New Year 2020 – New Regulations

New regulations that may affect your operations include:

MARPOL Annex VI

The global 0.50% sulphur fuel cap will enter force on 1 January 2020. The new emissions regulation requires vessels to consume 0.50% sulphur fuel or to remove sulphur with an exhaust gas cleaning system commonly referred to as a “scrubber”.

Much more information on the IMO 2020 sulphur cap can be found at North’s dedicated 2020 Vision expertise area.

IMDG Code

Amendments 39-18 to the IMDG code, which have been in place on a voluntary basis since 1 January 2019, will become mandatory on 1 January 2020. A summary of the changes can be found here.

SOLAS

Addressing lifeboat maintenance – preventing accidents with lifeboats

Amendments to SOLAS regulations III/3 and III/20 make mandatory the requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear.

These aim to prevent accidents with survival craft and address longstanding issues such as the need for a uniform, safe and documented standard related to the servicing of these appliances, as well as the authorisation, qualification and certification requirements to ensure that a reliable service is provided.

Subdivision and damage stability

A set of amendments to SOLAS chapter II-1 relating to subdivision and stability enter into force, amending, among other things, the regulations on the required subdivision of passenger ships to increase their safety, as well as regulations related to the stability information to be provided to a ship’s master.

Planning for evacuation on cruise ships

Requirements for all new passenger ships carrying more than 36 passengers to be built with evacuation analysis early in the design process come into force.

The amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/13 extend the requirements for evacuation analysis to all passenger ships, not just ro-ro passenger ships. The analysis should be used to identify and eliminate, as far as practicable, congestion which may develop during an abandonment due to normal movement of passengers and crew along escape routes, including the possibility that crew may need to move along these routes in a direction opposite to the movement of passengers.

Expanding maritime satellite communications equipment providers

Amendments to chapter IV of SOLAS and some codes provide for a “recognised mobile satellite service” to be installed for maritime distress and safety communications. Previously, the regulations specified an Inmarsat device.

Further details on the SOLAS amendments can be found here.