IMO’s MSC 86 sets the scene

Source: Tanker Operator

At the IMO’s recent 86th Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) session, among other issues, piracy, ECDIS and goal-based standards came under scrutiny.

An MSC circular on piracy and armed robbery against ships off the coast of Somalia was agreed, which included best management practices to deter piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia. The circular was developed by industry organisations.

The MSC said that flag states should be strongly discouraged from allowing their seafarers to carry and use firearms for personal protection, or for the protection of vessels. It was agreed that seafarers were civilians and the use of firearms required special training and aptitudes and the risk of accidents with firearms was great.

It was also agreed that the use of unarmed security personnel was a matter for individual shipowners, companies and ship operators to decide. The carriage of armed security personnel, or the use of military or law-enforcement officers (duly authorised by the government of the flag state to carry firearms for the security of the ship) should be subject to flag State legislation and policies and is a matter for the flag State to authorise, in consultation with shipowners, companies and ship operators.

The MSC also agreed to make ECDIS and BNWAS mandatory under SOLAS Amendments to SOLAS regulation V/19, with an expected entry into force date of 1st January 2011.

These requirements will be mandatory for new ships and phased-in for existing ships.

Other SOLAS amendments adopted included:

* An amendment to SOLAS regulation II-1/3-5.2, to prohibit all new installations of asbestos on board ships, without exceptions.

* Amendments to the title of Chapter VI to read, Carriage of Cargoes ‘and Oil Fuels’ and to Regulation VI/5-1 on Material safety data sheets (MSDS) to require MSDS to be provided for ships carrying oil or oil fuel, prior to the loading of such oil as cargo in bulk or bunkering of oil fuel. The MSC also approved recommendations for MSDS for MARPOL Annex I type cargoes and oil fuels.

The MSC also approved international goal-based ship construction standards for bulk carriers and tankers, together with proposed amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-1 making their application mandatory, for consideration at MSC 87 with a view to adoption.

As for LRIT, some data centres were still undergoing testing and these were expected to be fully integrated into the LRIT system before 30th September 2009. In the meantime, contractual arrangements between LRIT data centres are under consideration for receiving and providing information.

The MSC agreed guidance on the survey and certification of compliance of ships with the requirement to transmit LRIT information; guidance to search and rescue services in relation to requesting and receiving LRIT information and an MSC circular on information communicated to the IMO in relation to the establishment of LRIT data centres and their position in relation to developmental testing in the production of the LRIT system.

Turning to STCW, the MSC approved, in principle, the preliminary draft revised text of the STCW 1978, as amended and the STCW Code, prepared by the sub-committee on standards of training and watchkeeping (STW).

The committee authorised the holding of an ad hoc inter-sessional meeting of an STW working group, from 7th to 11th September 2009, to progress the work, with a view to finalisation at STW 41 in January 2010.