RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,
RECALLING ALSO that by resolution A.751(18) the Assembly
approved Interim Standards for ship manoeuvrability (the Interim standards),
whereby Governments were recommended to encourage those responsible
for the design, construction, repair and operation of ships to apply
the Interim Standards and invited to collect data obtained by the
application of the Interim Standards and report them to the Organization,
RECALLING FURTHER that by circular MSC/Circ.1053 the Committee approved Explanatory notes to the Standards
for ship manoeuvrability, to provide Administrations with specific
guidance so that adequate data may be collected by the Organization
on the manoeuvrability of ships,
RECOGNIZING the manoeuvring capability of ships to be an
important contribution to the safety of navigation,
BELIEVING that the development and implementation of standards
for ship manoeuvrability, particularly for large ships and ships carrying
dangerous goods in bulk, will improve maritime safety and enhance
marine environmental protection,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Sub-Committee
on Ship Design and Equipment at its forty-fifth session,
1. ADOPTS the Standards for ship manoeuvrability,
the text of which is set out in the Annex to the present resolution;
2. INVITES Governments to encourage those responsible
for the design, construction, repair and operation of ships to apply
the Standards to ships constructed on or after 1 January 2004;
3. RESOLVES that the provisions annexed to the
present resolution supersede the provisions annexed to resolution
A.751(18).