THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE,
RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on
the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the
Committee,
NOTING that the 1997 SOLAS
Conference adopted chapter XII of the International Convention for the Safety of
Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974 concerning additional safety measures for bulk
carriers,
NOTING FURTHER that SOLAS chapter
XII will enter into force on 1 July 1999,
DESIRING to ensure that all Contracting Governments to the 1974 SOLAS
Convention implement SOLAS chapter XII in a consistent and uniform manner,
RECOGNIZING, therefore, the need to
establish, for that purpose, guidance on applications of, and the interpretation
to, the relevant provisions of that chapter, further to that already adopted by
resolution MSC.79(70)),
RESPONDING to the
request of the 1997 SOLAS Conference, as recorded in Conference resolution 8
thereof, regarding the term "bulk carrier of single side skin construction",
REALIZING that SOLAS regulation XII/8.3, if
applied literally, would require every bulk carrier of 150 m in length and
upwards of single side skin construction, carrying solid bulk cargoes having a
density of 1,780 kg/m and above constructed before 1 July 1999, to be
permanently marked on the side 3 shell with a solid triangle, and recognizing
that this is clearly not the intention of the regulation,
1. URGES Governments concerned to:
.1 interpret the term "bulk carrier of single
side skin construction" defined in regulation XII/1.2 as indicated in Annex 1 to
the present resolution; and
.2
interpret the requirement for certain bulk carriers to be permanently marked on
the side shell with a triangle, provided in SOLAS regulation XII/8.3, as
indicated in Annex 2 to the present resolution; and
2. INVITES Governments concerned to bring the contents
of this resolution to the attention of all parties concerned.
Annex 1 Interpretation of the term "Bulk carrier of single side skin construction"
1 "Bulk carrier of single side
skin construction" means a bulk carrier where one or more cargo holds are
bound by the side shell only or by two watertight boundaries, one of which
is the side shell, which are less than 760 mm apart in bulk carriers
constructed before 1 January 2000 and less than 1,000 mm apart in bulk
carriers constructed on or after 1 January 2000. The distance between the
watertight boundaries is to be measured perpendicular to the side shell.
2 The above interpretation should
be applied as follows:
.1 in bulk
carriers with single side skin construction in the foremost cargo hold,
constructed before 1 July 1999, regulations XII/4.2 and 6 should be applied
in accordance with the implementation schedule required by regulation XII/3;
and
.2 in bulk carriers
constructed on or after 1 July 1999, the requirements for damage stability
under regulation XII/4.1 and structural integrity under regulation XII/5
should be complied with in respect of cargo holds with single side skin
construction.
Annex 2 Interpretation of the requirement for certain bulk carriers to be permanently marked on the side shell with a triangle
SOLAS regulation XII/8.3 requires a triangle to be
marked on the side shell of the ship when compliance with regulation XII/6.2
involves imposition of loading/operating restrictions as described in
regulation XII/6.3. Such operating restrictions only need to be imposed for
solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above, and
apply at all times when solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780
kg/m3 and above are carried. The following interpretations
should be followed when determining if triangle marks are required:
1 When a ship's loading booklet
restricts the ship to carry solid bulk cargoes having a density of less than
1,780 kg/m3 , a triangle mark is not required, provided that all
reference to carriage of solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780
kg/m3 and above are removed from the loading booklet. The
loading booklet is to clearly specify that the ship is prohibited from
carrying solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3 and
above.
2 When a ship's deadweight
is restricted, but the load line assignment permits deeper draughts, and
operating restrictions in the form of draught or deadweight limits are
imposed on the ship to obtain compliance with the requirements, the loading
booklet is to clearly specify the operating restrictions and a triangle is
to be permanently marked on the ship's sides. If the ship's load line and
loading booklet are revised to limit the ship's draught at all times,
operating restrictions and the triangle marks are not required.
3 Where restrictions, other than
a general restriction to homogeneous loading, are imposed on the
distribution of cargo in the two foremost cargo holds as a condition of
compliance, then the loading booklet is to clearly specify the applicable
operating restrictions and a triangle is to be permanently marked on the
ship's sides.
4 Where
restrictions are imposed on the maximum mass of packaged cargoes to be
carried in the foremost cargo hold as a condition of compliance with the
Standards for the evaluation of allowable hold loading of the foremost cargo
hold, as contained in annex 2 to 1997 SOLAS Conference resolution 4, the
loading booklet is to clearly state these limits, but the triangle marks are
not required.
5 Where a
homogeneous distribution of cargo in the two foremost cargo holds is
required as a condition of compliance, then the loading booklet is to
clearly specify the applicable operating restrictions and a triangle is to
be permanently marked on the ship's sides.