Res.A.494(XII)
Revokes
A.389(X). This Resolution is NOT published in EasyRules
Revised interim scheme for tonnage measurements for certain ships
THE ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING Article 16(I) of the Convention on the Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization,
NOTING that the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969, come
into force on 18 July 1982,
REALIZING that tonnage detremined under the 1969 Tonnage Convention can be
sufficiently different from those detremined under tonnage regulations presently in
force to create difficulties in connexion with the application of the International
Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, in force,
RECALLING Recommendation 2 of the International Conference on Tonnage Measurement,
1969, which, inter alia, recognized that the transition from existing tonnage
measurement systems to the new system provided in the 1969 Tonnage Convention should
cause the least possible impact on the economics of merchant ships,
BEARING IN MIND, that the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea does
not specifically define the gross tonnage of ships which should be measured for the
purpose of application of the provisions of that Convention,
RECALLING ALSO that it adopted by resolution A.389(X) an interim scheme for tonnage
measurement for certain ships, in order to overcome possible difficulties which might
arise with regard to the application of the safety requirements in force for certain
ships when measured in accordance with the 1969 Tonnage Convention in comparison with
the national tonnage rules in effect prior to the coming into force of that
Convention,
REALIZING that these difficulties will continue to exist in respect of compliance
with Regulation 3 of Chapter IV of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, but that those
difficulties may be resolved when a fuure global maritime distress and safety system
enters into force,
BEING AWARE ALSO that similar difficulties will continue to exist in respect of other
relevant provisions of the 1974 SOLAS Convention which are activated at 500 and 1,600
gross tons and that the fisrt and second sets of amendments to the 1974 SOLAS
Confention are currently under consideration,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendations made by the Maritime Safety Committee at its
forty-fourth session,
- REVOKES resolution A.389(X);
- ADOPTS the following revised interim scheme for tonnage measurement for certain
ships:
- At the request of a shipowner, the Administration may allow a ship
required to be measured under the provisions of the International Convention on
Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969, to use the gross tonnage measured under the
national tonnage rules which are in effect prior to the coming into force of the
1969 Tonnage Convention, for the purpose of application of the provisions of the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, such tonnage, however,
shall not be shown on the 1969 Tonnage certificate;
- For such a ship, the appropiate box in the pertinent Ship Safety
Certificate of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, in
force, or other such official certificate issued by the Administration may show
only the gross tonnage measured under the national tonnage rules which were in
effect prior to the coming into force of the International Convention on Tonnage
Measurement of Ships with the following foodnote:
"The above gross tonnage measured by the tonnage authorities of
the Administration in accordance with the national tonnage rules which were in
force prior to the coming into force of the International Conference on Tonnage
Measurement, 1969";
- AGREES that the interim scheme shall not apply to ships the keels of which are
laid after 31 December 1985 with the following exceptions:
- In respect of the requirements of Regulation 3 of Chapter IV of the
1974 SOLAS Convention for ships the keels of which are laid before 18 July 1994,
the Administration may continue to apply the interim scheme, in which case the
above-mentioned entry should be made in the Radiotelefony Certificate only;
and
- In respect of the regulations for cargo ships of less than 1,600 tons
gross tonnage (as measured under national systems), the keels of which are laid
after 31 December 1985, the Administration may continue to apply the interim
scheme until 18 July 1994;
- REQUESTS the Maritime Safety Committee to ensure that a complete and thorough
analysis of the continued use of tonnage as a regulatory criterion in the current
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, and other conventions as
appropriate, be completed not later than 31 December 1986, at which time the
Maritime Safety Commity should consider the implications of the analysis;
- INVITES Member Governements and Governments of State Parties to the aforementioned
Convention to take cognisance and to accept the use of this interim scheme for the
purpose of application of the provisions of the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea.