RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,
NOTING that specialized types of ships with unusual design
and operational characteristics may differ from those of conventional
merchant ships subject to the International Convention for the Safety
of Life at Sea, 1974 (hereafter referred to as the “1974 SOLAS
Convention”),
ALSO NOTING that, by virtue of the specialized nature of
the work undertaken by these ships, special personnel are carried,
who are neither crew members nor passengers as defined in the 1974
SOLAS Convention,
RECOGNIZING that certain safety standards supplementing
those of the 1974 SOLAS Convention may be required for special purpose
ships,
NOTING FURTHER that the Assembly, at its thirteenth session,
adopted, by resolution A.534(13),
the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships and authorized the Committee
to amend the Code as necessary,
1. ADOPTS the Code of Safety for Special Purpose
Ships, 2008 (2008 SPS Code), the text of which is set out in the Annex
to the present resolution, as an amendment to the Code adopted by
the Assembly by resolution A.534(13);
2. DETERMINES that the 2008 SPS Code supersedes
the SPS Code adopted by resolution A.534(13) for
special purpose ships certified on or after 13 May 2008;
3. INVITES all Contracting Governments to the
1974 SOLAS Convention to take appropriate steps to give effect to
the present Code as soon as possible;
4. REQUESTS the Assembly to endorse the action
taken by the Maritime Safety Committee.