Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC), 3rd session, 18-22 January 2016

Draft SOLAS amendments on subdivision and damage stability agreed

Draft amendments to revise and update SOLAS chapter II-1 subdivision and damage stability regulations were agreed by the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC), when it met for its third session. 

The draft amendments will be forwarded to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 96) for approval with a view to subsequent adoption. 

The draft amendments form part of a substantive review of the regulations in SOLAS chapter II-1, in particular those related to passenger ships, covering stability information to the master; watertight integrity; periodic operation and inspection of watertight doors in passenger ships; survivability of passenger ships; and prevention and control of water ingress.    

Further work on explanatory notes to those regulations in the chapter will continue in a correspondence group.

2008 SPS Code amendments agreed
The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to chapter 2 of the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships, 2008 (2008 SPS Code) to amend the regulation relating to subdivision and damage stability of special purpose ships according to the number of persons on board.

Damage control drills – draft SOLAS amendment agreed
The Sub-Committee agreed the draft of a new SOLAs regulation to require damage control drills to take place on all passenger ships from 2020. The draft new regulation II-1/19-1 would require regular damage control drills to take place on board the ship.

Revised guidelines on safe return to port for passenger ships agreed
The Sub-Committee agreed draft Revised guidelines on operational information for masters of passenger ships for safe return to port, for submission to MSC 96 for approval. The revised guidelines update and expand on the previous version, issued in 2011 (MSC.1/Circ.1400).

Amendments to 2008 IS Code concerning vessels engaged in towing and lifting operations agreed
The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to the introduction and part B of the International Code on Intact Stability, 2008 (2008 IS Code) regarding vessels engaged in lifting and towing operations, including escort towing, for submission to MSC 96 for adoption.

Revised guidelines on evacuation analysis agreed
The Sub-Committee agree draft Revised guidelines on evacuation analysis for new and existing passenger ships, for submission to MSC 96 for approval.

The comprehensive Revised guidelines update previous versions and are intended to support the implementation of amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/13.3.2.7, expected to be adopted by the MSC. The amendments will extend the requirement for mandatory evacuation analysis to all new passenger ships (not just ro-ro passenger ships, for which evacuation analysis is already mandatory). 

Evacuation analysis should be used early in the design process, taking into account the number of passengers and crew, distances to be travelled to evacuation points, possible congestion points and so on.    

Guidance for conducting evacuation analysis on existing passenger ships is also included, with a view to encouraging flag States to conduct such analyses, on a voluntary basis, on existing passenger ships other than ro-ro passenger ships.

Updates to 2011 ESP Code agreed
The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to update the mandatory International Code on the Enhanced Programme of Inspections during Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, 2011 (2011 ESP Code), for submission to MSC 96 for approval, with a view to subsequent adoption.
 
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