform surveys for SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Line and other international conventions, as well as perform audits and issue certificates on behalf of the Finnish Government.

AMSA Marine Notice 21/2013 The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued Marine Notice 21/2013 to provide information about all navigational practices thatshould be followed by masters and navigatingofficers of ships in Australian waters.Passage plansRegulation 34 of Chapter V of SOLAS (Safenavigation and avoidance of dangeroussituations) requires that before proceeding to sea,the master must ensure that the intended voyagehas been planned. IMO Resolution A.893 (21)Guidelines for voyage planning provides moredetailed advice on passage planning. AMSAMarine Order 21 implements these requirementsin Australia.Voyage and passage planning includes:appraisal i.e. gathering all information relevantto the contemplated voyage or passage; detailed planning of the entire voyage or passage from berth to berth, including those areas requiring a pilot;execution of the plan; andmonitoring progress of the ship during theexecution of the plan.Passage planning should take into account the potential for reasonable unplanned diversions(due to change of commercial orders oremergencies) that may occur during passage.Any changes made to the plan should be consistent with the IMO guidelines and be clearly marked and recorded. For Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), the voyage or passage plan should be validated by the route-checking function of ECDIS using appropriate safety parameters.If any charts required for the voyage are to ...

AMSA has issued Marine Notice 21/2013 to reaffirm sound navigational practices

SOLAS Regulation II-1/8-1 has been amended and will require operational information to be provided to the master after a flooding casualty to assist with decisions regarding safe return to port. The new requirement applies to passenger vessels over 120m in length or with three or more main vertical zones, constructed on or after 1 January, 2014.

The new regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2014 The Republic of the Marshall Islands has issued Marine Safety Advsory No.73 to provide an update on the prohibition of blending MARPOL cargoes on board during sea voyage.The Maritime Safety Committee hasfinally adopted, during its 90thsession, resolution MSC.325(90) by which a new SOLASregulation prohibits the blending of bulk liquid cargoes and production processes during seavoyages. The new regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2014 and adds the following textafter the existing regulation 5-1 of SOLAS Chapter VI:Regulation 5-2 - Prohibition of the blending of bulk liquid cargoes and production processesduring sea voyages 1 The physical blending of bulk liquid cargoes during sea voyages is prohibited. Physicalblending refers to the process whereby the ship's cargo pumps and pipelines are used tointernally circulate two or more different cargoes with the intent to achieve a cargo with a newproduct designation. This prohibition does not preclude the master from undertaking cargotransfers for the safety of the ship or protection of the marine environment.2 The prohibition in paragraph 1 does not apply to the blending of products for use in the searchand exploitation of seabed mineral resources on board ships used to ...

Bulletin addresses the intentional securing of fixed water-based fire fighting systems onboard USCG has issued Marine Safety Information Bulletin No 41. to address the international securing of fixed water- based fire fighting systems onboard certain vessels.Machinery spaces onboard vessels are particularly high risk areas for fires. Locations such as main and auxiliary engine tops, fuel oil purifiers, burners and incinerator burners are major areas of concern. Fires in these areas can spread very quiclky, causing serious damage placing vessels, their crews and the ports they visit at risk. To protect against this fire risk, Category A machinery spaces containing oil-fired boilers or oil fuel units must be fitted with a fixed fire-extinguishing sustem (SOLAS II-2/10.5.1.1). In addition, Category A machinery spaces above 500m3 in volume must have an approved type of fixed water-based or equivalent local application fire-extinguishing system (SOLAS II-2/10.5.6.1). This fixed water-based local application fire-fightinh system is intended to protect the crew and affected machinery quiclky, and without the necessity of engine shutdown, personnel evacuation, or sealing the space.Where the Category A machinery space protected by the local application fire-extinguishing system is periodically unattended, the system must be provided with both automatic and manual release capability.During recent port ...