1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its ninetieth session (16 to 25 May 2012), with a
view to ensuring a uniform approach towards the application of the provisions of SOLAS regulations II-1/28 and II-1/29, and following a recommendation made by
the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment at its fifty-fifth session, approved
unified interpretations concerning the arrangements for steering capability and function
on ships fitted with propulsion and steering systems other than traditional arrangements
for a ship's directional control, as contained in Unified interpretation of SOLAS regulations II-1/28 and II-1/29 (MSC.1/Circ.1416).
2 Noting that the 1974 SOLAS Convention adequately addresses steering gear
arrangements having a traditional propulsion system and a rudder-type steering system,
whereas it does not adequately provide for modern combined propulsion/steering systems
such as azimuth thrusters, podded propulsors, waterjets, cycloidal propellersfootnote, etc. and that there is a need to clarify that the requirements of SOLAS regulation II-1/30.2 apply to each steering system in ships fitted
with multiple steering systems, the Maritime Safety Committee, at its 101st session (5
to 14 June 2019), approved the Unified interpretation of SOLAS regulations II-1/28, II-1/29 and II-1/30, prepared by the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and
Equipment, at its sixth session, as set out in the annex.
3 Member Governments are invited to use the annexed interpretations from 1
January 2020 when applying the relevant provisions of SOLAS regulations II-1/28, II-1/29 and II-1/30, and to bring them to the attention of all parties
concerned.
4 This circular supersedes MSC.1/Circ.1416.