UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 LONDON 001206

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

COGARD FOR DC//G-CI/G-L/G-LMI/G-P/G-PS/G-PSE
DC//G-CI/G-L/G-LMI/G-P/G-PS/G-PSE/G-PSO/G-PSR /
G-PCP/CG-62/CG-7M/G-RPR//
STATE PLEASE PASS TO IO/OIC FOR M. MORRISSEY


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IMO AORC ASEC UK
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO): REPORT OF THE
FIFTIETH SESSION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE (S/C) ON SHIP DESIGN AND
EQUIPMENT (DE), LONDON, 5-9 MARCH 2007.



1. SUMMARY: The 50th session of the IMO DE S/C met in London 5-9
March 2007, chaired by Mrs. A. Jost (Germany). The session was
attended by delegations from 60 member states, one associate member,
one non-member state, one intergovernmental organization, and
observers from 24 non-governmental organizations in consultive
status. Working groups (WG) and drafting groups (DG) were formed to
address several of the agenda items. All US objectives were
achieved. Accomplishments and outcomes of particular interest
include the following:

A. Review of MEPC.1/Circ.511 and relevant MARPOL Annex I and Annex
VI requirements - The S/C began a review of MEPC.1/Circ.511 and
relevant MARPOL Annexes I and VI requirements, concerning
legislative and implementation aspects related to prevention of
operational oil pollution from ships, based on submissions to MEPC

55. The S/C agreed to establish a working group at DE 51, and also
established an intersessional correspondence group to be coordinated
by Denmark to further work on this item.

B. Life-saving appliances - The S/C established a life-saving
appliances (LSA) working group chaired by the US to consider matters
related to agenda items on compatibility of life-saving appliances,
measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats, test standards for
extended service intervals of inflatable liferafts, amendment of
Res. A.760(18), performance standards for recovery systems, and
consideration of IACS unified interpretations.

C. Performance standards for protective coatings - The S/C
completed its work on a draft performance standard for protective
coatings for void spaces on tankers and bulk carriers for approval
by MSC 83.

D. Mandatory emergency towing systems in ships other than tankers
of not less than 20,000 dwt - The S/C completed its work on drafting
SOLAS amendments and complementary guidelines to require new and

existing ships over 500 gt to have an emergency towing procedure for
approval by MSC 83. END SUMMARY.


2. Amendments to Resolution A.744(18) - The S/C agreed to draft
amendments to Annex A of Assembly Resolution A.744(18) - Guidelines
on the Enhanced Programme of Inspections During Surveys of Bulk
Carriers and Oil Tankers - for survey guidelines for double-skin
bulk carriers for approval at MSC 83. The S/C also included
procedural requirements for surveyor monitoring of thickness
measurements as part of these draft amendments. The S/C agreed to
establish an intersessional correspondence group coordinated by
Japan to prepare a justification to expand the work on amendments to
A.744(18) to harmonize the ESP Guidelines with the relevant IACS
Unified Requirements regarding survey guidelines for both oil
tankers and double-hull oil tankers, as well as bulk carriers. The
S/C also agreed to prepare draft amendments to A.744(18) for
inclusion of requirements for provision and maintenance of as-built
drawings covering items such as machinery installations, electrical
installations and control systems, and will submit a report to DE

51.


3. Performance standards for protective coatings - The S/C
finalized a draft performance standard for protective coatings of
void spaces on new tankers and bulk carriers for approval at MSC 83.
This draft standard may become mandatory pending a decision by MSC

83. The S/C established a working group chaired by the US to
finalize the draft performance standard for protective coatings of
void spaces on the basis of the intersessional correspondence group
report coordinated by China.


4. Inspection and survey requirements for accommodation ladders -
The S/C agreed to a draft SOLAS chapter II-1 regulation on Means of
embarkation on and disembarkation from ships, as well as a draft MSC
circular on Guidelines for construction, maintenance and inspection
of accommodation ladders and gangways, for approval at MSC 83. The
new regulation will result in coverage of this equipment under the
survey requirements in SOLAS chapter I.


5. Mandatory emergency towing systems in ships other than tankers
of not less than 20,000 dwt - The S/C established a drafting group
chaired by Germany, which followed terms of reference developed by
the US to finalize draft SOLAS amendments that would require all new
and existing ships subject to SOLAS to have an emergency towing
procedure. The S/C also finalized an MSC circular providing
guidelines to the shipowner in developing ship-specific emergency
towing procedures. Procedures are to include drawings of fore and
aft deck showing possible emergency towing arrangements, inventory
of equipment available on board that can be used for emergency
towing, means and methods of communication, and sample procedures to
facilitate the preparation for and conducting of emergency towing
operations.


LONDON 00001206 002 OF 004



6. Development of provisions for gas-fuelled ships - This item is
also being considered by FP and BLG. The S/C noted that BLG 10
established an intersessional correspondence group, coordinated by
Norway, to develop interim guidelines for gas-fuelled ships with a
view to finalize these guidelines at BLG 12 (2008) for submission to
MSC 84 for approval, and to start development of a draft
International Code of Safety for Gas-Fuelled Engine Installations in
Ships using these interim guidelines as a basis.


7. Consideration of IACS Unified Interpretations - The S/C agreed
in principle with IACS Unified Interpretation SC 213 identifying
safety features for areas where remotely located survival craft are
arranged, and agreed to a draft MSC circular on unified
interpretation of SOLAS chapter III.


8. Review of the SPS (Special Purpose Ships) Code - The S/C
considered the report of the correspondence group coordinated by
Norway and generally agreed with the draft amendments to the SPS
Code as proposed by the correspondence group. The S/C took into
account that the SPS Code should generally have the same scope of
application as SOLAS, and agreed that all references to class A
ships and trainees should be removed from the draft text. The S/C
also re-established the intersessional correspondence group again
coordinated by Norway to further develop draft amendments to the SPS
Code and to submit a report to DE 51.


9. Revisions to the Code on Alarms and Indicators - The S/C had
general agreement with an IACS proposal for a draft revision of the
Code on Alarms and Indicators (DE 50/10/2/Rev.1) and referred this
document to NAV, DSC, FP, and BLG for comments on issues under their
purview. A working group is planned for DE 51.


10. Amendments to the MODU Code - The S/C established a drafting
group chaired by Liberia to further develop draft amendments to the
MODU Code and agreed to refer certain draft amendments to SLF, FP
and COMSAR for consideration. The S/C also established an
intersessional correspondence group coordinated by Liberia to
further develop draft amendments to the MODU Code and submit a
report to DE 51. Several delegations expressed the view that the
MODU Code should be made mandatory.


11. Measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats - The S/C agreed
that the design criteria for free-fall lifeboat seats should be
updated with larger size/weight criteria on the basis that sizes of
mariners have increased globally, and that a larger seat provides
better restraint and support and is safer for a large occupant, in
terms of avoiding head and back injuries. The S/C agreed in
principle with a UK proposal that lifeboat on-load release gear
require "passive locking", i.e., if there is a failure of any part
of the system, or the hook is not completely locked, it will fail
"safe", or to the closed, locked position under load. The S/C did
not agree to a related proposal for phased replacement of all
existing release gear not complying with the proposed new
requirement, in view of the wide variety of designs of gear on
existing ships and the potential impact of implementation of the
maintenance and testing requirements in MSC.1/Circ.1206 in the
future. With regard to mandatory implementation of MSC.1/Circ.1206
(Annex 1) Guidelines for servicing and maintenance of lifeboats,
launching appliances and on load release gear, the S/C agreed that
consistent application of the provisions relating to training and
certification of servicing personnel and organizations bQe
manufacturer, and adequate geographical coverage of manufacturers'
representation, are essential prerequisites. The S/C established a
LSA correspondence group, coordinated by the US, to prepare
appropriate draft amendments to the LSA Code and the Revised
recommendation on testing of life-saving appliances (resolution
MSC.81(70)), and to develop guidance, along the lines of Res.
A.761(18) for inflatable liferafts, for qualification and
certification of personnel or organizations carrying out work under
MSC.1/Circ.1206. The S/C also agreed that ILAMA should report to
the next session of the S/C on the status of establishment of
servicing coverage worldwide. Finally, the S/C developed a new
functional definition of "unfavourable conditions of trim and list",
to replace the references in SOLAS Chapter III to 10 degrees of trim
and 20 degrees of list with regard to the installation and operation
of various life-saving appliances, for further consideration by the
LSA correspondence group and by the SLF S/C.


12. Compatibility of life-saving appliances - The S/C agreed that
the design criteria for davit-launched lifeboats on cargo ships
should be adjusted to take into account the increasing size of
seafarers globally. In considering the impact of immersion suit
wear on seating capacity in light of a recent casualty, the S/C

LONDON 00001206 003.2 OF 004


agreed that guidance should be developed concerning the wearing of
immersion suits in totally enclosed lifeboats, with regard to the
risk of dehydration and over-heating. The S/C referred these
matters to the LSA correspondence group for further development.


13. Test standards for extended service intervals of inflatable
liferafts - The S/C referred the matter to an intersessional
correspondence group under coordination of Denmark to take into
account wider industry input.


14. Amendments to the Guidelines for ships operating in Arctic
ice-covered waters - The S/C considered the proposals by the
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) to apply the guidelines
to the Antarctic as well as the Arctic, and agreed that the
guidelines also needed to be generally updated in order to take into
account technical developments since their approval in 2002,
especially with regard to damage stability, double bottoms, and the
carriage of pollutants in spaces adjacent to the outer hull.
Additionally, the S/C decided that this update should also consider
the peculiarities of the Southern hemisphere with regard to
environmental and port State control issues and take into account
the IACS Unified Requirements for polar ships and the Finnish ice
navigation rules. Additionally, the S/C noted that special
consideration should be given to passenger ships that only visit the
Polar Regions in summer.


15. Guidelines for uniform operating limitations of high-speed
craft - The S/C agreed to establish a correspondence group, to be
coordinated by Australia, to develop draft guidelines for uniform
operating limitations of high-speed craft taking into account
contributions from COMSAR, NAV and SLF.


16. Guidelines for maintenance and repair of protective coatings -
The S/C noted that in the context of draft amendments to SOLAS
regulation II-1/3-2 concerning maintenance and repair of protective
coatings, MSC 81 tasked DE to develop guidelines, and therefore
established a correspondence group to be coordinated by China to
consider this item.


17. Requirements and standard for corrosion protection of
permanent means of access arrangements - The S/C referred this issue
to the correspondence group that was established to consider the
item on Guidelines for maintenance and repair of protective
coatings. The correspondence group was instructed to give
recommendations to DE 51 taking into account views expressed in
plenary.


18. Revision of Resolution A.760(18) - The S/C agreed to forward a
new infant lifejacket symbol to MSC 83 for approval and circulation
to members to use in connection with early implementation of
requirements for carriage of infant lifejackets which will enter
into force in 2010, and for inclusion in a future amendment to Res.
A.760(18).


19. Guidelines for the approval of novel life-saving appliances -
The S/C agreed to refer the issue to the intersessional LSA
correspondence group for development of guidelines for approval of
novel life-saving appliances on the basis of Res. A.520(13) as an
initial working draft.


20. Performance standards for means of recovery - The S/C referred
the matter to the LSA correspondence group for further consideration
on the basis of a proposal by Germany for performance-based
requirements for this functionality, which the MSC intends to be
applicable to all ships no later than 2012.


21. Review of MEPC.1/Circ.511 and relevant MARPOL Annex I and
Annex VI requirements - The S/C began review of MEPC.1/Circ.511 and
relevant MARPOL Annex I and Annex VI requirements concerning
legislative and implementation aspects related to prevention of
operational oil pollution from ships, based on a number of
submissions to MEPC 55. The S/C agreed to establish a working group
at the next session and established an intersessional correspondence
group to be coordinated by Denmark to, among other things: 1)
develop draft amendments to MARPOL Annex I concerning definitions
for engine-room bilge water, oil residues (sludge), bilge water
holding tanks and oil residues (sludge) holding tanks; 2) draft
amendments to the IOPP Certificate, Forms A and B; 3) draft
amendments to regulation 16 of MARPOL Annex VI concerning
incinerator capacity; 4) draft Supplementary Guidelines on approval
of bilge and sludge handling systems for compliance with the revised
MARPOL Annex I; and 5) draft amendments to the Revised Guidelines
for systems for handling oily wastes in machinery spaces of ships

LONDON 00001206 004.2 OF 004


(MEPC.1/Circ.511).


22. Applicability of SOLAS II-1/3-6 in the case of single-hull
tankers converting to double-hull tankers - The S/C noted that MSC
82 endorsed the view from DE 49 that SOLAS regulation II-1/3-6
should not apply to tankers converting from single-hull to
double-hull; however, if, in the course of conversion, substantial
new structures are added, these new structures should comply with
the regulation. For the case of existing tankers converting to
FPSOs/FSUs, the regulation would not apply. MSC 82 had also
instructed the S/C to develop an interpretation of SOLAS regulations
II-1/1.3 and II-1/3-6. The S/C gave this item a preliminary review
and is scheduled to finalize this item at its next session.


23. Chairman/date of next meeting - The S/C unanimously reelected
Mrs. A. Jost (Germany) as chairman for 2008. Mrs. Xiang Yang
(China) was unanimously re-elected as vice chairman. The
fifty-first session of the DE S/C is tentatively scheduled for 18-22
February 2008.

TUTTLE