SOLAS is the key international maritime treaty that sets minimum safety standards for construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships. It was first adopted in 1914 in response to the Titanic disaster and has undergone several revisions, with the latest in 1974. The convention includes regulations across 12 chapters addressing issues like ship construction, lifesaving appliances, radio equipment, safety of navigation and carriage of cargoes. Port state control inspections help enforce SOLAS standards by inspecting foreign ships in national ports to verify their compliance with international regulations.

1. SOLAS MARITIME LAW

2. INTRODUCTION
• SOLAS is generally regarded as the most important convention
concerning safety of merchant ships.
• 1st Version adopted 1914 in response to the Titanic disaster.
• It went through a very likely evolution process.
• In 1960 – The New Version of SOLAS becomes 1st Major task of
IMO.

3. MAIN OBJECTIVE OF SOLAS
The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is:
1. Specify minimum standards for the construction.
2. Compatible with their safety.
The current SOLAS Convention includes Article setting out
general obligations, amendment procedure and so on followed
by an Annex divided into 12 Chapters.

4. HISTORY
SOLAS 1974, as amended
• Adoption: 1 November 1974
• Entry into force: 25 May 1980
• The first version was adopted in 1914, in response to the Titanic
disaster, the second in 1929, the third in 1948, and the fourth in
1960. The 1960 Convention - which was adopted on 17 June 1960
and entered into force on 26 May 1965
• As a result, a completely new Convention was adopted in 1974 which
included not only the amendments agreed up until that date but a
new amendment procedure - the tacit acceptance procedure -
designed to ensure that changes could be made within a specified
(and acceptably short) period of time.

5. HISTORY CONT.
Amendment procedure
• After consideration within International Maritime Organization (IMO)
• Six months before consideration by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)
- Which may refer discussions to one or more IMO Subcommittees
- Amendments are adopted by a two-thirds majority of Contracting
Governments present and voting in the MSC. Contracting Governments of
SOLAS
Amendments by a Conference
• A Conference of Contracting Governments is called when a Contracting
Government requests the holding of a Conference and at least one-third of
Contracting Governments agree to hold the Conference. Amendments are
adopted by a two-thirds majority of Contracting Governments present and
voting.

6. SOLAS CHAPTERS
• Chapter I - General provisions.
- Surveys and certification of all the safety items are included.
- General Provisions concerning the survey of the various
types of ships
and the issuing of documents signifying that the ship meets
the
requirements of the Convention.
- Provisions for the control of ships in ports of other
Contracting
Governments.

7. SOLAS CHAPTERS – CONT.
• Chapter II-1 - Construction - Subdivision and stability,
machinery and
electrical installations.
- Deals with water tight integrity of the ship, especially for
passenger on
the vessel.

8. SOLAS CHAPTERS – CONT.
• Chapter II-2 - Fire protection, fire detection and fire
extinction.
- This chapter elaborates the means and measure for fire
protection in
accommodation, cargo spaces and engine room for
passenger, cargo
and tanker ship.
• Chapter III - Life-saving appliances and arrangements.
- All the life saving appliances and there use in different

9. SOLAS CHAPTERS – CONT.
• Chapter IV – Radio-communications.
- Includes requirements of Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System
(GMDSS), Search and Rescue Transponders (SART), Satellite
Emergency
Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) for cargo and
passenger
vessel.
- The Chapter is closely linked to the Radio Regulations of the
International Telecommunication Union.

10. SOLAS CHAPTERS – CONT.
• Chapter V - Safety of navigation.
- This chapter deals with all the sea going vessels of all sizes,
from boats
to VLCCs, and includes passage planning, navigation and
distress
signal.

11. SOLAS CHAPTERS – CONT.
• Chapter VI - Carriage of Cargoes.
- This chapter defines storage and securing of different types
of cargo
and containers, but does not include oil and gas cargo.
• Chapter VII - Carriage of dangerous goods.
- Defines International Maritime Goods Code for storage and
transportation of dangerous goods.

12. SOLAS CHAPTERS – CONT.
• Chapter VIII - Nuclear ships.
- The code of safety for nuclear propelled ship is stated in this
chapter.
• Chapter IX - Management for the safe operation of ships.
- The International Safety Management code for ship owner and
operator is
described clearly.
• Chapter X - Safety measures for high-speed craft.

13. SOLAS CHAPTERS – CONT.
• Chapter XI-1 - Special measures to enhance maritime safety.
• Chapter XI-2 - Special measures to enhance maritime security.
- Special and enhanced survey for safe operation, other
operational
requirements and ISPS code is briefed in this chapter.
• Chapter XII - Additional safety measures for bulk carriers.
- Includes safety requirement for above 150 meters length of
bulk carrier.

14. SOLAS NEW REGULATIONS 2016
• To improve safety in the supply chain, the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) has made amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS) convention indicating that all shippers must comply with
mandatory container weight verification requirements, or Verified
Gross Mass (VGM), effective July 1, 2016.
• This applies to all packed containers which are to be loaded on to a
vessel under the SOLAS regime in international maritime traffic.

15. VERIFIED GROSS MASS (VGM)
• VGM is the total gross mass of a packed container which includes the
cargo weight, block & bracing materials and container tare. The
SOLAS Convention offers two methods to obtain the VGM.
• “No VGM, No loading.” A container without a VGM is not allowed to
load onto the vessel. The shipper is responsible for the potential
regulatory penalties and all costs associated to the exception
handling of the containers without the VGM.

17. EFFECT AFTER SOLAS
IMPLEMENTATION
• 1 Year later,
- SOLAS requirement that shippers provide the verified gross mass (VGM) of
each container
before it could be loaded onto a vessel.
- But doubts on the accuracy of declarations remains linger.
• Fears were generally unfounded that the International Maritime Organization’s
(IMO's) rule, which took effect July 1, which :-
- Disrupt port
- Increase congestion
- Raise the cost of moving cargo
- Result in containers left behind on docks as shippers struggled to provide the
correct
information

18. PSC (PORT STATE CONTROL)
Introduction
• PSC is the inspection of foreign ships in national ports to
verify that the condition of the ship
• In order to ensure that the condition of foreign ships is well
above the excepted level, inspections are done on the ships
when they visit international ports
• ​​​​​The regulation of port state control was brought in by the
formation of Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MOU),
which also put forth the general criteria for inspection
procedures of all types of ships

19. BACKGROUND OF PSC
• 1978, a number of European countries agreed in The Hague on
a memorandum for the audit of labor conditions on board
vessels as to whether they were in accordance with the rules of
the ILO.
• After the Amoco Cadiz sank that year, it was decided to also
audit safety and pollution practices.
• To this end, in 1982 14 European countries agreed on the Paris
Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris
MoU) to establish port state control.
• Nowadays 26 European countries and Canada are signatories
of Paris MoU

20. SOME GENERAL RULES FOR THE
INSPECTION OF FOREIGN VESSELS
THAT STATED BY MOU
• Inspection would be carried out on ships coming to a port for
the first time or after an absence of 12 months of more
• Inspection would be carried out of ships which have been
permitted to leave the port of a state with deficiencies to be
rectified
• Ships whose certificates are not in order would because
inspected

21. BASIC PRINCIPLE OF PORT STATE
CONTROL
• Inspections are generally unannounced.
• The prime responsibility for the compliance with the
requirements laid down in the international maritime
conventions lies with the ship-owner/operator; responsibility
for ensuring such compliance remains with the flag State
• The member- countries agree to inspect a given percentage of
their estimated number of individual foreign merchant vessels

22. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE
CHECKED DURING PSC
INSPECTION
• Cargo Record Book
• Oil Record Book
• International tonnage certificate
• Medical fitness certificate
• Fire control and safety plan
• Engine room and deck log book

23. THINGS PORT STATE CONTROL
INSPECTOR CAN CHECK IN THE
ENGINE ROOM OF A SHIP
• Check alarms and safety trips for Main engine, all alarms and
trips for auxiliary engine and other machineries like
compressor, boiler and others. He also can check the lifting of
safety valve of a boiler and other.
• Check on steering room. He check for any leakages and
abnormality. He may ask any crew member to demonstrate
practically the procedure for emergency steering.

24. EXAMPLE OF PSC INSPECTION
REPORT

25. DETENTION
• When the ship is found to be dangerously unsafe to the safety of the ship,
its crew and to marine environment.
• When the condition and standard of the ship is incomplete contravention
with the regulations put forth by the IMO and other maritime authorities

26. CONCLUSION
• SOLAS really help when the ship is under construction and also
when the ship
performs the task.
• SOLAS was not made to give obstacles to ship industries, but
the rules was
made to help and improve it.