IMO developed draft guidelines for verification of damage stability requirements & mandatory carriage of stability instruments
IMO’S Sub-Committee on Stability and Load Lines and on Fishing Vessels' Safety (SLF) held its 55th session on February 18-22, 2013, in London. As RF Transport Ministry informs, the Sub-Committee has developed draft amendments to MARPOL 73/78 in respect of verification of damage stability requirements & mandatory carriage of stability instruments.
A new paragraph 28(6) is inserted into Annex 1 to be applied to new vessles and the existing vessels with the first renewal survey after the date of entry into force of these amendments (2014). The amendments also cover the cases when Administration may waive the requirements, for example, for tankers where stability verification is made remotely by a means approved by the Administration or for tankers which are loaded within an approved range of loading conditions.
The following documents were also reviewed and finalised at this meeting: International code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous chemicals in bulk (IBC Code), Code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous chemicals in bulk (BCH Code), Code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk (GC Code), International code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk (IGC Code) as well as the Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC) (Res. A.1053(27)).
The final draft guidelines for verification of damage stability requirements for tankers was developed. The Guidelines consist of two parts. Part 1: Guidelines for preparation and approval of tanker damage stability calculations. This part should be applied to new oil tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers. This part describes applicable instruments, education and training as well as the scope of stability verification and documentation to be submitted for review. Part 2: Guidelines for operation and demonstration of damage stability compliance. This part should be applied to all oil tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers. These Guidelines have been developed primarily to provide tanker Masters, the Company, owners, managers, operators, etc., with information and guidance on compliance with the requirements of damage stability and on providing verification of such compliance to relevant authorities.
A draft Resolution of IMO Assembly has been developed to replace the Resolution А.791(19) -Application of the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969, to existing ships и Резолюцию А.758(18) - Application of recommendation 2 of the International Conference on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969. The new Recommendation has been developed for uniform execution by Administrations of A.494(XII)m - Revised interim scheme for tonnage measurement for certain ships, A.540(13) - Tonnage measurement of certain ships relevant to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 and A.541(13)) - Interim scheme for tonnage measurement for certain ships for the purposes of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating. The draft document will be submitted to 28th session of IMO Assembly (November 25 – December 4, 2013).
The documents developed by SLF-55 will be submitted to IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee at its 65th session (May 13-17, 2013) and to the Maritime Safety Committee for approval at its 92nd session (June 12-21, 2013).
