Noting the work IACS Members undertake as Recognized Organizations of IMO Member States, verifying compliance of ships with the IMO agreed requirements, and with a view to achieve clarity for all parties, IACS has submitted or co-sponsored the following twenty one papers:
SSE 8/3/1 proposes to clarify the “installation” application of the draft amendment to the LSA Code, pertaining to the ventilation of survival craft by providing a meaning for the term “installed” in line with the format recommended by the Guidance MSC.1/Circ.1500/Rev.1.
SSE 8/3/5 comments on the report of the Correspondence Group on Life-Saving Appliances regarding the ventilation of survival craft; in particular, on the text in square brackets of paragraph 6.18.1 of the draft amendments to resolution MSC.81(70) (SSE 8/3, annex 1).
SSE 8/5 proposes amendments to paragraph 4.6.3.1 of the LSA Code in order to remove ambiguity in the requirements for free-fall lifeboat safety harnesses.
SSE 8/6/1 presents a basis for a definition of the term “free height” to be used in the Revised guidelines for the design and approval of fixed water-based fire-fighting systems for ro-ro spaces and special category spaces (MSC.1/Circ.1430/Rev.2).
SSE 8/9/1 proposes several revisions to the draft SOLAS amendments and draft Guidelines for lifting appliances contained in annexes 4 and 5 respectively, of document SSE 7/21.
SSE 8/10 outlines a road map to provide a basis for future work to amend SOLAS chapter II-2 to address firefighting capabilities on board container vessels and provides an initial assessment of gaps and regulations which are considered impracticable for fire detection and fire-fighting capabilities on board containerships.
SSE 8/10/3 sets out the need for a formal safety assessment (FSA) in accordance with the Revised Guidelines (MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.12/Rev.2) and recommends an approach to the regulatory review process focus on risk prevention and goal-based standards. The document also proposes the establishment of an FSA Experts Group to review the outcomes of the EMSA study CARGOSAFE and other studies and initiatives on this matter.
SSE 8/15 proposes a clarification of the fire testing requirements for pipe couplings required to remain operational after a safe return to port (SRTP) fire casualty.
SSE 8/15/1 responds to the outcome of SSE 6 relating to the means of escape from the steering gear space in cargo ships according to SOLAS regulation II-2/13.4.2 and offers an updated draft interpretation.
SSE 8/15/2 seeks clarification with a view to facilitating global and consistent implementation of paragraph 6.1.2.2 of the LSA Code regarding slewing out a dedicated rescue boat on a cargo ship from its stowed position to ship’s side.
SSE 8/15/3 seeks clarification with a view to facilitating global and consistent implementation of SOLAS regulation II-1/26.2 for single essential propulsion components and their reliability and offers a draft interpretation for the consideration of the Sub-Committee.
SSE 8/15/5 proposes a draft unified interpretation to ensure uniform and global implementation of the requirements in resolution MSC.402(96) and discusses the different views on the application of the resolution for the consideration of the Sub-Committee.
SSE 8/15/6 proposes a consequential revision of MSC.1/Circ.1557 on the unified interpretation of SOLAS regulation II-1/45.11, based on comments received from IEC/TC 18 related to IACS UI SC274.
SSE 8/15/7 provides a proposed unified interpretation (UI) of paragraphs 4.1.5.1.13, 4.4.8.16 and 5.1.2.2.7 of the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code; paragraph 3.8.10 of annex 10 of the 1994 HSC Code; and paragraph 3.8.10 of annex 11 of the 2000 HSC Code, in order to reflect current technology and clarify the use of light emitting diode (LED) torches.
SSE 8/15/8 proposes a draft unified interpretation on the application of non-return valve for a double-block and bleed arrangement and two shut-off valves in series with a venting valve in between, as required by paragraph 2.2.3.1.2 of chapter 15 of the FSS Code.
SSE 8/15/9 presents a draft unified interpretation of SOLAS regulation II-2/4.5.6.1, and paragraphs 3.1.2, 3.1.4 and 3.5.3 of the IBC Code developed to address the safety concerns in relation to the arrangements of cargo/vapour piping and related gas-freeing piping/ducts on tankers, based on the IACS’s general practice presented in document SSE 7/2/2.
SSE 8/15/10 proposes a draft unified interpretation of SOLAS regulation II-2/20.4.1 and paragraph 2.4.2.1 of Chapter 9 of the FSS Code, addressing the spacing for detectors in ro-ro cargo holds, special category and vehicle spaces where beams project into the protected space by more than 100 mm as detailed in MSC.1/Circ.1430/Rev.1, is considered suitable for all fixed extinguishing systems protecting these spaces, other than fixed water-based fire-extinguishing systems.
SSE 8/15/13 proposes to revise MSC/Circ.1120 in order to ensure uniform application of SOLAS regulation II-2/6 to address the testing requirements for the floor covering materials.
SSE 8/18/2 proposes a minor correction to the forms of the record of equipment for certificates in SOLAS, the HSC Code and the SPS Code pertaining to the type of immersion suits, to address the discrepancy with the expression used in the LSA Code.
SSE 8/18/4 proposes that the replacement of the footnoted reference to the updated version of ISO 15370:2021 in paragraph 2.1 of chapter 11 of the FSS Code be considered as a minor correction in line with IMO procedures.
SSE 8/19 proposes amendments to the 2014 Standard specification for shipboard incinerators (resolution MEPC.244(66)) to remove the discrepancies between resolution MEPC.244(66) and SOLAS chapter II-2.
IACS will also provide advice and comments to the Sub-Committee on a number of other issues, both in plenary and in the Working and Expert Groups that are expected to be established.
Any enquiries on the above should be sent to Konstantin Petrov, IACS Accredited Representative to IMO, at arimo@iacs.org.uk