As informed, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS 1974) was adopted in 1974 and entered into force in 1980. The convention has been amended several times since entry into force. The recent amendment adopted by Resolution MSC.521(106) added a new Chapter to the Convention – Chapter XV, Safety Measures for Ships carrying Industrial Personnel.

This new chapter has made it mandatory for Ships and high-speed craft to which this chapter applies to be:

be certified as a cargo ship or high-speed cargo craft in accordance with either chapter I or chapter VIII or chapter X, as applicable;
meet the requirements of the IP Code (Resolution MSC.527(106)); and
in addition to the requirements of regulations I/8, I/9 and I/10 or of sections 1.5 to 1.9 of the High-Speed Craft (HSC) Code, as applicable, be surveyed and certified, as provided for in the IP Code.
Industrial personnel (IP) means all persons transported or accommodated on board for the purpose of offshore industrial activities performed on board other ships and/or offshore facilities.

Wherever in SOLAS Chapter XV, or in the IP Code, the number of Industrial Personnel appears as a parameter, it shall be the aggregate number of industrial personnel, special personnel and passengers carried on board, where the number of passengers shall not exceed 12.

Purpose

These guidelines are intended to provide basic guidance for a harmonized approach of port state control inspections in compliance with the IP Code and such ships shall be subject to the control established in regulation I/19 or XI-1/4 of SOLAS, and in 1.10 of the HSC Code.

Application

Unless expressly provided otherwise, SOLAS Chapter XV applies to cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft, of 500 gross tonnage and upwards, constructed on or after 1 July 2024 which carry more than 12 industrial personnel. during the inspection.

Cargo ships constructed before 1 July 2024, authorized by the Administration to carry more than 12 industrial personnel in accordance with the recommendations developed by the Organization, shall comply with regulations III/1, III/2 (except for paragraph 2.1.7), IV/7 and IV/8 of the IP Code by the first intermediate or renewal survey, whichever occurs first, after 1 July 2024.

High-speed cargo craft constructed before 1 July 2024, authorized by the Administration to carry more than 12 industrial personnel in accordance with the recommendations developed by the Organization, shall comply with regulations III/1, III/2 (except for paragraph 2.1.7), V/7 and V/8 of the IP Code by the third periodical or first renewal survey, whichever occurs first, after 1 July 2024.

Cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft, irrespective of date of construction, which prior to the 1 July 2024 have not been authorized by the Administration to carry more than 12 industrial personnel based on the recommendations developed by the Organization2, shall comply with the requirements of paragraph 3.2 or 3.3 of this PSCC Instruction.

For the purpose of this chapter, the expression constructed refers to the description given in regulations:

• II-2/1.1.2.1, as complemented by regulation II-2/1.1.3 for cargo ships; and
• X/1.4, as complemented by regulation X/1.5 for high-speed cargo craft.

Requirements

Ships and high-speed craft to which SOLAS chapter XV applies shall:

• be certified as a cargo ship or high-speed cargo craft in accordance with either chapter I or chapter VIII or chapter X, as applicable;
• meet the requirements of the IP Code; and
• in addition to the requirements of regulations I/8, I/9 and I/10 or of sections 1.5 to 1.9 of the HSC Code, as applicable, be surveyed and certified, as provided for in the IP Code.

Paris MoU Guidelines for PSC inspections of Ships carrying Industrial Personnel IP Code can be reached on https://parismou.org/system/files/2024-07/PSCC57-2024-06%20IP%20Code.pdf

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	Issue 92 of Robban Assafina (July/Aug. 2024)