SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea)

1. INTRODUCTION TO SOLAS (SAFETY OF LIFE
AT SEA)

2. BACKGROUND
• International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
• First version adopted at a conference held in London in 1914 – (In
response to the Titanic disaster in 1912)
• Second adopted in 1929 and entered into force in 1933
• The third was adopted in 1948 and entered into force in 1952

3. • Fourth was adopted in 1960 and entered into force in 1965
• Present version adopted in 1974 and entered into force in 1980
• Henceforth “SOLAS 74”
• The 1974 convention is the version currently in force and is unlikely to
be replaced by a new convention.

4. FORMAT OF SOLAS ‘74
• SOLAS 74 in its present form consists of twelve chapters each
concerned with different aspects of maritime safety.
• Some chapters are further sub-divided into parts.
• New chapters can and have been added following response by IMO
to various casualties and changes in technology.

5. TECHNICAL PROVISIONS
• SOLAS 74 specifies minimum standards for the construction,
equipment and operation of ships.
• Flag state and Port state responsibilities are established.
• Cross reference is made to Codes, compliance with which becomes
mandatory when included within the fabric of the convention.

6. SOLAS AND MANDATORY CODES
• SOLAS consists of the followings:
• I General
• II-1 Construction (stability, machinery, electrical installations)
• II-2 Fire protection
• III Life saving appliances
• IV Radio communications
• V Navigation
• VI Carriage of cargoes
• VII Carriage of dangerous goods
• VIII Nuclear ships
• IX Management for the safe operation of ships
• X Safety measures for high-speed craft
• XI Measures to enhance maritime safety
• XII Additional safety measures for bulk carriers

7. SOLAS AND MANDATORY CODES
• SOLAS also consists of following codes:
• Fire Test Procedures (FTP) Code
• Fire Safety Systems (FSS) Code
• International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code
• International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code
• International Bulk Chemical (IBC) Code
• International Gas Carrier (IGC) Code
• International Safety Management (ISM) Code
• International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
• And ............

8. SOLAS CHAPTER I
• Regulations concerning the survey of various types of vessel.
• The issuing of certificates signifying that vessels meet the
requirements of the convention.
• Provisions for the control of ships in ports of other contracting
governments (port state inspection).

9. SOLAS CHAPTER II-1
Vessel construction, subdivision and stability
Details a vessel’s safety construction features e.g.
• The watertight subdivision of ships.
• Requirements for watertight integrity.
• Bilge pumping arrangements
• Stability requirements.

10. SOLAS CHAPTER II-2
• Details the machinery and electrical installations required to ensure
that the services which are essential for the safety of the ship are
maintained under various emergency conditions. e.g.
• Emergency generators - Uninterruptable power supplies.
• Emergency fire pumps - Bilge pumps – Air compressors.

11. SOLAS CHAPTER II-2
Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
• Details fire safety provisions e.g.
• Division of the ship into zones by thermal and structural boundaries.
• Separation of accommodation spaces from the remainder of the ship
by thermal and structural boundaries.
• Restricted use of combustible materials.

12. SOLAS CHAPTER II-2
Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
• Detection, containment and extinction of any fire in the space of origin.
• Protection of the means of escape or of access for fire-fighting
purposes.
• Minimization of the possibility of ignition of flammable cargo vapour.

13. SOLAS CHAPTER III
Life-saving appliances and arrangements
• Requirements for lifeboats, liferafts, evacuation systems, personnel
survival aïds etc.
• The chapter incorporates the mandatory International Life-Saving
Appliance (LSA) Code.
• Various amendments concerning lifeboat drills and the provision of
immersion suits due to come into force in July 2006.

14. SOLAS CHAPTER IV
• Radio communications
Revised in 1988 to introduce the Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System (GMDSS) and phase out Wireless Telegraphy (Morse Code)
communication.
• All ships of above 300 gt on international voyages are now required
to be fitted with:-
1) GMDSS.
2) EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon).
3) SART (Search and Rescue Transponder).
4) NAVTEX (Navigational text receiver).

15. SOLAS CHAPTER V
Safety of navigation
• Details requirements for:-
• Meteorological information; ice patrol; routeing systems; search and
rescue.
• Fitting of automatic ship identification systems (AIS) and the phasing
in of voyage data recorders (VDR).
• Masters to proceed to the assistance of those in distress.
• Safe manning of ships.
• 24 hour position and condition reporting.

16. SOLAS CHAPTER VI
Carriage of Cargoes
• Requirements:-
• Originally only covered the carriage of grain - International Grain
Code.
• Now covers all types of cargo (except liquids and gases in bulk)
‘which, owing to their particular hazards to ships or persons on board,
may require special precautions’.
• Include requirements for stowage and securing of cargo or cargo
units i.e. containers.

17. SOLAS CHAPTER VII
Carriage of dangerous goods: Part A
• Covers the carriage of dangerous goods in packaged form, solid form
or bulk.
• The chapter refers to the mandatory International Maritime
Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
• Regularly amended every 2 years to harmonise it with UN
requirements for the smooth movement of such goods across various
transport modes.
• (IMDG) Code current amendment No. 36-12 enters into force on 1st
January 2014.

18. SOLAS CHAPTER VII
Carriage of dangerous goods: Part B
• Covers the construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous
liquid chemicals in bulk.
• Chemical tankers built after 1st July 1986 must comply with the
mandatory International Bulk Chemical (IBC) Code.

19. SOLAS CHAPTER VII
• Covers the construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied
gases in bulk.
• Gas carriers constructed after 1st July 1986 must comply with the
requirements of the mandatory International Code for the Construction
and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC) Code.

20. SOLAS CHAPTER VII
Carriage of dangerous goods: Part D
• Covers the construction and equipment of ships carrying radioactive
materials.
• Ships must comply with the requirements of the mandatory
International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated
Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on Board
Ships (INF) Code.

21. SOLAS CHAPTER VIII
Nuclear Ships
• This chapter gives basic requirements for the construction and
operation of nuclear-powered ships and is particularly concerned with
radiation hazards.
• It also refers to the mandatory Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant
Ships.

22. SOLAS CHAPTER IX
Management for the Safe Operation of Ships
• This chapter makes mandatory the International Safety Management
(ISM) Code
• This chapter entered into force on 1st July 1998 and required all
vessels of over 500 gt to comply with the Code by 1st July 2002

23. SOLAS CHAPTER X
Safety measures for high-speed craft
• This chapter makes mandatory the International Code of Safety for
High-Speed Craft (HSC Code)
• Applies to high-speed craft built on or after 1st January 1996.
• New regulations now apply to craft built on or after 1st July 2002.

24. SOLAS CHAPTER XI-1
Special measures to enhance maritime safety
• Originally a single chapter which entered into force on 1st January
1996 and stated requirements for:-
• authorisation of organisations responsible for carrying out surveys
and inspections on behalf of administrations i.e. classification
societies;
• enhanced surveys;
• ship identification number scheme;
• port state control.

25. SOLAS CHAPTER XI-2
Special measures to enhance maritime safety
A second part of this chapter has now been created and requires ships,
companies and ports to comply with the International Ship and Port
Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
The ISPS Code contains two parts:-
• Part A is which is mandatory
• Part B is recommendatory and contains guidance for implementation
of the Code
• Also sets out requirements for ship security alert systems

26. SOLAS CHAPTER XII
Additional safety measures for bulk carriers
This entered into force on 1st July 1999 and includes:-
• Structural requirements for new bulk carriers over 150 metres in
length built after 1st July 1999 and carrying cargoes with a density of
over 1,000 kg/m3.
• Specific structural requirements for existing bulk carriers carrying
cargoes with a density of over 1,780 kg/m3.
• Requirement for water level detectors to be installed in cargo holds.
• Various amendments came into force on 1st July 2006.

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ATTENTION!!!