1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-fourth
session (30 May to 8 June 2001), in dealing with matters related to
bulk carrier safety, considered the recommendation that ship owners
should maintain on board and ashore as-built construction drawings
and other plans showing subsequent structural alterations, and requested
the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment (DE) to address the
issue with the assistance of IACS, interested Member Governments and
international organizations, with the aim of helping shipowners in
the development of an effective and comprehensive maintenance programme
for their ships.
2 The DE Sub-Committee, at its forty-seventh session
(25 February to 5 March 2004), recognizing the importance of such
as-built drawings for proper planning and conduct of surveys, repairs,
owner's inspections, etc., not only for bulk carriers, but for all
types of ships, prepared a list of relevant construction drawings
with a view of ensuring uniform application of the relevant provisions
of the 1974 SOLAS Convention.
3 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-ninth
session (1 to 10 December 2004), following the recommendation of DE
47, approved the list of as-built construction drawings to be maintained
on board the ship and ashore, as set out in the annex.
4 Member Governments are invited to bring the
annexed list to the attention of shipowners, operators, ship masters,
shipyards, recognized organizations and other parties involved in
ship building, repairing, surveys and inspections.