1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its ninety-third
session (14 to 23 May 2014), in adopting the amendments to SOLAS chapter II-2 to include requirements
for vehicle carrier carrying motor vehicles with compressed hydrogen
or natural gas in their tanks for their own propulsion as cargo, approved Recommendations on safety measures for existing vehicle carriers carrying
motor vehicles with compressed hydrogen or natural gas in their tanks
for their own propulsion as cargo, as set out in the following
paragraphs.
2 The carriage of vehicles with compressed hydrogen
or compressed natural gas in their tanks for their own propulsion
should be to the satisfaction of the Administration, taking into account SOLAS regulation II-2/20-1 and SP
961 and SP 962 of the IMDG Code, as applicable.
3 The shipper should provide a signed certificate
or declaration that the vehicle fuel system, as offered for carriage,
has been checked for leak-tightness and the vehicle is in proper condition
for carriage prior to loading. In addition, the shipper is to mark,
label or placard each vehicle, after it has been checked for leak-tightness
and that it is in proper condition for carriage. During loading, the
crew should check each vehicle for the shipper's markings.
4 Member States are invited to use the recommendations
above on a voluntary basis when approving the carriage of motor vehicles
with compressed hydrogen or compressed natural gas in their tanks
for their own propulsion as cargo on existing vehicle carriers and
bring them to the attention of owners, operators and other parties
concerned, as appropriate.