In demonstrating its commitment to supporting the work of the IMO, IACS will actively participate in the forthcoming 106th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 106), which will meet remotely from Wednesday, 2 November to Friday, 11 November 2022.
Noting the work IACS Members undertake as Recognized Organizations of IMO Member States, verifying compliance of ships with IMO agreed requirements, and with a view to achieve clarity for all parties, IACS has submitted and co-sponsored the following papers:
- MSC 106/3/3 requests the Committee to confirm the understanding of the intended meaning of the terms “fitted”, “provided”, “installed” or “installation” used within the text, when preparing new mandatory instruments, non-mandatory instruments or when amending existing ones. In addition, the paper proposes to clarify the term “building contract” and amend MSC.1/Circ.1500/Rev.1 to this effect.
- MSC 106/11/1 considers the draft amendments to paragraph 4.4.7.6.17 of the LSA Code as agreed by SSE 7 which deletes paragraph 4.4.7.6.8 of the Code in the context of single-fall hook systems. After re-considering the text it was concluded that the deletion of exemptions to paragraph 4.4.7.6.8 would mean that this paragraph -is now applicable to off-load hooks as well, which is an unintended consequence. The co-sponsors consider that the application of paragraph 4.4.7.6.8 is not appropriate to some mechanically simplistic off-load hooks with few moving parts, i.e., a solid hook with a spring-loaded guard on the hook mouth.
- MSC 106/11/2 proposes to modify the draft revised MSC.1/Circ.1315 to include an application statement pertaining to the phrase “installed on or after” and to revise the requirement for onboard discharge testing of fixed dry chemical powder fire-extinguishing systems so as to provide consistency with section 11.4.8 of the IGC Code (including its unified interpretation as per MSC.1/Circ.1617).
- MSC 106/11/4 proposes amendments to the draft guidelines for lifting appliances and to the draft guidelines for anchor handling winches to address technical concerns and propose editorial improvements.
- MSC 106/11/5 seeks confirmation from the Committee on whether fluorine-free and PFOS-free foam concentrates are to be considered as the only acceptable alternatives to the soon to be prohibited perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) fire-extinguishing media on board ships. The potential need to revise circular MSC.1/Circ.1312, to remove any references to fluoroprotein foam concentrates is also highlighted in the paper.
- MSC 106/11/6 proposes to modify the draft amendments to SOLAS chapter II-2 and the 1994 HSC Code, which were finalized at SSE 8 and submitted to MSC 106 for approval, to prohibit the use of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in firefighting equipment.
- MSC 106/13/3 In order to facilitate global and uniform implementation, this document seeks clarification as to whether SOLAS regulation V/19.2.1.4 should be amended as a consequence of the adoption by MSC 106 of the draft revised Performance standards for electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS).
- MSC 106/13/4 proposes to include an application statement in the MSC resolution on the revised Performance Standards for electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS), which was finalized at NCSR 9 and submitted to MSC 106 for adoption, with a view towards global and uniform implementation.
- MSC 106/14/1 highlights the development of the International Quality Assessment Review Body (IQARB), the relevant discussions at III 8 and some of the causes underlying the major area of recurrent findings/observations from the IMSAS audits relating to delegation of authority and recognized organization (RO) oversight. In this context, it proposes that the III Sub-Committee and its Correspondence Group on the III Code Implementation Guidance be instructed to include, within that Guidance, text which will facilitate the use by flag States of IQARB Factual Statements as part of their RO oversight programme to demonstrate that their ROs have effective quality management systems in place.
- MSC 106/18/3 discusses the applicability of resolution MSC.402(96) to the life-saving appliances installed on the high-speed crafts subject to the 1994 and 2000 HSC Codes, and on the mobile offshore drilling units subject to the 1979, 1989 and 2009 MODU Codes, with a view towards global and uniform implementation.
IACS will also contribute to the discussions under agenda item 5 (Development of a goal-based instrument for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS)).
