No. 3 of 2006 - CHANGES IN CARRIAGE REQUIREMENT OF IMMERSION SUITS ON CARGO SHIPS WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 2006
Shipping Circulars
No. 3 of 2006
19 Jan 2006
Applicable to:Shipowners, shipmanagers, shipping-agents, masters and officers of Singapore ships
This circular is to inform of the changes in carriage requirement of immersion suits on cargo ships with effect from 1 July 2006.
Regulation III/32.3.2 (Immersion suits and thermal protective aids) of SOLAS 74 currently requires cargo ships to carry 3 immersion suits for each lifeboat carried on the ship. In addition, the ships are also required to carry thermal protective aids for persons on board not provided with immersion suits. These immersion suits and thermal protective aids may be dispensed with if the ships have totally enclosed lifeboats or free-fall lifeboats or are constantly engaged on voyages in warm climates.
2.Cargo ships which carry liferafts in lieu of lifeboats pursuant to Regulation III/31.1.3 of SOLAS 74 are currently required by Regulation III/32.3.3 to carry immersion suits for every person on board unless the ships have davit-launched liferafts or liferafts served by equivalent launching appliances or are constantly engaged on voyages in warm climates.
3.These carriage requirements will change when an amendment to Regulation 32.3 (Immersion suits and thermal protective aids) of SOLAS 74 adopted by Resolution MSC.152(78) on 20 May 2004 at the 78th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the IMO comes into force on 1 July 2006.
4.The changes in the carriage requirement for cargo ships with effect from 1 July 2006 are as follows:
(a)cargo ships are required to carry immersion suits for every person on board;
(b)additional immersion suits are required to be carried for the number of persons normally on watch or working in work stations which are located remotely from the place or places where immersion suits are normally stowed;
(c)exemption from the carriage of immersion suits may be granted only to cargo ships constantly engaged on voyages in warm climates. Notwithstanding that, bulk carriers cannot be exempted. The term "voyages in warm climates" means voyages within the latitudes of 30N and 30S.
(d)thermal protective aids are no longer required to be carried except that these are required to be carried in lifeboats and liferafts as part of their equipment.
5.These changes in carriage requirements are applicable to cargo ships regardless of their date of construction. With respect to cargo ships constructed before 1 July 2006, the new carriage requirements are to be complied with not later than the first safety equipment survey on or after 1 July 2006.
6.Owners and operators of cargo ships affected by these changes of carriage requirement are urged to procure the necessary number of immersion suits for their ships well before the compliance deadline as demand for immersion suits may outstrip supply toward 1 July 2006 when the amendment comes into force.
7.Any queries relating to this circular should be directed to Mr. Tan Leong Beng at Tel No. 6375 6207.
KHONG SHEN PING
DIRECTOR OF MARINE
MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE