IMO News Briefings

Marine Environment Protection Committee(MEPC)-61st session:27 September -1 October,2010

Covering a packed agenda when it met for its 61st session from 27 September to 1 October,2010 in London,the Marine Environment Protection Committee(MEPC)of the International Maritime Organization(IMO),progressed its work on a number of important issues,including the adoption of the revised MARPOL Annex III,the approval of a revised text for MARPOL Annex V,the implementation of the ballast water and ship recycling conventions and the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases from ships(see Briefing 48/ 2010).

Revised MARPOL Annex III to prevent pollution from packaged goods adopted

The revised MARPOL Annex III Regulations for the prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form was adopted by consensus during the session and is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2014 in order for changes to the Annex to coincide with the next update of the mandatory International Maritime Dangerous Goods(IMDG)Code,specifying that goods should be shipped in accordance with relevant provisions.

Revised MARPOL Annex V text approved

The MEPC approved,with a view to adoption at its next session,amendments to revise and update MARPOL Annex V Regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships,following a comprehensive review of this Annex.

The main changes include the updating of definitions;the inclusion of a new requirement specifying that discharge of all garbage into the sea is prohibited,except as expressly provided otherwise(the discharges permitted in certain circumstances include food wastes,cargo residues and water used for washing deck and external surfaces containing cleaning agents or additives which are not harmful to the marine environment);expansion of the requirements for plac-ards and garbage management plans to fixed and floating platforms engaged in exploration and exploitation of the sea-bed;and the proposed addition of discharge requirements covering animal carcasses.

Ballast water management systems approved

After consideration of the reports of the thirteenth and fourteenth meetings of the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environment Protection(GESAMP)Ballast Water Working Group,which met in May and July 2010,respectively,the MEPC granted Final Approval to six ballast water management systems that make use of active substances and Basic Approval to three such systems.

The MEPC also approved circulars on the Framework for determining when a Basic Approval granted to one BWMS may be applied to another system that uses the same Active Substance or Preparation and Guidance for Administrations on the type approval process for ballast water management systems in accordance with the G8 Guidelines(for approval of ballast water management systems).

The MEPC reiterated the need for countries to ratify the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’Ballast Water and Sediments,2004,to achieve its entry into force at the earliest opportunity.To date, 27 States,with an aggregate merchant shipping tonnage of 25.32 per cent of the world total,have ratified the Convention.The Convention will enter into force twelve months after the date on which not fewer than 30 States,the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than 35 percent of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping,have become Parties to it.

The MEPC noted the conclusion of the Review Group on Ballast Water Treatment Technologies(BWRG)that,for ships with ballast water capacity up to 5,000 cubic metres,including those constructed in 2011,there are sufficient technologies available to meet the requirements of the Convention and their number is increasing.

Maritime Safety Committee(MSC),88th session:24 November-3 December 2010

Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)to make mandatory the International Code for the Application of Fire Test Procedures(2010 FTP Code)were adopted when IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee(MSC)met at the Organization’s London Headquarters forits 88th session from 24 November to 3 December 2010.

The busy agenda also included discussion on piracy and armed robbery against ships off the coast of Somalia and the approval of a revised resolution on principles of safe manning.

2010 FTP Code adopted

The 2010 FTP Code,along with relevant SOLAS amendments to make it mandatory,was adopted,with an expected entry into force date of 1 July 2012.

The 2010 FTP Code provides the international requirements for laboratory testing,type-approval and fire test procedures for products referenced under SOLAS chapter II-2.It comprehensively revises and updates the current Code,adopted by the MSC in 1996.

The 2010 FTP Code includes the following:test for non-combustibility; test for smoke and toxicity;test for“A”,“B”and“F”class divisions;test for fire door control systems;test for surface flammability(surface materials and primary deck coverings);test for vertically supported textiles and films;test for upholstered furniture;test for bedding components;test for fire-restricting materials for high-speed craft;and test for fire-resisting divisions of highspeed craft.

It also includes annexes on Products which may be installed without testing and/or approval and on Fire protection materials and required approval test methods.

Other amendments adopted

The MSC also adopted:

·amendments to SOLAS regulation V/18 to require annual testing of automatic identification systems(AIS);

·amendments to SOLAS regulation V/23 on pilot transfer arrangements,to update and to improve safety aspects for pilot transfer;

·amendments to safety certificates in the SOLAS appendix and SOLAS Protocol of 1988,relating to references to alternative design and arrangements; ·amendments to the International Convention for Safe Containers,1972,to include addition of new paragraphs in Regulation 1 Safety Approval Plate, specifying the validity of and elements to be included in approved examination programmes;the addition of a new test for containers being approved for operation with one door removed;and the addition of a new annex III Control and Verification,which provides specific control measures to enable author-ized officers to assess the integrity of structurally sensitive components of containers and to help them decide whether a container is safe to continue in transportation or whether it should be stopped until remedial action has been taken;and a new chapter 9 of the International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code),related to fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems.

New international passenger ship safety regulations enter into force

A comprehensive package of amendments to the international regulations affecting new passenger ships enters into force on 1 July 2010.Increased emphasis is placed on reducing the chance of accidents occurring and on improved survivability,embracing the concept of the ship as‘its own best lifeboat’.

The amendments affect passenger ship regulations in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea(SOLAS),and came about as the result of a comprehensive review of passenger ship safety initiated in 2000 by the International Maritime Organization(IMO),the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution from ships.

The aim of the review was to assess whether the existing regulations were adequate to meet future challenges,in particular to address issues related to the increased size of passenger ships now being built.The amendments were adopted in 2006.

The guiding philosophy behind this important review was based on the dual premise that the regulatory framework should place more emphasis on the prevention of a casualty from occurring in the first place and that future passenger ships should be designed for improved survivability so that,in the event of a casualty,persons can stay safely on board,in a’safe area‘a(chǎn)s the ship proceeds to port.

The amendments include new concepts such as the incorporation of design criteria for the casualty threshold(the amount of damage a ship is able to withstand,according to the design basis,and still safely return to port)into SOLAS chapters II-1 and II-2.The amendments also provide regulatory flexibility so that ship designers can meet future safety challenges.

The amendments,which largely affect new ships built from 1 July 2010, include:

·alternative designs and arrangements;

·provision of safe areas and the essential systems to be maintained while a

ship proceeds to port after a casualty,which will require redundancy of pro-pulsion and other essential systems;

·on-board safety centres,from where safety systems can be controlled,operated and monitored;

·fixed fire detection and alarm systems,including requirements for fire detectors and manually operated call points to be capable of being remotely and individually identified;

·fire prevention,including amendments aimed at enhancing the fire safety of atriums,the means of escape in case of fire and ventilation systems;and

·time for orderly evacuation and abandonment,including requirements for the essential systems that must remain operational in case any one main vertical zone is unserviceable due to fire.

(責(zé)任編輯:曹 旎)