SDC Sub-Committee of IMO approves in principle draft mandatory Polar Code
At its first session in London (20 to 24 January 2014), the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed in principle to a draft new chapter XIV “Safety measures for ships operating in polar waters”, of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), to make the Code (Introduction and part I-A) mandatory, for forwarding to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which next meets in May 2014, for consideration, press center of RF Ministry of Transport informs.
Also, the Sub-Committee proposed draft amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), to make the Polar Code (Introduction and part II-A) mandatory under Annexes I (prevention of pollution by oil), II (noxious liquid substances), IV (sewage) and V (garbage) were also agreed, in principle, for forwarding to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), which next meets end of March/beginning of April.
The draft chapter of the Polar Code relating to training and manning will be referred to the Sub-Committee on Human Element Training and Watchkeeping (HTW), which meets in February 2014, for further review, while the draft chapters on fire protection/safety and life-saving appliances will be referred to the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE), which meets in March. The draft chapters on Safety of navigation and Communication will be referred to the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communication and Search and Rescue (NCSR) in June/July. All three Sub-Committees will report on their work to the MSC and MEPC.
In particular, MEPC will consider the proposal of Russia to permit discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixtures from ships equipped with the oil filtering equipment with alarm arrangements and automatic stopping arrangements. Besides, the Committee will decide if it is reasonable to include the requirements for port facilities collecting oil wastes into the Polar Code.
The delegation of Russia has forwarded a proposal to exclude the northern part of the Bering Sea from the Arctic Polar waters as it is free of ice in summer-autumn period and classified not as Arctic Sea but as freezing seas like the Sea of Okhotsk, Baltic or Caspian Seas partly freezing in winter periods. The proposal will be considered at MEPC-66 and MSC-93.
The next session of the Sub-Committee is scheduled for February 16-20, 2015.
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