Maritime Safety Committee s 84 th Session

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1 News Update American Bureau of Shipping July 2008 Vol.17, No.2b Maritime Safety Committee s 84 th Session 7 16 May 2008 Refer also: / News and Events / Regulatory Information ABS REGULATORY AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL REGULATION NEWS UPDATE, JULY 2008 (VOL 17, NO.2B)

2 International Regulation News Update Refer also: / News and Events / Regulatory Information Regulatory Development Ship + Application SOLAS AMENDMENTS ADOPTED (page 2) Means of Embarkation/Disembarkation Emergency Towing Procedures Drainage System Protection Fixed CO2 System Upgrades Ships with RORO Spaces Existing Ships MISCELLANEOUS (pages 3-5) ESP Survey Planning Implementation of MSDS LRIT Survey and Certification Safety Management Issues Special Purpose Ship (SPS) Code Interpretations of SOLAS Fire Safety Requirements Oil Tankers and Bulk Carriers SPS ( + ships are all self propelled vessels) ABS REGULATORY AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL REGULATION NEWS UPDATE, JULY 2008 (VOL 17, NO.2B) page 1 of 5

3 After almost two years, IMO has returned to its refurbished headquarters in London with the holding of the 84 th Session of the Maritime Safety Committee on 7 to 16 May The expanded Committee adopted several revisions to SOLAS and approved a number of recommendations. SOLAS AMENDMENTS ADOPTED Means of Embarkation/Disembarkation Through resolution MSC.256(84), the Committee adopted a new regulation, SOLAS II-1/3-9, which affects new and existing ships of 500gt and above. Means of embarkation and disembarkation (accommodation ladders and gangways) fitted on new ships built on/after 1 January 2010 must be designed and constructed to comply with standards currently being developed by IMO. The current draft of these standards, which were also approved in principle, refer to ISO 7061:1993 Shipbuilding aluminum shore gangways for seagoing vessels, ISO Shipbuilding accommodation ladders, and national standards. The guidelines are to be completed at DE 51 in March 2009 and submitted to MSC 86 in May 2009 for approval. Under the new SOLAS regulation, gangways and accommodation ladders on all ships (new and existing) will be subject to annual surveys carried out on/after 1 January 2010 to confirm the proper operation of the ladder, gangway and winch, as appropriate. Initial operational tests are to be carried out for new installations. All installations are subject to load tests carried out at 5-year intervals using the maximum operational load or, where this load is not known the nominated by the ship-owner or operator. Emergency Towing Procedures A revision of SOLAS II-1/3-4 as contained in MSC.256(84) was adopted by the Committee which will require all ships (new and existing), including tankers 20,000 dwt which are required to be fitted with an approved readily deployable emergency towing arrangement, to be provided with a procedure for establishing capabilities to tow the ship from the fore and aft locations. This procedure/booklet is to be carried onboard for use in emergency situations and shall be based on existing arrangements and equipment available on board the ship. The new MSC.1/Circ.1255 identifies that the procedure, which needs to be verified as being onboard (not be approved) by the Administration, should include emergency towing arrangement drawings, an inventory of equipment on board that can be used for emergency towing, means and methods of communication; and sample procedures to facilitate preparation for and conduct of emergency towing operations. The deadline for providing ships with an emergency towing procedure is as follows: all passenger ships not later than 1 January 2010; all cargo ships constructed on or after 1 January 2010; and all cargo ships constructed before 1 January 2010 not later than 1 January 2012 Drainage System Protection The Committee adopted a revision to SOLAS II- 2/20.6 which will impact new and existing ships that are arranged with ro-ro spaces, closed vehicle spaces, or special category spaces. The revision is contained in resolution MSC.256(84). When such spaces are protected by fixed pressure water-spraying systems, the drainage openings from these spaces are to be fitted with a non-operational means to prevent blockage. Guidelines for such protection are under development. New ships constructed on or after 1 January 2010 are to comply at delivery. Existing ships constructed before this date are to comply by the first survey carried out on or after 1 January Fixed CO2 System Upgrades Resolution MSC.256(84) also requires all ships that are certified to SOLAS, constructed before 1 July 2002 and fitted with a fixed carbon dioxide fire-extinguishing systems for the protection of machinery spaces and cargo pump-rooms, to upgrade that system to comply with the provisions for control of that system under the Fire Safety Systems Code. Compliance is required by the first scheduled dry-docking after 1 January Two separate controls located inside a release box clearly identified for the particular space shall be provided to release the CO2 and, upon release, an audible alarm shall be activated. ABS REGULATORY AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL REGULATION NEWS UPDATE, JULY 2008 (VOL 17, NO.2B) page 2 of 5

4 MISCELLANEOUS ESP Survey Planning To properly prepare for, and carry out, surveys under the Enhanced Survey Program, close cooperation between the attending surveyors and the owner representatives onboard is essential. Prior to commencement of ESP renewal and intermediate surveys on/after 1 January 2010, a survey planning meeting is to be held between the attending surveyors and the owner s representative in attendance, the thickness measurement company operator (as applicable) and the master of the ship to ensure the safe and efficient conduct of the survey work to be carried out. The Committee agreed that, in lieu of the master, an appropriately qualified representative appointed by the master or Company may be assigned for this purpose. At this time, the above amendment is contained in resolution MSC.261(84) which pertains to ESP surveys for double hull bulk carriers only. However, taking into account that Committee agreed to revise the remaining portions of the ESP, the principle is recommended to be applied to oil tankers and the other types of bulk carriers falling under the ESP. Implementation of MSDS Substantial discussion focused on the implementation of the new provisions for Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) under new SOLAS VI regulation 5-1 which was adopted by resolution MSC.239(83) and will enter into force on 1 July The Committee concluded that regulation 5-1 will need to be revised to remove the current ambiguity which now exists so that it is clear that the MSDS is required for all MARPOL Annex I cargoes carried in bulk and for all fuel oil bunkers. Until MSC 86 adopts the revisions in May 2009, a MSC Circular will encourage Member States to apply regulation 5-1 in the manner as noted above. LRIT Survey and Certification On 1 January 2008, the provisions of resolution MSC.202(81) entered into force and amended SOLAS Chapter V to require cargo ships (and high-speed craft) 300 GT, passenger ships (and high-speed passenger craft) and selfpropelled mobile offshore drilling units to have the means to transmit, by a Long-Range Identification and Tracking System (LRIT), the ship s identity and position with date and time of each transmitted position. New regulation SOLAS V/19-1 requires ships built on/after 31 December 2008 to be provided with LRIT on delivery. Ships built before 31 December 2008 and operating in Sea Areas A1 and A2 or in A1, A2 or A3 (as defined by SOLAS IV) need to be provided with an LRIT not later than the first radio survey after 31 December Ships fitted with approved Automatic Identification Systems and operating exclusively within sea area A1 are not required to comply with the provisions of this regulation. During MSC 84, the Committee issued MSC.1/Circ.1257 which clarifies the survey and certification requirements for the LRIT. The equipment providing LRIT information must: be type approved by the Administration. The Circular recognizes that approvals granted for existing GMDSS equipment under SOLAS IV/14 are acceptable; and satisfactorily complete a conformance test carried out by an Application Service Provider (ASP) which is recognized by the flag State. The Circular specifies that during the initial survey, the surveyor will check that the recognized ASP s performance report for the LRIT is onboard, that it corresponds to the equipment onboard and that the equipment has been type approved. Because LRIT is being continuously monitored by the ASP, as it receives transmissions of information once every six hours, the annual and renewal surveys are limited to checking that the conformance test report is still valid for the equipment in question and that the ASP is still recognized by the flag State. Guidance on the overall implementation of LRIT from the perspective of the shipowner and the Administration is contained in MSC.1/Circ Safety Management Issues Contrary to earlier decisions of the Committee which concluded that any revision of the ISM Code was to be limited to better reflect the seafarer representation on safety issues, it was agreed that the experience with Code since its implementation a decade ago should be taken into account in a more comprehensive review of the Code. In this regard several proposals were tentatively agreed at MSC 84, including the need for Companies to carry out internal audits on board and ashore at least annually. ABS REGULATORY AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL REGULATION NEWS UPDATE, JULY 2008 (VOL 17, NO.2B) page 3 of 5

5 This explicit provision was proposed several years ago, but held in abeyance until an assessment of the effectiveness of the ISM Code carried out by a group of independent experts was completed. With that assessment completed in 2006, the proposal is back on the table for discussion. To provide the seafarer with better representation on safety issues, the Committee agreed to include a new responsibility for the Company to facilitate the election or appointment of a seafarer safety representative who is to be a member of the ships crew, other than the Master, that has been appointed or elected by the crew to represent the ship s personnel on safety management matters. Reinforcing the provision in the ISM Code which calls for the SMS to include procedures for ensuring that non-conformities, accidents and hazardous situations are reported, investigated and analyzed, the Committee agreed on a draft MSC-MEPC Circular with the objective of improving safety and pollution prevention aspects of ships. Upon acceptance by the MEPC in October 2009, the Circular will encourage Companies to investigate near-misses by providing guidance on the challenges faced by the seafarer, taking into account fears of repercussion, for reporting these events and/or conditions that could have caused human injury, environmental damage, or a negative business impact. Special Purpose Ship (SPS) Code Revisions to the SPS Code (A.534(13) were adopted by the Committee as per resolution MSC.266(84). The resolution recommends the certification of Special Purpose Ships 500gt provided on or after 13 May 2008 to meet the revised Code and clarifies that the SPS Code does not apply to MODUs and is not intended for ships used to transport and accommodate industrial personnel that are not working on board. Special personnel are persons, excluding passengers and crew or children less than one year of age, carried on board that are associated with the special purpose of that ship. Examples include scientists and technicians on ships engaged in research, non-commercial expeditions and survey and personnel engaged in training and practical marine experience to develop seafaring skills suitable for a professional career at sea. The revised Code recommends that SPS comply with SOLAS with respect to lifesaving appliances, navigation safety management and security matters. However, it contains specific requirements for stability and machinery and electrical. Stability - the previous deterministic damage stability requirements have been revised to be consistent with the new probabilistic damage stability requirements contained in SOLAS as per resolution MSC.194(80) with the following revisions: For SPS with 240 total persons onboard, compliance with probabilistic damage stability requirements as a passenger ship (including the required subdivision Index R for passenger ships) is recommended. For SPS with no more that 60 total persons onboard, compliance with the probabilistic damage stability requirements should be demonstrated, but only using an R value equal to 80% the required subdivision Index R for passenger ships (the R value is adjusted linearly for cases where more than 60 but less than 240 total persons onboard are carried.) Also, all SPS should comply with SOLAS regulations, as though the ship is a passenger ship. This includes passenger ship requirements for double bottoms, openings in watertight bulkheads, damage control information, loading of passenger ships, periodical operation and inspection of watertight doors, and bilge pumping arrangements. Machinery and electrical items - three substantive changes are: The threshold for steering gear to comply with passenger ship requirements (in lieu of cargo ship requirements) has been revised from 200 special personnel to 240 total persons onboard. The threshold for the emergency source of power to comply with passenger ship requirements (In lieu of cargo ship requirements) has been revised from 50 special personnel to 60 total persons onboard. The threshold for the passenger ship requirement concerning "Precautions against shock, fire and other hazards of electrical origin" (SOLAS II-1/45.11) has been revised from 50 special personnel to 60 total persons onboard. ABS REGULATORY AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL REGULATION NEWS UPDATE, JULY 2008 (VOL 17, NO.2B) page 4 of 5

6 Interpretations of SOLAS II-2 MSC 84 adopted several interpretations of SOLAS II-2 based on input provided by IACS. These interpretations are included in MSC.1/Circ.1276 and address regulations: 3.6 and Guidance is provided on how to treat void space or ballast water tank that is protecting a fuel oil tank (under MARPOL 12A) insofar as the extent to which the void or ballast tank is to be considered as part of the cargo area and therefore subject to additional requirements under SOLAS Conditions for accepting fan rooms serving engine-rooms solely serving the engineroom or multiple spaces containing an engineroom have been clarified. Included are in the guidance are requirements for fire integrity including boundaries between the fan room and engine-room casing and the location of ventilation ducts to/from the engine-room Fire-extinguishing media protecting the cargo holds may be stored in a room located forward of the cargo holds, but aft of the collision bulkhead provided that both the local manual release mechanism and remote control(s) for the release of the media are fitted, and that the latter is of robust construction or so protected as to remain operable in case of fire in the protected spaces. The remote controls should be placed in the accommodation area in order to facilitate their ready accessibility by the crew. The capability to release different quantities of fireextinguishing media into different cargo holds so protected should be included in the remote release arrangement Clarification is provided for the requirements concerning ventilation systems and fixed deck foam fire-extinguishing systems for enclosed pipe trunks located within the cargo tanks deck area Cargo holds loaded with vehicles with fuel in their tanks which are stowed in open or closed containers do not need to be provided with portable fire extinguishers, water-fog applicators and foam applicator units. ABS REGULATORY AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL REGULATION NEWS UPDATE, JULY 2008 (VOL 17, NO.2B) page 5 of 5