RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime
Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,
RECALLING ALSO resolution A.886(21), by which the Assembly resolved that the function of
adopting performance standards and technical specifications, as well as amendments
thereto shall be performed by the Maritime Safety Committee and/or the Marine
Environment Protection Committee, as appropriate, on behalf of the Organization,
RECALLING FURTHER that, in accordance with chapter
V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974,
as amended, ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards and less than 500 gross tonnage,
which do not carry a gyro compass, are required to carry a Transmitting Heading Device
(THD), or other means to transmit heading information,
RECALLING FURTHER ALSO that, at its seventieth and seventy-third sessions,
it adopted resolution MSC.86(70) on Adoption of new and amended performance standards
for navigational equipment (which includes, in annex 2, Performance Standards for Marine
Transmitting Magnetic Heading Devices (TMHDs)) and resolution MSC.116(73) on Performance
Standards for Marine Transmitting Heading Devices (THDs),
RECOGNIZING that the magnetic principle of THDs is covered by both the aforementioned
resolutions, which has created an inconsistency and misinterpretation in application of
the relevant performance standards to TMHDs,
1. RECOMMENDS Member Governments to ensure that TMHDs installed on or after 1 July 2002
conform to performance standards not inferior to those specified in resolution
MSC.116(73);
2. FURTHER RECOMMENDS Member Governments continue to accept installations fitted before 1
July 2002 in accordance with annex 2 to resolution MSC.86(70);
3. DECIDES that annex 2 to resolution MSC.86(70) is superseded by resolution MSC.116(73)
for future applications.