Outcome of MSC 93

20 May 2014

Experts of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) participated in the work of the 93-rd meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 93) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The meeting took place in London from 14 to 23 May 2014 at the IMO Headquarters.

In the course of the work the Committee approved a draft new Chapter XIV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) which prescribed mandatory compliance with the provisions of Part I of the Polar Code by all ships certified under Chapter I of the SOLAS Convention. The Polar Code requirements will not be applicable to ships used in Government non-commercial service. The Polar Code entry into force is expected on 1 January 2017. Existing ships will have to comply with the Code by the first intermediate or renewal survey following 1 January 2018.

MSC 93 adopted a new text of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) to be enforced by 1 January 2016. IGC Code requirements will be applied to ships with keel laying date 1 July 2016 or later, except for the requirement to have the stability control programme, applicable to existing ships as well. Existing ships have to comply with this requirement by the first renewal survey date following 1 July 2016 at the latest.

Another important outcome of MSC 93 is the adoption of amendments to the SOLAS Convention, concerning periodic audits of Maritime Administrations by the IMO. The new requirements will come into force on 1 January 2016. After that date the IMO voluntary audit scheme will become mandatory.

The Committee adopted amendments to the International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code), Life-Saving Appliances Code (LSA Code), International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code) to be enforced on 1 January 2016, and to certain other mandatory IMO instruments. Besides, a number of Circulars were adopted, inter alia, MSC.1/Circ.1481 ‘Guidance on Entry into Force of Amendments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention and Related Mandatory Instruments’ and MSC.1/Circ.1483 ‘Interim Guidance on Drafting of Amendments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention and Related Mandatory Instruments’.

Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) press release