IMO Requirements for maintenance of Life/Rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear as of 1 Jan 2020

4
4368

(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) From 1 January 2020, maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of the following items shall be carried out in accordance with the IMO Resolution MSC.402(96).

Applicability:

  • Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and fast rescue boats
  • Launching appliances as well as on-load and off-load release gears for lifeboats (including primary and secondary means of launching appliances for free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats, fast rescue boats and davit-launched life rafts

In accordance with this IMO Resolution, maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of the above items shall be carried out by service providers authorized by flag administrations of vessels. (MSC.402(96) ANNEX 2.2.1& 3.1)

On the other hand, flag administrations may accept or recognize service providers authorized by the other flag administrations or approved by their Recognized Organizations. (MSC.402(96) ANNEX 7.4.3) The scope of the Recognized Organization differs by the flag administration and the other flag administrations should be contracting parties to the SOLAS Convention.

From 1 January 2020, please be aware that service providers which are satisfied with requirements of each flag administration are to be arranged for annual/five yearly maintenance, etc. required by SOLAS and the Rules for Safety Equipment.

Following table shows whether the flag administrations accept or recognize service providers approved by ROs as service providers authorized by them. In case where your vessels’ flag administrations are not shown in this list or manufacturers themselves act as service providers for their own original products (unless there are specific instructions by the flag administrations), please contact your RO.

Flag AdministrationAcceptance of service providers approved by RO*Remarks
Antigua and BarbudaAccept·         See Information Notice 2017-006(Rev 2)

·         Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.

BangladeshAccept·         Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.

·         Approved service providers need to apply to the administration.

BarbadosAccept
British Virgin IslandsAccept
ChileAccept·         Service Providers authorized by other Maritime Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Cook IslandsAccept·         See Circular 212 / 2019

·         Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.

CyprusAccept·         See Circular 21/2019

·         Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.

DenmarkAccept
DominicaAccept
FinlandAccept (See Remarks)·         Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable outside Finland.(Service Providers located in Finland are to be authorized by the Administration)
Hong Kong, ChinaAccept
IndiaNOT Accept
Isle of ManAccept
JapanAccept
KiribatiAccept
Liberia-(See Remarks)·         “Authorization Document” issued by the Administration is required in accordance with
Marine Operations Note 03-2019_Res.402-96
MalaysiaAccept
Marshall IslandsAccept·         See item 4.0 of Technical Circular 1 Revision 6
MyanmarAccept·         Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
NiueAccept
OmanAccept·         Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
PalauAccept
PanamaNOT Accept·         See Merchant Marine Circular MMC-258
SingaporeAccept·         See Maritime And Port Authority of Singapore Shipping Circular No.11 of 2019

·         Service Providers approved by other classification societies (ABS, BV, CCS, DNV-GL, KR, LR, RINA) are also acceptable.

St. Kitts and NevisAccept
St. Vincent and the GrenadinesAccept·         See No. SOL 012

·         Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.

SwitzerlandAccept
ThailandAccept
TurkeyNOT Accept
VanuatuAccept·         Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.

[Total: 3]

4 COMMENTS

  1. I don't understand, does this mean the ships crew are no longer required (or accepted) to take care of their equipment? We do weekly and monthly PMs on all of this equipment. Does this mean we will somehow have to be vetted and approved by the IMO now?

    • Capt Jill, I believe this is saying that these countries will now allow/accept systems inspected by other countries with "recognized organizations" to inspect equipment. If you are Chilean flagged then your lifeboat systems may be serviced by approved service providers in the US or anywhere else; they need not be Chilean recognized.

    • As stated in this article, the overhaul, and repair of the items (Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and fast rescue boats
      Launching appliances as well as on-load and off-load release gears for lifeboats (including primary and secondary means of launching appliances for free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats, fast rescue boats and davit-launched life rafts) shall be carried out by service providers authorized by flag administrations of vessels. (MSC.402(96) ANNEX 2.2.1& 3.1.

      • I had assumed most of that work already was done by 3rd parties. I've never been on a ship where we did anything but what was required: weekly and monthly tests, inspections and drills, end for end the wires etc. I still am not clear from the article what exactly is going to change. But thanks for replying to my comment. 🙂