1 The Maritime Safety Committee (the Committee),
at its ninety-fourth session (17 to 21 November 2014), considered
and approved amendments to the Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage
and Securing (CSS Code), set out in the annex. The present circular
also incorporates the amendments approved by the Committee, at its
eighty-seventh session (12 to 21 May 2010) (MSC 87/26, paragraph 10.4
refers).
2 Member Governments are invited to bring the
annexed Amendments to the CSS Code to the attention of shipowners,
ship operators, shipmasters and crews and all other parties concerned
and, in particular, encourage shipowners and terminal operators to:
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.1 apply the annexed amendments in its entirety
for containerships*, the keels of which were laid or which are at
a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2015;
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.2 apply sections 4.4 (Training and familiarization),
7.1 (Introduction), 7.3 (Maintenance) and section 8 (Specialized container
safety design) to existing containerships*, the keels of which were
laid or which are at a similar stage of construction before 1 January
2015; and
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.3 apply the principles of this guidance contained
in sections 6 (Design) and 7.2 (Operational procedures) to existing
containerships* as far as practical by the flag State Administration
with the understanding that existing ships would not be required to
be enlarged or undergo other major structural modifications as determined.
3 This circular revokes MSC.1/Circ.1352 issued
on 30 June 2010 and any reference to MSC.1/Circ.1352 should be read
as reference to the present circular.