Substantive Issues to be Progress

Prohibition of Asbestos

The Fire Protection Sub-Committee and the Design and Equipment Sub-Committee will, in 1998, consider a proposal from France to amend SOLAS so as to prohibit the use of asbestos on ships as may be used with machinery installations, fire protection material and electrical components.

Night Vision Navigation Equipment

The Navigation Sub-Committee will consider a proposal by Hong Kong to develop criteria and guidelines for acceptance of night vision navigation equipment for high speed craft under the HSC Code. Such equipment could include light intensifying and thermal imaging equipment used to detect floating objects within a range of approximately 600 meters. The general principle is to provide approximately 10 seconds decision time for the Master to take evasive action.

Anchoring Systems

The Design and Equipment Sub-Committee will consider a United Kingdom proposal suggesting that anchors be capable of being deployed without ship’s power or using dedicated stored energy only. Additional information on the feasibility of such a requirement was requested to be submitted to the Sub-Committee.

The MSC did not reach a conclusion with respect to the U.K.’s follow-up proposal that anchoring systems be enhanced so as to restrain a disabled ship from drifting in moderate environments.

Polar Code

The MSC noted the ongoing work of a committee of maritime administrations, class societies, oil and shipping companies and research institutions developing a set of harmonized rules for safe ship operation and navigation with minimized risk of pollution prevention in Polar waters.

The Polar Code provides requirements commensurate with Polar environmental conditions which are in addition to the basic safety regulations of SOLAS and MARPOL and the classification rules of IACS Member Societies.

It is expected that a final draft of the Code will be submitted in December 1997 to IMO for consideration and determination if the Code should be made mandatory or recommendatory.

Containership Hatchcovers

The Sub-Committee on Stability and Load Lines will consider a proposal from France which would allow the fitting of partially weathertight hatchcovers on containerships provided special conditions concerning freeboard, stability, hatchcoaming height and bilge dewatering capacity are met.