SOLAS Convention

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is an international maritime treaty which sets
minimum safety standards in the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships. The convention requires
signatory flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with at least these standards.
The current version of SOLAS is the 1974 version, known as SOLAS 1974, which came into force on 25 May 1980.
[1]
 As of November 2018, SOLAS 1974 had 164 contracting states,[1] which flag about 99% of merchant ships around
the world in terms of gross tonnage.[1]
SOLAS in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the
safety of merchant ships.[2][3]

Contents

 1Signatories
 2Provisions
 3History
o 3.1Origin and early versions
o 3.21960 version
o 3.31974 version
o 3.41988 version
o 3.52010 version
o 3.6Later amendments
 4See also
 5References
 6External links

Signatories[edit]
As at March 2016, SOLAS 1974 had 162 contracting States,[1][4] which flag about 99% of merchant ships around the
world in terms of gross tonnage.[1] As of 2015, the non-parties to SOLAS 1974 include Bolivia, Lebanon and Sri
Lanka, all considered flag of convenience states.[5]

Provisions[edit]
SOLAS 1974 requires flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with the minimum safety standards in
the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships. The treaty includes articles setting out general
obligations, etc., followed by an annexe divided into twelve chapters, two new chapters were added in 2016 and
2017.[2] Of these, chapter five (often called 'SOLAS V') is the only one that applies to all vessels on the sea, including
private yachts and small craft on local trips as well as to commercial vessels on international passages. Many
countries have turned these international requirements into national laws so that anybody on the sea who is in breach
of SOLAS[6] V requirements may find themselves subject to legal proceedings.[7]
Chapter I – General Provisions
Surveying the various types of ships and certifying that they meet the requirements of the convention.[2]
Chapter II-1 – Construction – Subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations
The subdivision of passenger ships into watertight compartments so that after damage to its hull, a vessel
will remain afloat and stable.[2]
Chapter II-2 – Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
Fire safety provisions for all ships with detailed measures for passenger ships, cargo ships and tanker.[2]
Chapter III – Life-saving appliances and arrangements
Life-saving appliances and arrangements, including requirements for life boats, rescue boats and life jackets
according to type of ship.[2] The specific technical requirements are given in the International Life-Saving
Appliance (LSA) Code.[2]
Chapter IV – Radiocommunications
The Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) requires passenger and cargo ships on international
voyages to carry radio equipment, including satellite Emergency Position Indicating Radio
Beacons (EPIRBs) and Search and Rescue Transponders (SARTs).[2]
Chapter V – Safety of navigation
This chapter requires governments to ensure that all vessels are sufficiently and efficiently manned from a
safety point of view. It places requirements on all vessels regarding voyage and passage planning,
expecting a careful assessment of any proposed voyages by all who put to sea. Every mariner must take
account of all potential dangers to navigation, weather forecasts, tidal predictions, the competence of the
crew, and all other relevant factors.[7] It also adds an obligation for all vessels' masters to offer assistance to
those in distress and controls the use of lifesaving signals with specific requirements regarding danger and
distress messages. It is different from the other chapters, which apply to certain classes of commercial
shipping, in that these requirements apply to all vessels and their crews, including yachts and private craft,
on all voyages and trips including local ones.[2]
Chapter VI – Carriage of Cargoes
Requirements for the stowage and securing of all types of cargo and cargo containers except liquids and
gases in bulk.[2]
Chapter VII – Carriage of dangerous goods
Requires the carriage of all kinds of dangerous goods to be in compliance with the International Bulk
Chemical Code (IBC Code),[8] The International Code of the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying
Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code).[2]
Chapter VIII – Nuclear ships
Nuclear powered ships are required, particularly concerning radiation hazards, to conform to the Code of
Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships.[2]
Chapter IX – Management for the Safe Operation of Ships
Requires every shipowner and any person or company that has assumed responsibility for a ship to comply
with the International Safety Management Code (ISM).[2]
Chapter X – Safety measures for high-speed craft
Makes mandatory the International Code of Safety for High-speed craft (HSC Code).
Chapter XI-1 – Special measures to enhance maritime
Safety
Requirements relating to organizations responsible for carrying out surveys and inspections, enhanced
surveys, the ship identification number scheme, and operational requirements.
Chapter XI-2 – Special measures to enhance maritime
security
Includes the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code). Confirms that the role of the
Master in maintaining the security of the ship is not, and cannot be, constrained by the Company, the
charterer or any other person. Port facilities must carry out security assessments and develop, implement
and review port facility security plans. Controls the delay, detention, restriction, or expulsion of a ship from a
port. Requires that ships must have a ship security alert system, as well as detailing other measures and
requirements.[2]
Chapter XII – Additional safety measures for bulk
carriers
Specific structural requirements for bulk carriers over 150 metres in length.[2]
Chapter XIII - Verification of compliance
Makes mandatory from 1 January 2016 the IMO Member State Audit Scheme.
Chapter XIV - Safety measures for ships
operating in polar waters
The chapter makes mandatory, from 1 January 2017, the Introduction and part I-A of the International Code
for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code).

History[edit]
Origin and early versions[edit]
The first version of SOLAS Treaty was
passed in 1914 in response to the
sinking of the RMS  Titanic, which
prescribed numbers of lifeboats and
other emergency equipment along with
safety procedures, including continuous
radio watches.[9] The 1914 treaty never
entered into force due to the outbreak of
the First World War.
Further versions were adopted in 1929
and 1948.[2][10]

1960 version[edit]
The 1960 Convention was adopted on
17 June 1960 and entered into force on
26 May 1965. It was the fourth SOLAS
Convention and was the first major
achievement for International Maritime
Organization (IMO). It represented a
considerable step forward in
modernizing regulations and keeping up
with technical developments in the
shipping industry.[11]

1974 version[edit]
In 1974 a completely new Convention
was adopted to allow SOLAS to be
amended and implemented within a
reasonable timescale, instead of the
previous procedure to incorporate
amendments, which proved to be very
slow. Under SOLAS 1960, it could take
several years for amendments to come
into force since countries had to give
notice of acceptance to IMO and there
was a minimum threshold of countries
and tonnage. Under SOLAS 1974,
amendments enter into force via a tacit
acceptance procedure – this allows an
amendment to enter into force on a
specified date, unless objections to an
amendment are received from an
agreed number of parties.
The 1974 SOLAS came into force on 25
May 1980,[1] 12 months after its
ratification by at least 25 countries with
at least 50% of gross tonnage. It has
been updated and amended on
numerous occasions since then and the
Convention in force today is sometimes
referred to as SOLAS, 1974, as
amended.[2][11]
In 1975 the assembly of the IMO
decided that the 1974 convention
should in future use SI (metric) units
only.[12]

1988 version[edit]
In particular, amendments in 1988
based on amendments of International
Radio Regulations in 1987
replaced Morse code with the Global
Maritime Distress Safety
System (GMDSS) and came into force
beginning 1 February 1992. The issues
 covered by the treaty are set out in the
list of sections (above).

2010 version[edit]
This section needs expansion. You

can help by adding to it. (February

2019)

Later amendments[edit]
The up-to-date list of amendments to
SOLAS is maintained by the IMO.
Previous amendments were made in
May 2011.[13] In 2015, another later
amendment is the SOLAS Container
Weight Verification Regulation VI/2.
[14]
 This regulation, implemented by
the IMO Maritime Safety Committee
(MSC) requires that the full weight of
loaded containers must be obtained
prior to being onboarded on an ocean
vessel. Communicating a weight value
has called for the introduction of a
new Electronic Data Interchange
(EDI) communication protocol called
VGM (Verified Gross Mass) or
VERMAS (Verification of Mass), and
involves cooperation between ocean
carriers, Freight
Forwarders/NVOCCs, EDI providers as
well as exporters. The regulation states
that exporters (shippers) are ultimately
responsible to obtain a verified
container weight.[15] Originally scheduled
for implementation on 1 July 2016,[16] the
regulation allows for flexibility and
practical refinement according to the
Maritime Safety Committee
Memorandum #1548[17] to 1 October
2016.

See also[edit]

 Transport portal

 International Ship and Port Facility

Security Code (ISPS)
 Survival suit
 Oswego-Guardian/Texanita
collision
 Automatic Identification System

References[edit]

1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g Status of
multilateral Conventions
2. ^ Jump up
to:a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q
                                 "Internation
al Convention for the Safety of
Life at Sea
(SOLAS)". International Maritime
Organization (IMO). Retrieved 6
April 2013.
3. ^ Implications of the United
Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea for the International
Maritime Organization, Study by
the Secretariat of the International
Maritime Organization
(IMO)  (PDF), International
Maritime Organization, 19
January 2012, p. 11, archived
from the original  (PDF) on 9
January 2015, retrieved 6
April 2013, As of December
2011, the three conventions that
include the most comprehensive
sets of rules and standards on
safety, pollution prevention and
training and certification of
seafarers, namely, SOLAS,
MARPOL and STCW, have been
ratified by 159, 150 and 154
States, respectively (representing
approximately 99% gross tonnage
of the world's merchant fleet).
4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived
from the original on 3 March
2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
5. ^ "ICS Shipping Industry Flag
State Performance Table
2015/16"  (PDF). International
Chamber of Shipping.
Retrieved 12 March 2016.
6. ^ "solas weighing method".
Archived from the original on 30
March 2018. Retrieved 1
July 2016.
7. ^ Jump up to:a b "SOLAS V
Regulations". Royal Yachting
Association (RYA). 15 November
2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
8. ^ "IBC Code". www.imo.org.
Retrieved 2 July 2017.
9. ^ Text of the Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea, Signed at
London, January 20, 1914 [with
Translation.], London: His
Majesty's Stationery Office by
Harrison and Sons, 1914
10. ^ International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea, 1948,
London, 10th June, 1948  (PDF),
London: Her Majesty's Stationery
Office, January 1953
11. ^ Jump up to:a b New amendments into
force from 1st July 2014 for
SOLAS Convention
12. ^ "Resolution A.351(IX) Use of
metric units in the SI system in
 the International Convention for
the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974,
and other future
instruments"  (PDF). Assembly
Resolutions. International
Maritime Organization. 12
November 1975. Retrieved 4
September 2012.
13. ^ "SOLAS 1974: Brief History –
List of amendments to date and
where to find them". International
Maritime Organization. Archived
from the original on 25 July 2014.
Retrieved 6 April 2013.
14. ^ "IMO Requirement For
Container Weight
Verification". International
Maritime Organization.
Retrieved 3 June 2016.
15. ^ "MSC 94th Session Summary of
SOLAS Container Weight
Requirements"  (PDF).
16. ^ "IMO Implementation and
Action Dates Including
SOLAS". International Maritime
Organization.
17. ^ "IMO MSC.1/Circular 1548
Updating SOLAS Regulation VI2
Clauses"(PDF). International
Maritime Organization.

External links[edit]
 International Life-Saving Appliance
(LSA) Code – under the auspices
of the International Convention for
the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
of 1 November 1974, (London, 4
June 1996)
 International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea, Treaty in
ECOLEX-the gateway to
environmental law (English)
 USCG: Lifesaving & Fire Safety
Division
 USCG Summary of IMO
conventions
 IMO: Status of Conventions
 SOLAS: container weighing
method 1 & 2 -broken link-
 10 things you need to know about
the new SOLAS regulations

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