Good Day Capt

1 January 2019 - MARPOL amendments Annex VI NECAS, bunker delivery note

Adopted by MEPC 71:

Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI to designate the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as emission control
areas (ECAs) for nitrogen oxides (NOX) under regulation 13 of MARPOL Annex VI. Both ECAs will take
effect on 1 January 2021, thereby considerably lowering emissions of NOx from international shipping in
those areas.

 Amendments to the information to be included in the bunker delivery note relating to the supply
of marine fuel oil to ships which have fitted alternative mechanisms to address sulphur emission
requirements.

1 January 2019 - IMSBC Code

The 2017 set of draft amendments (04-17) to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC
Code), to update requirements for a number of cargoes. The amendments also included those relating to
paragraphs 4.5.1 and 4.5.2, highlighting the responsibility of the shipper for ensuring that a test to
determine the transportable moisture limit (TML) of a solid bulk cargo is conducted. Also included were
amendments related to substances which are harmful to marine environment, to require the shipper to
declare whether or not a solid bulk cargo, other than grain, is harmful to the marine environment.

8 April 2019 - electronic data exchange under FAL Convention

Under the revised Annex to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), from 8
April 2019, it becomes mandatory for ships and ports to exchange FAL data electronically. The revised
Convention also encourages use of the so-called “single window” concept in which all the many agencies
and authorities involved exchange data via a single point of contact.

1 September 2019 MARPOL Annex VI amendments

Amendment to Regulation 13 – Nitrogen oxides (NOX) to make clearer emission control areas for NOx,
by replacing the words "an emission control area designated under paragraph 6 of this regulation" with
the words "a NOX Tier III emission control area";

Amendments to Regulation 21 – Required EEDI to update the reference values for Ro-ro cargo ship and
Ro-ro passenger ship.

13 October 2019 Amendments to the BWM Convention

The amendments to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water
and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention) relate to the implementation of the treaty, including the
schedule for ships to comply with the requirement to meet the so-called D-2 standard (amendments to
section B).

Other amendments (to sections A and D) make mandatory the Code for approval of ballast water
management systems, which was also be adopted at the session. Further amendments relate to section E
on survey and certification.

1 January 2020 - MARPOL Annex VI 0.50% sulphur limit

The global limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships of 0.50% m/m (mass by mass) enters into effect
from 1 January 2020. This will significantly reduce the amount of sulphur oxide emanating from ships and
should have major health and environmental benefits for the world, particularly for populations living
close to ports and coasts. See here for further information. .

1 January 2020 - SOLAS amendments, amendments to Codes

Amendments adopted by MSC 97:

 Amendments to SOLAS regulation II-1/3-12 on protection against noise, regulations II-

2/1 and II-2/10 on firefighting and new regulation XI-1/2-1 on harmonization of survey periods of
cargo ships not subject to the ESP Code.
 Amendments to the 2008 International code on Intact Stability (IS Code), relating to ships
engaged in anchor handling operations and to ships engaged in lifting and towing operations,
including escort towing. The amendments are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2020.
 Amendments to the International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code), clarifying the
distribution of crew in public spaces for the calculation of stairways width. The amendments are
expected to enter into force on 1 January 2020.
 Amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships
Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code), aligning the wheelhouse window fire-rating
requirements in the IGC Code with those in SOLAS chapter II-2. The amendments are expected to
enter into force on 1 January 2020.

Amendments adopted by MSC 98:

 A set of amendments to SOLAS chapter II-1 relating to subdivision and damage stability. The
amendments were developed following a substantive review of SOLAS chapter II-1, focusing in
particular on new passenger ships. The review has taken into account recommendations arising
from the investigation into the 2012 Costa Concordia incident. In conjunction with the adoption
of the aforementioned amendments, the MSC adopted the Revised Explanatory Notes to SOLAS
chapter II-1 subdivision and damage stability regulations. The MSC also approved the Revised
guidance for watertight doors on passenger ships which may be opened during navigation.
  Amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/3.56, relating to the definition of vehicle carrier and draft
new SOLAS regulation II-2/20.2 on fire safety requirements for cargo spaces containing vehicles
with fuel in their tanks for their own propulsion, specifically vehicles which do not use their own
propulsion within the cargo space.

 Amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/9.4.1.3 to clarify the requirements for fire integrity of
windows on passenger ships carrying not more than 36 passengers and on special purpose ships
with more than 60 (but no more than 240) persons on board.

 Amendments to SOLAS regulations III/1.4, III/30 and III/37 on damage control drills for passenger
ships, to require damage control drills to take place on all passenger ships from 2020.

Amendments adopted by MSC 99:

 Amendments to SOLAS regulations II-1/1 and II-1/8-1, concerning computerized stability support
for the master in case of flooding for existing passenger ships.

 Amendments to chapter IV of SOLAS, and the appendix to the annex to the 1974 SOLAS
Convention, replacing all references to "Inmarsat" with references to a ”recognized mobile
satellite service" and consequential amendments to the International Code of Safety for High
speed Craft, 1994 (1994 HSC Code), the International Code of Safety for High-speed Craft, 2000
(2000 HSC Code) and the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships, 2008 (2008 SPS Code).

 Amendments to update the IMDG Code (Amendment 39-18) in line with the latest
recommendations from the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous
Goods, including new provisions regarding IMO type 9 tank, a set of new abbreviations for
segregation groups and special provisions for carriage of lithium batteries and of vehicles
powered by flammable liquid or gas.

 Amendments to annex 3 to the International Code for the Application of Fire Test Procedures,
2010 (2010 FTP Code), concerning fire protection materials and required approval test methods
for passenger ships and high speed craft.

 Amendments to the model forms of the Certificates of Fitness, clarifying the requirement for an
approved loading and stability manual/booklet to be supplied to the ship, under the International
Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC
Code), International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases
in Bulk (IGC Code), Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous
Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code), Code for Existing Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (EGC
Code), and the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in
Bulk (GC Code).

1 March 2020 - MARPOL Annex VI amendments - carriage ban on non-compliant fuel oil
The amendment will prohibit the carriage of non-compliant fuel oil for combustion purposes for
propulsion or operation on board a ship - unless the ship has an exhaust gas cleaning system ("scrubber")
fitted, if accepted by the flag State as an alternative means to meet the sulphur limit requirement.

The amendment supports consistent implementation of the 0.50% limit on sulphur in ships fuel oil. The
0.50% limit on sulphur in ships' fuel oil is in force from 1 January 2020, with benefits for the environment
and human health.