1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-seventh
session (28 May to 6 June 2003), noting that the diseases caused by
the exposure to vapours emanating from benzene were still a source
of great concern, approved Revised minimum safety standards for ships
carrying liquids in bulk containing benzene, as set out in the annex to MSC/Circ.1095.
2 Member Governments were invited to apply the
Revised minimum safety standards for ships carrying liquids in bulk
containing benzene, including precautions to be taken by the crew
in connection with loading and gas-freeing operations appended thereto,
as soon as possible.
3 The Committee, at its eighty-second session,
29 November to 8 December 2006, desiring to protect the health of
seafarers, recognized that, whilst the aforementioned recommendations
were aimed at the shipping community, other measures of a structural
nature were needed, and approved the Voluntary structural guidelines
for new ships carrying liquids in bulk containing benzene, set out
in the annex.
4 Member Governments are invited to bring the
annexed Voluntary structural guidelines to the attention of shipowners,
ship builders, designers and other parties concerned.