1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-seventh
session, adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention by resolution MSC.291(87).
2 The new SOLAS regulation
II-1/3-11.5 introduced by this amendment allows an Administration
to exempt a crude oil tanker from the requirements if the ship is
built to be engaged solely in the carriage of cargoes and cargo handling
operations not causing corrosion.
3 The Committee, at its ninetieth session (16
to 25 May 2012), having recognized the need for guidelines on exemptions
for crude oil tankers solely engaged in the carriage of cargoes and
cargo handling operations not causing corrosion, considered a proposal
by the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment, at its fifty-fifth
session, and approved the Guidelines on exemptions for crude oil tankers
solely engaged in the carriage of cargoes and cargo handling operations
not causing corrosion, set out in the annex.
4 The purpose of this circular is to provide guidance
to Administrations. It should not, however, be considered as precluding
Administrations from their right to grant exemptions from corrosion
protection of cargo oil tanks of crude oil tankers, or to impose any
conditions when granting such exemptions under the provisions of SOLAS regulation II-1/3-11.5.