2 Background

  2.2.1.1 It is required under MARPOL and SOLAS to ensure that the ship is loaded in accordance with all relevant stability criteria, prior to proceeding to sea. This responsibility is identified in the relevant provisions of SOLAS and MARPOL. There are additional provisions and requirements for certificates issued under the IBC and IGC Codes.

  2.2.1.2 It is a requirement of paragraph 1.2.3 of the ISM Code that all ships to which the SOLAS Convention applies shall be operated in a manner which ensures compliance with all international instruments, national and other legislation which applies to them.

  2.2.1.3 This provision covers the need for tankers to be operated in a manner which ensures compliance with the damage stability requirements of MARPOL Annex I, or the IBC and IGC Codes, as applicable.

  2.2.1.4 Section 7 of the ISM Code further obliges the operating company to ensure there are adequate procedures in place to ensure compliance with these requirements, including the use of checklists as appropriate, and that any task is only undertaken by duly qualified personnel.

  2.2.1.5 Such operating procedures should include the maintenance of adequate records to demonstrate to internal and external ISM auditors and to PSC inspectors, that all relevant mandatory requirements are being met during service of the ship.

  2.2.1.6 These Guidelines are also relevant to ships to which chapter IX of the SOLAS Convention does not apply, and it is recommended that operational guidance on board should be to an equivalent standard to that provided for such ships, having regard to the extension of MARPOL Annex I and the IBC and IGC Codes to ships of less than SOLAS Convention size.

  2.2.1.7 Tankers carrying oil and chemicals are assessed against different damage stability criteria, and therefore the verification should be confirmed against the appropriate criteria.

  2.2.1.8 In order to understand this issue, the terms Intact Stability, Damage Stability and Stability in the Damaged Condition should be understood and are explained below.

  2.2.2.1 The International Code on Intact Stability, 2008 (2008 IS Code), adopted by resolution MSC.267(85), provides information and criteria which must be complied with by cargo and passenger ships. This Intact Stability information is provided to the master as per SOLAS chapter II-1, regulation 5-1.

  2.2.2.2 During normal operations the intact stability of a ship is assessed by either using an intact stability function attached to a loading or stability instrument or by manual calculations.

  2.2.2.3 Compliance with intact stability shall be demonstrated before proceeding to sea and evidence of this documented.

  2.2.3.1 Damage stability requirements in SOLAS chapter II-1, parts B-1 to B-4, as applicable, must be complied with, where applicable, by all cargo ships above 80 m length other than those which are required to comply with subdivision and damage stability regulations in other IMO instruments.

  2.2.3.2 Oil tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers complying with the damage stability provisions of MARPOL Annex I, the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code) and the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code), are not required to comply with the damage stability requirements of SOLAS chapter II-1, part B-1.

  2.2.3.3 Information provided to the master in the form of a stability booklet contains loading conditions (including ballast conditions) which have been verified to ensure compliance with both intact and damage stability requirements relative to its ship type. When the tanker is in an operational condition which is not covered by one of the loading conditions contained in the stability booklet, then compliance with damage stability must be verified prior to proceeding to sea and evidence of this documented (refer to the 2008 IS Code).

  2.2.4.1 This is the residual stability of the ship after an actual damage to its structure, and consequent flooding, has occurred. Damages of varying size and layout are evaluated during approval of stability information, up to the damage of maximum extent, as defined within the regulations which apply to a particular ship.

  2.2.4.2 Compliance with basic intact stability criteria does not necessarily ensure compliance with damage stability requirements and intact stability characteristics well in excess of the statutory minimum may be necessary for a particular loading condition to ensure compliance with damage stability.

  2.2.4.3 Compliance with damage stability requirements should always be verified prior to sailing, and is required to ensure a ship shall survive a damage of any extent up to the maximum extent required by the regulations which apply to it, should such a damage occur. Use of a shore side contractor, retained to provide emergency evaluation and assistance in the event that a damage does occur in service, is not an accepted means to make such pre-departure verification.

  2.2.4.4 It is important to note that in the event of any damage occurring to the ship which requires reporting to the flag Administration, port State and recognized organization (RO), specialist advice should always be sought to verify the continued structural integrity.