Newsletter 149/16
April 4th 2016

New Requirements for Stability Instruments on Tankers

Refers to: All Oil Tankers, Chemical Tankers and Gas Carriers

Convention: MARPOL Annex I Reg. 28, IBC, IGC, BCH and GC Codes, IMO Resolutions MEPC.248(66), MSC.369(93), MSC.370(93), MSC.376(93) and MSC.377(93)
Entry into force: 1 January, 2016, as follows:

1. All new tankers constructed (keel laid) on or after 1 January, 2016 (1 July, 2016, for gas carriers)
2. Existing Tankers constructed (keel laid) before 1 January, 2016 (1 July, 2016, for gas carriers) must also comply with the requirements (by confirming or upgrading existing equipment, or installing new equipment) at the first applicable scheduled IOPP renewal survey of the ship after 1 January, 2016 (1 July, 2016, for gas carriers under the IGC Code), but not later than 1 January, 2021

Both new and existing oil tankers will have to be fitted with a stability instrument capable of verifying compliance with the relevant intact and damage stability requirements, and it will need to be approved by the Administration.

Existing oil tankers will be given a period of grace for compliance (by the first IOPP renewal survey after the date of entry into force of these amendments)

Alternatively, owners and operators can apply to their Flag Administration for a waiver if their vessel is loaded in accordance with approved conditions and falls into one of the following categories:

• Tankers that are on a dedicated service, with a limited number of permutations of loading so that all anticipated conditions have been approved in the stability information provided to the master in accordance with the relevant regulations
• Tankers where stability verification is made remotely by a means approved by the administration
• Tankers that are loaded within an approved range of loading conditions
• Tankers constructed before 1 January, 2016 (1 July, 2016, for gas carriers), provided with approved limiting KG/GM curves covering all applicable intact and damage stability requirements.

The stability instrument must be approved by the flag administration, taking into account the performance standards recommended by the IMO (Part B, chapter 4 of the 2008 IS Code; Annex, Section 4 of the Circular MSC.1/Circ.1229; and the technical standards defined in part 1 of the Circular MSC.1/Circ. 1461). The loading instrument should have a Document of Approval which clearly reflects this capability.

Given above requirements on stability instrument, the form of the IOPP Form B certificates for oil tankers and IBC/BCH and IGC/GC Certificates of fitness for chemical tankers and gas carriers will be required to reflect the provision of an approved stability instrument on board in accordance with the new regulations, or, alternatively, the applicable waivers granted by the administration.

PH.R.S. remain available to assist owners on the required actions and for reviewing / approval of the new or existing stability instrument.

Refers to: Ship Owners / Operators of Sierra Leonean Vessels, PH.R.S. Representatives

Action Date: Various

Please note of the latest – new & revised – published Maritime Circulars issued by the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMARAD):

• Revised Maritime Circular No.21 - EU Restrictive Measures, UN Sanctions and US Sanctions against the Democratic (Action Date: 17/03/2016)
• Maritime Circular No.27 - EU Restrictive Measures, UN Sanctions and US Sanctions against Syria (Action Date: 17/03/2016)
• Maritime Circular No.28 - EU Restrictive Measures, UN Sanctions and US Sanctions against Iran (Action Date: 17/03/2016)
• Maritime Circular No.29 - EU Restrictive Measures, UN Sanctions and US Sanctions against Libya (Action Date: 17/03/2016)
• Maritime Circular No.30 - EU Restrictive Measures, UN Sanctions and US Sanctions against Lebanon (Action Date: 17/03/2016)
• Maritime Circular No.31 – Flag State Inspections (Action Date: 23/03/2016)

Do not hesitate to contact our office for any clarification you may need on the above.

Paris MOU’s mission is to eliminate the operation of sub-standard ships through a harmonized system of port State control and with a reliable and systematic methodology.

In this frame, PH.R.S., over the last years, is implementing a strict quality policy in order to improve its performance ranking, imposing among others measures, a detailed risk analysis model for every ship.

Since 2013 and according to the past Paris MOU Annual Reports, Phoenix Register of Shipping (PH.R.S) showed a remarkable increase in performance and moved from “very low performance” to “medium performance”. Phoenix Register of Shipping remains until today at the Medium Performance Level, as stated in the newly published Paris MOU Annual Report 2014, with an excess factor of 0.87%.

Ship-owners can trust PH.R.S. for the high quality of services and excellent cooperation and be reassured that zero (0) points for RO will be considered on Ship’s Risk Calculation System.

PH.R.S. follows over the years a steady upward trend, offering high quality classification and statutory services on the basis of an “ISO 17020” and “ISO9001” accredited quality management systems, as a powerful and independent inspection body.

Refers to: All SOLAS – certified vessels
Action Date: 1st July 2016

SOLAS regulation XI-1/7 [adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.380(94)] will enter into force on 1 July, 2016, and requires the carriage of an appropriate atmosphere testing instrument or instruments for enclosed space entry.

These portable testing instruments will not be used as part of personal protective safety equipment, but as part of the ship’s equipment. They will be used to test enclosed spaces from the outside to make sure that they are safe to enter and will cover, as a minimum, the following gases: oxygen, flammable gasses or vapors, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide. Suitable means must be provided to calibrate them.

Owners should ensure they have instruments in place by the entry into force date, after which they will be surveyable items under the vessel’s Cargo Ship Safety Construction or Passenger Ship Safety survey.

Note that SOLAS regulation III/19 requires crew members to participate in an enclosed space entry and rescue drill on board the ship at least once every two months.

The IMO has issued guidelines to help owners and operators:

• Guidelines to facilitate the selection of portable atmosphere testing instruments for enclosed spaces as required by SOLAS regulation XI-1/7 (MSC.1/Circ.1477).
• Revised recommendations for entering enclosed spaces aboard ships (resolution A.1050(27)).