Tag: SOLAS

Fatal accidents have occurred as a result of lifeboat on-load release mechanisms Ireland adopts SOLAS amendments to replace non-compliant lifeboat on-load release mechanisms and has issued a Marine Notice no 54 of 2011.This is a useful reminder of the numerous fatal accidents that have occurred as a result of lifeboat on-load release mechanisms and that the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), at its eighty-ninth session held May 2011, adopted, by resolution MSC.317(89), the new SOLAS regulation III/1.5 and, by resolution MSC.320(89), related amendments to chapter IV of the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code, both of which are expected to enter into force on 1st January 2013The SOLAS amendment requires lifeboat on-load release mechanisms, not complying with the new LSA Code requirements, to be replaced no later than the first scheduled dry-docking of the ship after 1st July 2014 but, in any case, not later than 1st July 2019.The amendment is intended to establish new, stricter, safety standards for lifeboat release and retrieval systems, aimed at preventing accidents during lifeboat launching, and will require the assessment and possible replacement of a large number of lifeboat release hooks.The MSC also approved associated "Guidelines for Evaluation and Replacement ...

IMO Meet in London for Biennial Assembly Today (21st November 2011) the 27th Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will meet in London in a session scheduled to last until the 30th November. All 170 Member States and three Associate Members are entitled to attend the Assembly, which is IMO's highest governing body.The intergovernmental organizations with which agreements of co-operation have been concluded and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO are also invited to attend. Two of the main subjects under discussion will be the recent IMO-commissioned study into the impact of mandatory energy efficiency measures for international shipping and the current marine migraine of piracy.The Assembly will review the work carried out by the Organization during the biennium 2010‑2011, through the Council, the five IMO Committees and the Secretariat at an event which normally meets once every two years in regular session. It is responsible for approving the work programme, voting the budget and determining the financial arrangements of the Organization. It also elects the Organization's 40-Member Council.The review will focus on recent highlights over the past two years such as the improvements to watch keeping at sea (the STCW Convention) and the adoption, in April 2010, ...

rRquirements for testing the correct data exchange MSC 88 adopted amendments to SOLAS regulation V/18 regarding the annual testing of the automatic identification system (AIS) in 2010. As a result, a new regulation (SOLAS V/18.9) was introduced by MSC 308 (88) and adopted on 3 December 2010.SOLAS Chapter V regulation 18.9 "The automatic identification system (AIS) shall be subjected to an annual test. The test shall be conducted by an approved surveyor or an approved testing or servicing facility. The test shall verify the correct programming of the ship static information, correct data exchange with connected sensors as well as verifying the radio performance by radio frequency measurement and on-air test using, e.g., a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS). A copy of the test report shall be retained on board the ship."The date on which the annual testing of AIS enters into force is 1 July 2012, and the tests may be carried out in connection with the ship's annual safety radio (CRC) or safety equipment (CEC) survey.Approval of AIS service suppliers The new regulation implies special requirements for surveyors since testing the correct data exchange with connected sensors and on-air radio tests requires both special AIS test equipment and specific ...

Amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 Amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 will enter into force on January 1, 2012 and introduce new requirements for portable oxygen measuring instruments, as follows:IMO Resolution MSC.291(87) introduces a requirement for all 'tankers' to be equipped with at least one portable instrument for measuring oxygen, together with a sufficient set of spares and suitable means for the calibrationof such instruments.'Tanker' in this instance means any ship carrying bulk liquid cargoes of a flammable nature. SOLAS already contains requirements for carriage of portable oxygen meters but this new amendment adds therequirement for spares and calibration equipment. A second portable instrument for measuring oxygen is generally regarded as meeting the requirement for a sufficient set of spares.What should owners and operators do now?Owners and operators of new and existing tankers should ensure they have portable oxygen meter(s), spares and means of calibration in place by January 1, 2012.Surveyors have been instructed to confirm this equipment is in place at the first attendance on board after thisdate.Source: Lloyd's Register

Minimum requirements The Estonian Maritime Administration has issued Guidelines for ROs when recommending an exemption for a BNWAS installed prior to 1st of July 2011 requirement which are not in full compliance with the MSC.128(75) when the following minimum requirements are fulfilled:1. The BNWAS operational modes can be selected between Manual ON (in operational constantly) and Manual OFF (does not operate under any circumstances);2. The selection of the operational modes is protected by a key switch or password;3. Once operational the system remains dormant for a period between 3 and 12 min;4. At the end of this dormant period a visual indication is initiated on the bridge;5. If not reset, the system sounds additionally a first stage audible alarm on the bridge 15s after the visual indication is initiated;6. If not reset, the system sounds additionally a second stage remote audible alarm in the back-up officer and/or Master's location 15s after the first stage;7. If not reset the system sounds additionally a third stage remote audible alarm at the locations of further crew members min. 90s and max. 180s after the second stage;8. The audible alarm for the third stage is easily identifiable by its sound and indicates urgency. Moreover ...

IMO Sub-Committee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers The IMO Sub-Committee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers (DSC) during meeting earlier this month has set up a Working Group (WG) to develop amendments to SOLAS to mandate Enclosed Space Entry and Rescue Drills.In developing these amendments, the WG agreed that an enclosed space entry and rescue drill shall be conducted at least once every two months. The group also reviewed the level of participation among the crew, agreeing that crew members with enclosed space entry or rescue responsibilities shall take part in an enclosed space entry and rescue drill.The WG also considered the mandatory carriage and continuous use of an oxygen meter or other such devices but could not identify any appropriate place to mandate for all ships within SOLAS regulation III/19. Noting the provisions in SOLAS regulation VI/3, the group agreed to insert a new provision under paragraph 3 (drills) which will refer to the checking and use of protective equipment required for entry to enclosed spaces, to address this issue.The WG's draft report can be accessed here.Source : IMO

187 bodies had been recovered and 619 people had been rescued The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, has expressed his profound sadness for the loss of life in the sinking of the ro-ro ferry Spice Islander I off the coast of the United Republic of Tanzania on 10 September."We are shocked at the number of lives lost and have offered any help and technical assistance which may be required," Mr. Mitropoulos said, adding that IMO was willing to provide assistance in investigating the cause of the accident and, following on from that, in working with the United Republic of Tanzania to prevent further such accidents occurring.Mr. Mitropoulos commended the work of the Dar es Salaam Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) sub-centre (which was commissioned by IMO in 2009) in coordinating the rescue. The sub-centre confirmed to IMO on Monday (12 September) that, so far, 187 bodies had been recovered and 619 people had been rescued.While IMO regulations, such as those contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), do not apply to ships trading on domestic routes, IMO has worked with a number of countries and non-governmental organizations to improve ...

India is in the process of acceding to important conventions like the Bunker Convention and OPRC The Environment Protection Act, 1986 is an Umbrella Act to combat pollution in India. As India is a party to International Conventions on Environmental protection, specific laws on pollution prevention from ships have been enacted under the relevant provisions in the Merchant Shipping Act. This was stated by the Union Minister of Shipping, Shri G.K. Vasan in a supplementary reply to a question in Lok Sabha.He further informed that India is also a party to the International Conventions on Safety of Life (SOLAS) and marine pollution, international conventions on marine pollution (MARPOL) which are the main safety and pollution related conventions of the IMO.The Minister said that in the last two years the Cabinet has approved accession to three conventions/protocols. Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of WrecksProtocol of 1996 to the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime ClaimsMARPOL 73/78 convention Annex VI-Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships "We are in the process of acceding to other important conventions like the Bunker Convention and OPRC (Oil Pollution Response Convention) and OPRC-HNS (Oil Pollution response Convention-Hazardous and Noxious Substances) and I ...

The question is what flash point limit represents an acceptable safety risk on board ships The international shipping organisation BIMCO and the shipping giant Maersk have suggested that the time has come to review the regulatory minimum flash point limit for marine fuels, in particular for marine distillates.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) SOLAS regulation requires that fuel used on board ships shall have a flash point of not less than 60C. This is also stated as the minimum flash point limit for marine fuels in ISO 8217, the global fuel standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).Flashpoint refers to the lowest temperature at which a fuel can vaporise to form an ignitable mixture in air. Lowering the flash point for marine distillates from 60C to 55C would bring it into line with the limit for inland distillate fuels in Europe and potentially open up a wider supply basis for the marine fuels market.Demand for low sulphur marine gas oil (MGO) has been growing due to European Union (EU) requirements for ships at berth to use fuels with maximum 0.1% sulphur content. Demand for this fuel is expected to surge when the sulphur limit in Emission Control Areas (ECAs) falls ...

CINS - Widespread attention is drawn to major maritime incidents Widespread attention is inevitably drawn to major maritime incidents and natural catastrophes, such as the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. However, liner operators have individually been concerned about lesser problems that regularly disrupt operations and endanger lives, property and the environment. Most of these are successfully resolved by a ship's crew, often with the assistance of shore-based experts; many have the potential to lead to major incidents, such as Hanjin Pennsylvania or Hyundai Fortune.Information relating to lesser incidents has so far been anecdotal and mostly kept within individual lines' marine operations departments. Now a number of the lines have put their heads together to increase awareness of such incidents and therefore improve safety surrounding container movements and the integrity of the supply chain.A committee was formed last year, chaired by MSC and comprising CMA CGM, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd, and Maersk, as a step towards this greater awareness.As a result the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) and associated database, known as CINSnet, through which key data can be captured, has been created. The COA (Container Owners' Association) has agreed to host the database. The TT Club, as a key insurer for the transport ...