RECALLING article VIII(c) of
the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (hereinafter
referred to as "the Convention"), concerning the procedure for amending
the Convention by a Conference of Contracting Governments,
NOTING resolutions A.713(17) and A.797(19) adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization
(IMO), concerning the safety of ships carrying solid bulk cargoes,
BEING DEEPLY CONCERNED at the continued loss of ships carrying
bulk cargoes, sometimes without a trace, and the heavy loss of life
incurred,
RECOGNIZING the urgent need to further improve the safety
standards of ships carrying solid bulk cargoes, in all aspects of
their design, equipment and operation to avoid recurrence of such
casualties,
HAVING CONSIDERED amendments to the annex to the Convention
proposed and circulated to all Members of IMO and all Contracting
Governments to the Convention,
1. ADOPTS, in accordance with article VIII(c)(ii) of the Convention,
amendments to the annex to the Convention the text of which is set
out in the annex to the present
resolution;
2. DETERMINES, in accordance with article VIII(b)(vi)(2)(bb) of the
Convention, that the amendments shall be deemed to have been accepted
on 1 January 1999, unless, prior to that date, more than one third
of Contracting Governments to the Convention or Contracting Governments
the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than 50%
of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant fleet, have notified
the Secretary-General of IMO of their objections to the amendments;
3. INVITES Contracting Governments to note that,
in accordance with article Vlll(b)(vii)(2) of the Convention, the amendments shall enter into force on
1 July 1999 upon their acceptance in accordance with paragraph 2 above.