Refers to: Ship Owners / Managers/ Operators, PHRS Surveyors / Representatives
Action Date: 01 Jan. 2021
Amendments to MARPOL Annex II and IBC Code, adopted by IMO Resolutions MEPC.318(74) and MSC.460(101) respectively will enter into force on 1 January 2021.
The new amendments, adopted by IMO Resolution MEPC.315(74) - Cargo residues and tank washings of persistent floating products - have newly defined persistent floating products ("persistent floater(s)") and impose stricter prewash requirements.
A prewash procedure shall be applied in certain areas (e.g. North West European waters) for substances that are persistent floaters with a viscosity equal to or greater than 50 mPa.s at 20°C and/or with a melting point ≥0°C (substances that are identified by '16.2.7' in column 'o' of Chapter 17 of the amended IBC Code).
The new amendments to the IBC Code, adopted by IMO Resolution MEPC.460(101), will also enter into force on 1 January 2021.
According to these amendments, the criteria for assigning carriage requirements for all products have been changed and therefore, the range of products a ship is certified to carry will change after 1 January 2021. These amendments may result in change of ship type, tank type and other carriage requirements for some cargoes, e.g. some products currently categorized as non-toxic cargoes become toxic cargoes.
The amendments apply to all (new and existing) Chemical Tankers holding IBC Code Certificate of Fitness or Noxious Liquid Substances Certificate and also affects offshore supply vessels with Certificates of Fitness in accordance with ‘LHNS Guidelines’ (IMO Res. A.673(16)) or ‘OSV Chemical Code’ (IMO Res. A.1122(30)).
Subsequently to the new amendments,
• The format of the IBC Code Certificate of Fitness and Noxious Liquid Substances Certificate is affected also. New certificates complying with these amendments must be on board from 1 January 2021. The revised certificates will be issued by PHRS as soon as possible ahead of limit dates. These will have the same expiry date as the existing certificates and will supersede them on 1 January 2021.
• The format of the Procedures and Arrangements (P&A) Manual (refer to Appendix IV of MARPOL Annex II) is affected also. Therefore, P&A Manuals on board all applicable ships (Chemical Tankers) have to be amended, as described in MEPC.315(74), before 1 January 2021. Re-approval of P&A Manuals is not required. The amended pages of the existing manuals can be verified and stamped on board, by the attending PHRS Surveyor at the next survey onboard although it is highly recommended the amendments to the P&A Manuals to be submitted to PHRS office for verification and endorsement as soon as possible to avoid implications with the Port State Authorities.
The Amendments to MARPOL Annex II can be found here.
The Amendments to IBC code can be found here, in full detail.
Do not hesitate to contact us for more information you may need on the above.
December 21st, 2020 - PHRS Head Office