Passenger Ships

Damage Stability Amendments

Ships carrying more than 400 persons, other than passenger ro-ro ships, and built on/after 1 July 1999 shall meet the “1990 SOLAS” requirements contained in Regulations II-1/8(2.3) and (2.4). These regulations require compliance with the residual range of stability and minimum GZ magnitude at intermediate and final stages of flooding after damage has been applied anywhere within the ship’s length.

MSC69 (11-20 May 1998) will consider if the “1990 SOLAS” requirements should also be applied to existing passenger ships.

Voyage Data Recorders

Based on the 1995 SOLAS Conference recommendations for passenger ships to be fitted with voyage data recorders (VDRs), performance standards for VDRs were approved as a draft Assembly resolution. The VDR is to securely store, in a retrievable form, information for at least the previous 12 hour period on the ship’s position, movement, physical status, command and control. Recording should continue to the time that the VDR floats free – if the ship sinks -- or, two hours after the GMDSS distress is transmitted -- in the case that the ship remains floating after a casualty. The design and construction should meet Resolution A.694(17) and IEC Publication 945. Items to be recorded include ship’s speed, heading and position, hull opening status, and engine/rudder order and response.

Helicopter Landing Areas

Based on the possible safety implications of landing helicopters on board conventional cruise ships vs the current practice of winching sick or injured persons to a hovering helicopter, IMO will reconsider if the requirements for a specific helicopter landing area as per SOLAS Regulation III/24 should be limited to passenger ro-ro ships. As presently written, helicopter landing areas are required for all passenger ro-ro’s and all conventional passenger ships > 130m in length constructed on/after 1 July 1999.

STCW Training Requirements

After 1 January 1999, the master, officers and ratings on board passenger ships may, as an alternative to taking refresher courses every five years, provide evidence that the required standard of competence has been achieved within the previous five years. Additionally, those personnel designated to assist passengers in emergencies are required to complete crowd and crisis management training. The STCW Code has been amended to include the specific requirements for such training.

Public Address Systems

Performance standards for public address systems were approved as a MSC Circular. The standards call for the systems to enable the simultaneous broadcast of messages from the bridge and at least one other location, with the bridge capable of interrupting any other broadcast without any action required by the addressee. Crew accommodation and work spaces are to be capable of being addressed separate from passenger spaces. Minimum sound levels for interior spaces are 75dB(A) and at least 20dB(A) above the speech interference level. Minimum sound levels for exterior spaces are 80dB(A) and at least 15dB(A) above the speech interference level. A certain amount of equipment redundancy is required to minimize the effects of a single failure.

Liferafts and Fast Rescue Boats

The MSC approved a circular which provides recommendations for canopied reversible liferafts, automatically self-righting liferafts, and fast rescue boats which must be fitted on new passenger ro-ro’s constructed on or after 1 July 1998 and by the first periodical survey due after 1 July 2000 for existing passenger ro-ro’s ships. The circular incorporate portions of the new LSA Code (Resolution MSC.48(66)) depending if the liferaft is rigid or inflatable. The Circular for fast rescue boats incorporate all of the LSA Code and recommends the boat to be capable of maneuvering for 4 hours at a speed of 8 knots with a full complement of persons and equipment and 20 knots in calm water with 3 persons on board. Detailed test procedures and performance criteria are also provided.