One of the key things you would see as a seafarer while at school or onboard is SOLAS. SOLAS in integral to all aspects of seafaring, maritime and shipping.
WHAT is SOLAS?
SOLAS means Safety of Life at Sea. It is also called a Convention. The SOLAS convention is an instrument of the IMO which was initially set up in the wake of the Titanic disaster of 1912 and was designed to ensure that enough life-saving appliances (LSA) were on board every seagoing vessel. This convention has been amended many times and it now consists of 14 chapters.
Over the years, there have been amendments to the SOLAS conventions to keep SOLAS abreast with the continuous changes in the maritime sector occasioned by modernization, technology and new knowledge. The latest convention went into use 1st January 2020.
–Features of SOLAS
SOLAS is supported by 162 countries and covers safety related issues on areas which include:
· Seafaring
· Cargo
· Tankers
· Defense
· Patrol
· Passenger Ships
· Hazardous Material Transport
· Nuclear Transport
· Chapters of SOLAS
SOLAS comprises 16 Chapters as follows:
· Chapter 1-General Provisions that covers surveying of ships and issuing of documents to different kinds of ships. It also covers control of ships at ports.
· Chapter II-1 – covers Construction – Subdivision and stability,machinery and electrical installations.
· Chapter II-2 – Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction.
· Chapter III – Life-saving appliances and arrangements
· Chapter IV – Radiocommunications
· Chapter V – Safety of navigation including specifications for voyage data recorder
· Chapter VI – Carriage of Cargoes- covers all types of cargo except liquids and gases. Also covers the international grain code.
· Chapter VII – Carriage of dangerous goods. This has five parts namely- I)Part A – Carriage of dangerous goods in packaged form – includes provisions for the classification, packing, marking, labelling and placarding, documentation and stowage of dangerous goods. , 2) Part A-1 carriage of dangerous goods in solid form, 3) Part B covers Construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous liquid chemicals in bulk and requires chemical tankers to comply with the International Bulk Chemical Code (IBC Code), 4) Part C covers Construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk and gas carriers to comply with the requirements of the International Gas Carrier Code (IGC Code), 5) Part D includes special requirements for the carriage of packaged irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high-level radioactive wastes on board ships and requires ships carrying such products to comply with the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on Board Ships (INF Code).
· Chapter VIII – Nuclear ships- Gives basic requirements for nuclear-powered ships and is particularly concerned with radiation hazards. It refers to detailed and comprehensive Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships which was adopted by the IMO Assembly in 1981.
· Chapter IX – Management for the Safe Operation of Ships-The Chapter makes mandatory the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, which requires a safety management system to be established by the ship owner or any person who has assumed responsibility for the ship (the “Company”).
· Chapter X – Safety measures for high-speed craft-The Chapter makes mandatory the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (HSC Code).
· Chapter XI-1 – Special measures to enhance maritime safety The Chapter clarifies requirements relating to authorization of recognized organizations (responsible for carrying out surveys and inspections on Administrations’ behalves); enhanced surveys; ship identification number scheme; and port State control on operational requirements.
· Chapter XI-2 – Special measures to enhance maritime security Regulation XI-2/3 of the chapter enshrines the International Ship andPort Facilities Security Code (ISPS Code). Part A of the Code is mandatory and part B contains guidance as to how best to comply with the mandatory requirements. Regulation XI-2/8 confirms the role of the Master in exercising his professional judgement over decisions necessary to maintain the security of the ship.
· Chapter XII – Additional safety measures for bulk carriers-The Chapter includes structural requirements for bulk carriers over 150 metres in length.
· Chapter XIII – Verification of compliance -Makes mandatory from 1 January 2016 the IMO Member State Audit Scheme.
· Chapter XIV – Safety measures for ships operating in polar waters- The chapter makes mandatory, from 1 January 2017, the Introduction and part I-A of the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code).
