Annex 3 - Responsibilities in the application of
principles of minimum safe manning
1 - Responsibilities of companies
1.1 The Administration may require the company
responsible for the operation of the ship to prepare and submit
its proposal for the minimum safe manning of a ship in
accordance with a form specified by the Administration.
1.2 In preparing a proposal for the minimum safe
manning of a ship, the company should apply the principles,
recommendations and guidelines contained in this resolution and
should be required to:
- make an assessment of the tasks, duties and responsibilities
of the ship's complement required for its safe operation,
for its security, for protection of the marine environment,
and for dealing with emergency situations;
- ensure that fitness for duty provisions and record of hours
are implemented;
- make an assessment of numbers and grades/capacities in the
ship's complement required for its safe operation, for its
security, for protection of the marine environment, and for
dealing with emergency situations;
- prepare and submit to the Administration a proposal for the
minimum safe manning based upon the assessment of the
numbers and grades/capacities in the ship's complement
required for its safe operation, for its security and for
protection of the marine environment, justifying the
proposal by explaining how the proposed ship's complement
will deal with emergency situations, including the
evacuation of passengers, where necessary;
- ensure that the minimum safe manning is adequate at all
times and in all respects, including meeting peak workload
situations, conditions and requirements, and is in
accordance with the principles, recommendations and
guidelines contained in this resolution; and
- prepare and submit to the Administration a new proposal for
the minimum safe manning of a ship in the case of changes in
trading area(s), construction, machinery, equipment,
operation and maintenance or management of the ship, which
may affect the safe manning.
2 - Approval by the Administration
2.1 A proposal for the minimum safe manning of a
ship submitted by a company to the Administration should be
evaluated by the Administration to ensure that:
- the proposed ship's complement contains the number and
grades/capacities of personnel to fulfil the tasks, duties
and responsibilities required for the safe operation of the
ship, for its security, for protection of the marine
environment and for dealing with emergency situations;
and
- the master, officers and other members of the ship's
complement are not required to work more hours than is safe
in relation to the performance of their duties and the
safety of the ship and that the requirements for work and
rest hours, in accordance with applicable national
regulations, can be complied with.
2.2 In applying such principles, Administrations
should take proper account of existing IMO, ILO, ITU and WHO
instruments in force which deal with:
- watchkeeping;
- hours of work or rest;
- safety management;
- certification of seafarers;
- training of seafarers;
- occupational safety, health and hygiene;
- crew accommodation and food;
- security; and
- radiocommunications.
2.3 The Administration should require a company
to amend a proposal for the minimum safe manning of a ship if,
after evaluation of the original proposal submitted by the
company, the Administration is unable to approve the proposed
composition of the ship's complement.
2.4 The Administration should only approve a
proposal for the minimum safe manning of a ship and issue
accordingly a minimum safe manning document if it is fully
satisfied that the proposed ship's complement is established in
accordance with the principles, recommendations and guidelines
contained in this resolution, and is adequate in all respects
for the safe operation and the security of the ship and for the
protection of the marine environment.
2.5 The Administration may withdraw the minimum
safe manning document of a ship if the company fails to submit a
new proposal for the ship's minimum safe manning when changes in
trading area(s), construction, machinery, equipment or operation
and maintenance of the ship have taken place which affect the
minimum safe manning.
2.6 The Administration should review and may
withdraw, as appropriate, the minimum safe manning document of a
ship which persistently fails to be in compliance with rest
hours requirements.
2.7 The Administration should consider the
circumstances very carefully before allowing a minimum safe
manning document to contain provisions for less than three
qualified officers in charge of a navigational watch, while
taking into account all the principles for establishing safe
manning.