THE ASSEMBLY,RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning
maritime safety and the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,
BEING AWARE of the close relationship between safety of navigation and the prevention of
pollution from ships,
NOTING that, owing to the risk of grounding or collision and the strong sea current, the
navigation of large ships through the entrances to the Baltic Sea constitutes a potential danger of
pollution of the entrances and of the entire Baltic Sea area,
NOTING ALSO that ships carryingradio active materials constitute a potential danger of
pollution of the entrances to the Baltic Sea and a potential hazard to international shipping,
NOTING FURTHER that, at several places, the entrances to the Baltic Sea are difficult to
navigate,
TAKING NOTE of:
(a) resolution 5 on intentional pollution of the sea and accidental spillages adopted by the
International Conference on Marine Pollution, 1973,
(b) resolution A.159(ES.IV) - Recommendation on pilotage,
(c) resolution A.156(ES.IV) - Recommendation on the carriage of electronic positionfixing
equipment,
(d) resolution A.339(IX) - Recommendation on navigation through the entrances to the
Baltic Sea,
(e) the established routeing system (route T) through the entrances to the Baltic Sea,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Maritime Safety Committee at
its fifty-third session,
1. RECOMMENDS:
(a) That ships over 40,000 tonnes deadweight, when passing through the entrances to the
Baltic Sea, in view of the fact that 17 metres is the maximum obtainable depth without
dredging in the area north-east of Gedser and that the charted depths, even under
normal conditions, may be decreased by as much as 2 metres owing to unknown and
moving obstructions, should:
(i) not pass the area unless they have a draught with which it is safe to navigation
through the area, taking into account the possibility of depths being as much as 2
metres less than charted, as mentioned above, and additionally taking into account
the possible changes in the indicated depth of water caused by meteorological or
other effects,
(ii) participate In the ship reporting system (SHIPPOS) operated by the Government
of Denmark; and
(iii) exhibit the signal prescribed in rule 28 of the International Regulations for
Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, in certain areas in the Store Baelt (Hatter Rev,
Vengeancegrund and in the narrow route east of Langeland), when constrained by
their draught;
(b) That ships with a draught of 13 metres or more should, furthermore:
(i) be equipped with a VHF radiotelephone installation capable of operating on
appropriate frequencies ;
(ii) have on board suitable electronic position-fixing equipment to make use of
hyperbolic systems providing sufficient position-fixing accuracy for navigation in
these areas;
(iii) use for the passage the pilotage services locally established by the coastal States;
and
(iv) be aware that anchoring may be necessary owing to the weather and sea
conditions in relation to the size and draught of the ship and to the sea level and,
in this respect, take special account of the information available from the pilot and
from radio navigation information services in the area;
(c) That, irrespective of size or draught, ships carrying a shipment of class 7 radioactive
materials, as specified in paragraph 9.5.2 of the introduction to class 7 of the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code), should :
(i) participate in the ship reporting system (SHIPPOS) operated by the Government
of Denmark;
(ii) be equipped with a VHF radiotelephone installation capable of operating on
appropriate frequencies, and
(iii) use for the passage the pilotage services locally established by the coastal States.
2 REVOKES resolution A.339(IX).