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Miscellaneous
Increased
Frequency of Dry Docking Survey
Inspection
of the outer hull of all bulk carriers and oil tankers of 15 years
of age and greater which are subject to the enhanced program of
surveys must be carried out in dry dock twice in every five year
period. Previously, one of the inspections was permitted to be carried
out while afloat using underwater divers. However, recent incidents
involving oil tanker pollution together with the greater assurance
that the outer hull is properly gauged when a ship is in drydock,
has provided the impetus for this approved amendment to resolution
A.744(18), which will be open for adoption at MSC 73 in November
2000 with the view that it will enter into force on 1 July 2002. 13.24
Revision
of the HSC Code
The
MSC approved a revised High Speed Craft Code which is intended to
be applied to HSC constructed on/after 1 July 2002. Subject to additional
comments by the stability and navigation Subcommittees later this
year, the Code will be open for adoption at MSC 73 in November 2000.
Substantive
changes relative to the previous Code include
- GMDSS requirements
which apply to all craft types on all voyages;
- the possibility
that VDR’s will be required.
- revisions
to damage stability criteria;
- specified
extents of watertight and weathertight integrity;
- design acceleration
and collision loads;
- special requirements
for RoRo and monohull HSC’s;
- carriage
requirements for dangerous goods; and
- increased
extents of bottom raking damage (see below) 13.11
Extents of HSC Raking Damage
Certification
The
format of the Cargo Ship Safety Construction and Safety Equipment
Certificates issued under either the 1978 Protocol or the 1988 HSSC
Protocol has been revised to specifically include the category of
ship "bulk carrier". These amendments will come
into force on 1 January 2002 and certificates issued after this
date will be appropriately annotated. 3.18
The
Committee approved revisions to SOLAS Chapter IX and the ISM Code
to officially make mandatory the existing practice of complying
with the ISM Guidelines contained in resolution A.788(19) for all
certificates, not just the interim certificate. The amendments,
which will be open for adoption in November 2000 at MSC 73, also
contain minor modifications to the footnotes of the ISM Code certificates.
If adopted, the newly formatted certificates should be used after
renewal audits have been satisfactorily carried out. 15.11
Asbestos
Except
for the following three uses, material containing asbestos cannot
be installed on any ship after 1 July 2002 based on a new approved
SOLAS amendment which is open for adoption at MSC 73 in November
2000:
- Vanes used
for rotary vane compressors or vacuum pumps;
- Watertight
joints and linings used for circulation fluids which present a
risk of fire, corrosion or toxicity at high pressure (>70bar)
or temperature (>350oC); and
- Supple and
flexible thermal insulation assemblies used for temperatures >1000oC.
The
European Commission noted that the use of asbestos on board new
ships built in the European Union will be entirely prohibited from
1 July 2005. 9.26
Helicopter
Landing Areas
The
MSC determined that the revisions of SOLAS regulation III/28.2 (MSC/Circ.907),
which will require only RoRo passenger ships of 130m in length
and upwards built on/after 1 July 1999 to be fitted with an approved
helicopter landing area, will enter into force on 1 January 2002.
This was based on the conclusions of two trial formal safety assessments
which could not justify, in terms of the cost effectiveness of the
measure to reduce risk, the fitting of a helicopter landing area
on all types of passenger ships. 3.11
Ventilation
of Cargo Holds
The
Bulk Cargo Code was amended to remove ambiguities that may have
existed relative to ventilator coaming height and closure requirements
as per the Load Line Convention. Where the Code requires continuous
ventilation at all times to prevent the build-up of flammable gases,
the new Circular MSC/Circ.962 allows ventilators, with lower coaming
heights and closing appliances, to be secured in severe weather,
unless there is a risk of explosion due to entrapped gases. Ventilators
fitted without closing appliances must of course meet the larger
coaming height requirements of the Load Line Convention. 8.6
Flag
State Performance
The
MSC decided to defer consideration on the use of a data base, proposed
by the U.S., of self-assessments carried out by Administrations
and submitted to IMO under resolution A.881(21) until a written
proposal is received.
Under
resolution A.881(21), Administrations are urged to determine how
well they function in discharging their responsibilities and to
correct identified weaknesses. The self-assessment form includes
internal criteria pertaining to the administration’s
infrastructure and management of resources and external criteria
relative to the performance of its registered fleet of ships.
To
facilitate a more accurate analysis, by the MSC, of submitted self-assessment
forms, the FSI SubCommittee has been tasked to develop criteria
and performance indicators, together with guidelines to achieve
uniform application in an effective and systematic manner. Performance
indicators could include lives and ships lost; personal injuries,
MARPOL pollution incidents; and port State control detentions. 7.18
STW
"White List"
Evaluation
of documentation by IMO’s Panels of Experts to determine
if Administrations have taken the necessary action to give full
and complete effect to the 1995 STCW Convention remains well behind
schedule.
Panel
reports are to be submitted to the MSC and, upon confirming that
an Administration has fulfilled its obligations, is to be entered
on the so-called "white list". Documentation was
submitted by 82 signatory Parties before the 1 August 1998 deadline
detailing how they comply with the provisions of the Convention.
Recognizing
the significance that the "white list" will have
on the maritime industry, a new time schedule has been agreed which
calls for Panel Reports to be completed and sent to the Secretary
General by 1 October 2000. This will allow the matter to be considered
by MSC 73 in November 2000. WP/12
New
Traffic Separation Schemes
A
new COLREG.2Circ.48 was approved which assigns traffic separation
and routing schemes for waters off the Chengsan Jian Promontory
(with mandatory ship reporting requirements); the Peruvian coast
at landfall; and approaches to Paita Bay, Puerto Callao, Puerto
San Martin, Puerto Ilo. These measures become effective on 1 December
2000. 10.3
Unscheduled
Safety Inspections
To
assist surveyors conducting unscheduled flag State inspections on
passenger-roro’s, MSC/Circ.956 was approved providing guidance
that focuses on operational aspects, including crew capabilities,
which should be demonstrated by carrying out one or more emergency,
safety or operational procedures. Recognizing that these aspects
are best assessed when the ship is in service, the Circular cautions
surveyors to avoid undue interference with normal shipboard operations
so as to not induce dangerous situations on boards. Operational
aspects for possible inspection can include: hand over procedures
between crews; the crew's ability to comply with emergency procedures;
maintenance of essential equipment; safe working practices; security;
bridge procedures; and cargo operations. 7.37
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