The Maritime Safety Committee
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Maritime Safety Committee - Resolution MSC.79(70) - Interpretation of the Provisions of SOLAS Chapter XII on Additional Safety Measures for Bulk Carriers - (adopted on 11 December 1998) - The Maritime Safety Committee

The Maritime Safety Committee

 RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,

 NOTING that the 1997 SOLAS Conference adopted new chapter XII of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974 concerning additional safety measures for bulk carriers,

 NOTING FURTHER that SOLAS chapter XII is expected to enter into force on 1 July 1999,

 DESIRING to ensure that all Contracting Governments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention implement SOLAS chapter XII in a consistent and uniform manner,

 RECOGNIZING, therefore, the need to establish, for that purpose, guidance on applications of, and the interpretation to, the relevant provisions of that chapter,

 RESPONDING to the requests of the 1997 SOLAS Conference, as recorded in Conference resolutions 6 and 8 thereof,

  1. URGES Governments concerned to:

  • .1 ensure that bulk carriers to which SOLAS chapter XII applies are clearly identified as such, either on the Safety Management Certificate issued under the provisions of SOLAS chapter IX, or in the booklet required under the provisions of SOLAS regulation XII/8;

  • .2 further ensure that where the identification of "bulk carrier" on the Safety Management Certificate issued under the provisions of SOLAS chapter IX is in question, the interpretation of "bulk carrier" contained in resolution 6 of the 1997 SOLAS Conference be accepted for the issuance and verification of compliance with chapter IX;

  • .3 ensure that ships to which SOLAS regulation XII/4.2 applies are not permitted to be subject to the provisions of SOLAS regulation XII/9 by means of modifications that would render non watertight one or more watertight transverse bulkheads; and

  • .4 interpret the provisions of SOLAS regulation XII/10.2 as follows:

    “For bulk carriers of 150 m in length and upwards of single side skin construction constructed before 1 July 1999, any cargo carried on or after the implementation date specified in regulation 3 and declared to have a density within the range of 1250 to 1780 kg/m3 shall have its density verified by an accredited testing organization, unless such bulk carriers comply with all the relevant requirements of this chapter applicable to be carriage of solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1780 kg/m3 and above."; and

  2. INVITES Governments concerned to bring the contents of this resolution to the attention of all parties concerned.


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