SOLAS+Chapter+XII+finalised

The following information is a brief encapsulation of regulatory issues affecting the industry and meant solely for the purpose of keeping readers informed.

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Bulk carrier safety
At the 47th Session of the Sub Committee on Design and Equipment (DE) a working group on Bulk Carrier Safety finalised the draft SOLAS Chapter XII (Additional Safety measures for Bulk Carriers). The report will be sent to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in time for its 78th session in May 2004. The report may be found under this address: www.dnv.com/publications/classification_news/regupdate.asp (under 'downloads')

The draft amendments include sections relating to the alternate hold loading ban, precise definition of bulk carrier, definition of 'empty hold', and the definition of width of double side space on hybrid construction.The report defined a bulk carrier as 'a ship which is intended primarily to carry dry cargo in bulk'. It includes both ships with single side skins and ships with double side skins.

With regards to the ban on alternate hold loading, it was proposed that a bulk carrier of 10 years or more and not having sufficient strength to withstand flooding of any one cargo hold, when carrying 90 percent or more of its cargo capacity, shall be carrying at least 10 percent of the hold maximum allowable cargo weight in any cargo hold.

For longitudinally framed ships of double hull construction, the minimum clearance is to be 800mm; for inner and/or outer skin transversely framed ships, the minimum clearance is to be 600mm. Adoption is likely to take place at MSC 78, and the regulation will then come into force 18 months later (June 2006).

Permanent means of access
DE 47 also considered submissions by Greece, INTERTANKO and OCIMF, Korea, and IACS to revise SOLAS Ch.
II-1/3-6 and its Technical Provisions. An unofficial group discussed the matter and presented a draft report which can be found on www.dnv.com/publications/ classification_ news/regupdate.asp (under 'downloads') was accepted and forwarded to MSC 78 for approval. It shall be noted that if these amendments are approved and finally adopted by IMO, there will be a possible period of 18 months where the SOLAS requirements on permanent means of access will be more severe than those amended. IMO is aware of the situation and is working to find a solution to avoid it.

Accidents with lifeboats
The DE sub-committee raised several issues regarding life-saving appliances and considered in-depth measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats. The session ended with agreement on three draft MSC circulars in this respect: Prevention of accidents in high free-fall launching (20m +); Guidance on safe practices during abandon ship drills using lifeboats; and Guidelines for simulated launching of free-fall lifeboats. Further, the sub-committees' action-plans for prevention of accidents were updated and a request for new requirements for basic safety training with free-fall lifeboats was referred to the STW sub-committee.

Free-fall lifeboats with float-free capability
As instructed by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), a new SOLAS regulation requiring bulk carriers of 85m or more to be fitted with free-fall lifeboat was drafted. Requirement for these lifeboats to be capable of free-float release was also proposed, but there was a lot of discussion about the nature of the release functions associated with this type of craft. Despite the discussions, both draft requirements where forwarded to the MSC for a decision.

Fast rescue boat and means of rescue
It was noted that as the industry has grown more confident with this kind of equipment, there is no need to change existing regulations in this respect. It was also concluded that training with fast rescue boats needs to be enhanced, noting that the STW sub-committee is currently working on this issue. To put a stop to different interpretations of current requirements, the sub-committee concluded that a fast rescue boat should as a rule not be regarded as means of rescue.

Review of the 2000 HSC Code
Australia has proposed certain technical revisions in the HSC Code. It was also proposed to extend the revision interval of the HSC Code from its current four years to six or eight years.
No real deliberations were made on these issues as it was agreed to prepare proposals for amendments in an intercessional correspondence group for consideration at the next session. DNV will participate in this group.

DE 47 - Amendments to Resolution A. 744(18)
The DE subcommittee has established a Working Group on Amendments to Resolution A.7448(18) under the chairmanship of DNV's Knut Vagnes (Norway).

The working group finalised the proposed amendments to the Enhanced Survey Guidelines (ESP), which were approved by the DE subcommittee, taking into account documents submitted by IACS and the Norwegian and Japanese governments, as well as the strict requirements of the Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS).
The working group also prepared draft amendments to SOLAS requiring as-built construction drawings and other plans showing subsequent structural alterations to be maintained on board and ashore by the Owner.

The following main amendments have been incorporated into Res A.744(18).

  • Completely new annex covering enhanced survey guidelines for double hull oil tankers.
  • Improved survey preparations, including Survey Programme and Survey Planning Questionnaire based on CAS.
  • Improved personnel safety during surveys, including more explicit requirements regarding the use of rafts or boats.
  • Use of two surveyors for surveys of older ESP ships.
  • Improved control of the Thickness Measurement process.
  • Improved survey reporting principles.
  • Increased close-up survey requirements for cargo oil tanks on single hull oil tankers.
  • Enhanced surveys of bulk carrier cargo hatch covers.
  • Incorporation of IACS UR S30 'Cargo hatch cover securing arrangements for bulk carriers'.

The proposed amendments to Resolution A.744(18) will be submitted to the MSC 79 meeting in December 2004 for approval.

Date: 2004-04-23

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Ballast water convention

A new international convention aimed at preventing the spread of harmful aquatic organisms carried by ships' ballast water was adopted by the IMO at the international conference on 13 February 2004.

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments will require all ships to implement a Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan and carry a Ballast Water Record Book.

Furthermore, all ships will be required to carry out ballast water management (BWM) procedures to a given standard. Existing ships will be required to do the same as newbuilds, but after a phase-in period.

Convention signatories will be able, should they wish, to implement additional measures which are subject to criteria set out in the convention and to IMO guidelines yet to be developed.

Once the BWM Convention has been ratified by 30 IMO member states representing 35 percent of world merchant shipping tonnage, it will enter into force 12 months later. Some shipowners have queried the timescales laid down by the new rules, as well as whether they can modify both existing ships and designs for new vessels in the manner specified.

The International Chamber of Shipping stated that the new rules do not contain the clarity required and called for further work to be done to correct these anomalies.

Source: Tanker Operator