1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-ninth
session (11 to 20 May 2011), approved the Guidelines for evaluation
and replacement of lifeboat release and retrieval systems, set out
in the annex, as per SOLAS regulation
III/1.5, following the recommendations made by the Sub-Committee
on Ship Design and Equipment, at its fifty-fifth session, and the Ad
Hoc Working Group on Lifeboat Release Hooks (16 to 18 March
2011).
2 Member Governments are invited to use the annexed
Guidelines when applying SOLAS regulation
III/1.5, as adopted by resolution MSC.317(89), and to bring
them to the attention of all parties concerned.
3 Member Governments, shipowners and manufacturers
of lifeboat release and retrieval systems are also strongly urged,
pending the entry into force of SOLAS regulation
III/1.5, to use the annexed Guidelines to evaluate existing
lifeboat release and retrieval systems at the earliest available opportunity.footnote
4 Member Governments are strongly urged to ensure
that all ships fitted with on-load release systems for lifeboats,
are equipped with fall preventer devices as per paragraph 6 of these
Guidelines at the earliest available opportunity.
5 Member Governments are encouraged to consider
the results of evaluations reported to the Organization by other Member
Governments on types of existing lifeboat release and retrieval systems.