Report of MSC 105 - 20 to 29 April 2022

The MSC 105 made it possible to adopt or approve long-awaited instruments, the examination of which had been postponed until now due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, a certain number of subjects could not, this time again, be discussed in depth and have been referred to the next session of the committee or to the working groups by correspondence.

MSC 105 has adopted amendments to chapters II-1, III, IV and V, and the appendix (Certificates) to the annex to the 1974 SOLAS Convention and to the 1988 SOLAS protocol, concerning the modernization of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). The Committee adopted many consequential amendments to the 1994 and 2000 HSC, IMSBC and IMDG codes, to non-mandatory instruments, and also an important batch of resolutions and revisions of circulars related to the modernization of GMDSS (item 3).

MSC 105 adopted Res. MSC XXX(105) on Model Regulations on Domestic Ferry Safety, and encouraged Member States to take accelerated measures towards the implementation of the model regulations into national laws (item 4).

MSC 105 also pursued its works on fuel oil safety by approving draft amendments to SOLAS chapter II-2 in relation to situation where the fuel provider failed to meet the requirement in SOALS II-2/4.2.1 on flashpoint, with a view to adoption at MSC 106, and by endorsing a revised action plan for measures to enhance the safety of ships relating to the use of oil fuel (item 5).

MSC 105 approved Interim guidelines for the safety of ships using fuel cell power installations (item 14).

One long-waited decision to be taken was the approval, with a view of a final adoption at MSC 106, of the new SOLAS chapter XV on Safety measures for ships carrying industrial personnel, making the new draft International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code) mandatory. In parallel, MSC approved, in principle, the draft MSC resolution on Adoption of the International Code of Safety for Ships carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code), with a view to adoption in conjunction with the adoption of the associated SOLAS chapter XV (item 15).

It is also worth to mention that MSC 105 adopted a roadmap on MASS to develop a non-mandatory goal- based MASS Code as an interim solution prior to the adoption of a mandatory MASS Code, with the objective of entry into force of the mandatory MASS Code on 1 January 2028. MSC 105 agreed to develop a non-mandatory goal-based Code as a first step, which could become effective from 1 January 2024, before proceeding to the development of a mandatory Code, and that the above non-mandatory Code should initially cover cargo ships with a view to consider the feasibility for application to passenger ships at a future stage (item 7).