Ref.T1/3.02 MSC/Circ.887
21December1998
1 TheMaritimeSafetyCommittee,atitssixty-fifthsessionapprovedMSC/Circ.692onClarification of SOLAS regulationIII/50regardinggeneralemergencyalarmsystemswheretheexpression"other strategicpoints",withregardtothelocationofsuchsystems,appearsintheabovereferredregulation.
2 TheCommittee,atitsseventiethsession(7to11December1998),consideredthatthetextof SOLASregulationIII/50subsequentlytransferredtotheLSACode,sectionVII/7.2.1.1,referringtoother strategicpointsmightcreateproblemsinachievinguniformapplication,withouthavingaclearindication
onwhichplacesareregardedassuchotherstrategicpoints.
3 The Committee, therefore, decided that the term "other strategic points" as laid down in the LSACode,shouldbeinterpretedasfollows:
.1 theminimumnumberoftherequiredplacesfromwhereageneralemergencyalarmsystem shouldbecapableofbeingoperatedisatleasttwo;
.2 otherstrategicpointsaretakentomeanthoselocations,otherthanthenavigationbridge, from whereemergencysituationsareintendedtobecontrolledandthegeneralalarm systemcanbeactivated; and
.3 afirecontrolstationoracargocontrolstationshouldnormallyberegardedasstrategic points.
4 Member Governmentsareinvitedtobringtheaboveinterpretationtotheattentionofshipping companies, shipowners, ship operators, shipbuilders, port State control officers and recognized organizationsseekingimplementationoftheabovereferredregulationinauniformmanner.