Applicable to:   Ship owners, managers, operators, masters, builders, repairers, paint manufacturers and suppliers and the Shipping Community.

1   Shipping Circular No. 22 of 2007 advised the Shipping Community that conditions for the entry into force of the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001 (AFS Convention) had been met and the instrument would  enter into force on 17 Sep 08.

2   Shipping Circular No. 6 of 2006 informed the Shipping Community of MPA’s plan for Singapore to accede to the AFS Convention in 2009 and urged the Shipping Community to take early action to comply with the Convention when their vessels are dry docked.

3   Article 11, paragraphs (1)(b) and (2), and regulation 1(4)(a) of Annex 4 of
the AFS Convention refer to three different sets of Guidelines to be developed by IMO. All the guidelines have been developed and adopted as follows:

   .1 the Guidelines for survey and certification of anti-fouling systems on ships, by resolution MEPC.102(48) in October 2002    

   .2 the Guidelines for brief sampling of anti-fouling systems on ships, by resolution MEPC.104(49) in July 2003  and

   .3 the Guidelines for inspection of anti-fouling systems on ships, by resolution MEPC.105(49) in July 2003

4   With regard to the Guidelines for inspection of anti-fouling systems on ships, MEPC 49, when adopting them, took the view that, once the AFS Convention has entered into force, the Guidelines could become a new appendix to resolution A.787(19), as amended, on the Procedures for port State control. IMO is taking action to incorporate these Guidelines in the draft consolidated text of the Revised Procedures for port State control (resolution A.787(19), as amended by resolution A.882(21)), currently under development. IMO is also taking action to include the Guidelines for survey and certification of anti-fouling systems on ships in the Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), 2007
(resolution A.997(25)).

5   Article 9(1)(b) of the AFS Convention states that “Each Party undertakes to communicate to IMO, on an annual basis, information regarding any anti-fouling systems approved, restricted, or prohibited under its domestic law”. Article 9(2) of the AFS Convention states that the IMO shall make available, through appropriate means, such information.

6   A number of Member States have provided IMO with information on the approved anti-fouling products and the respective information has been circulated by AFS Circulars ( for AFS.3/Circ.1 on communication received from Canada). More information on the approved anti-fouling products can also be found at the following websites:

www.hse.gov.uk

www.ctb-wageningen.nl

www.kemi.se/Kemi/Kategorier/Bekampningsmedel/Batbottenfarger/batbotten.html 

www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pmra-arla/english/intern/intern-e.html

The Shipping Community is advised to visit the above-mentioned websites.

7   Any queries relating to this circular should be directed to Mr Zafrul Alam (Tel: 6375 6204).
 

KHONG SHEN PING
DIRECTOR OF MARINE
MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE