By
Rebecca Gibson |
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) is expected to focus on improving passenger safety when it meets for its 93rd session from 14 to 23 May 2014 in London, UK.
Following recommendations arising from the Costa Concordia tragedy, the MSC is expected to establish a working group and review a long-term passenger ship safety action plan.
Specific issues for consideration include those relating to subdivision and damage stability, which have been highlighted in the European Maritime Safety Agency’s Damage stability of Ro-Pax vessels – Final Report study. Delegates will consider recomendations highlighted in the Experts Group on Formal Safety Assessment report and studies from the GOAL based Damage Stability project. The project aims to establish collision and grounding damage statistics, the probability of survival and to develop a new risk-based damage stability requirement for passenger ships.
A number of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) related to lifeboat safety are also due to be adopted by the MSC. Among the regulations likely to be approved include changes to SOLAS chapter III, which makes it mandatory for operators to periodically service lifeboats, rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear. In accordance with SOLAS regulation III/20 on Operational readiness, maintenance and inspections, administrations will be required to ensure that the thorough examination, operational testing, repair, and overhaul of equipment is carried out by authorised service providers. The MSC will produce an updated version of additional recommendations via its Guidelines on safety during abandon ship drills using lifeboats circular.
Draft amendments to the International Life-Saving Appliance Code related to the testing of lifejackets and updates to sea trials requirements outlined in SOLAS regulation II-1/29 will also be reviewed.
In addition, the MSC will consider a draft mandatory international code for ships operating in polar waters (Polar Code) – which was agreed in principle by the sub-committee on Ship Design and Construction – and related SOLAS amendments.
Delegates are also set to adopt amendments to SOLAS and other treaties to make mandatory the IMO Member State Audit Scheme and the use of the IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code).
Statistics and current initiatives related to piracy and armed robbery against ships wil also be reviewed, along with draft interim guidelines on measures to support seafarers and their families affected by piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia.
A range of other issues will also be raised including new traffic routing systems; guidance on the bridge navigational watch alarm system; safety guidelines for transferring persons at sea; recommendations for national maritime security legislation; and more.