Latest Changes to SOLAS 74;

MARPOL 73/78 and STCW 2010

Conventions (2013 - 2014)

Compiled by Capt. Saujanya Sinha; MSc, MNI Page 1

 Latest amendments to MARPOL 73/78 – From 2013 to 2014

Year of Adoption of Entry in Section / What is the amendment?

Amendment Amendment force of the Chapter
amendment effected

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2011 July 2011 1st January Annex IV, Annex VI energy efficiency
2013 V & VI
Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI
Regulations for the prevention of air
pollution from ships, add a new chapter
4 to make mandatory the Energy
Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), for new
ships, and the Ship Energy Efficiency
Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships.
Other amendments to Annex VI add new
definitions and the requirements for
survey and certification, including the
format for the International Energy
Efficiency Certificate. 
 
The regulations apply to all ships of 400
gross tonnage and above. However,
under regulation 19, the Administration
may waive the requirement for new
ships of 400 gross tonnage and above
from complying with the EEDI
requirements. This waiver may not be
applied to ships above 400 gross
tonnage for which the building contract
is placed four years after the entry into
force date of chapter 4; the keel of
which is laid or which is at a similar
stage of construction four years and six
months after the entry into force; the
delivery of which is after six years and
six months after the entry into force;
or in cases of the major conversion of a
new or existing ship, four years after
the entry into force date. The EEDI is a
non-prescriptive, performance-based
mechanism that leaves the choice of
technologies to use in a specific ship
design to the industry. As long as the
required energy-efficiency level is
attained, ship designers and builders
would be free to use the most cost-
efficient solutions for the ship to
comply with the regulations.
 
The SEEMP establishes a mechanism for
operators to improve the energy
efficiency of ships.

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 Annex VI emissions

Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI

Regulations for the prevention of air
pollution from ships to designate certain
waters adjacent to the coasts of Puerto
Rico (United States) and the Virgin
Islands (United States) as an ECA for
the control of emissions of nitrogen
oxides (NOX), sulphur oxides (SOX),
and particulate matter under. Another
amendment makes old steamships
exempt from the requirements on
sulphur relating to both the North
American and United States Caribbean
Sea ECAs. The new ECA takes effect 12
months after entry into force.

Annex IV sewage

Amendments to MARPOL Annex IV

Prevention of pollution by sewage from
ships to include the possibility of
establishing “Special Areas” for the
prevention of such pollution from
passenger ships and to designate the
Baltic Sea as a Special Area under this
Annex.
 
Annex V garbage

Revised MARPOL Annex V Regulations

for the prevention of pollution by
garbage from ships, developed following
a comprehensive review to bring the
Annex up to date.

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 The main changes include the updating
of definitions; the inclusion of a new
requirement specifying that discharge
of all garbage into the sea is prohibited,
except as expressly provided otherwise
(the discharges permitted in certain
circumstances include food wastes,
cargo residues and water used for
washing deck and external surfaces
containing cleaning agents or additives
which are not harmful to the marine
environment); expansion of the
requirements for placards and garbage
management plans to fixed and floating
platforms engaged in exploration and
exploitation of the sea-bed; and the
addition of discharge requirements
covering animal carcasses.
2010 October 1st January Annex VI Revised MARPOL Annex III Regulations
2010 2014 for the prevention of pollution by
harmful substances carried by sea in
packaged form adopted in order for
changes to the Annex to coincide with
the next update of the mandatory
International Maritime Dangerous Goods
(IMDG) Code, specifying that goods
should be shipped in accordance with
relevant provisions.

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 AMENDMENTS TO MARPOL ANNEX I TO
ADD CHAPTER 9 – SPECIAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE USE OR
CARRIAGE OF OILS IN THE ANTARCTIC
AREA

A new chapter 9 is added as follows:

"CHAPTER 9 – SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE USE OR CARRIAGE OF OILS IN
THE ANTARCTIC AREA

Regulation 43
Special requirements for the use or carriage
of oils in the Antarctic area
1 With the exception of vessels engaged in
securing the safety of ships or in a search
and rescue operation, the carriage in bulk as
cargo or carriage and use as fuel of the
following:
.1 crude oils having a density at 15°C higher
than 900 kg/m3;
.2 oils, other than crude oils, having a density
at 15°C higher than 900 kg/m3 or a kinematic
viscosity at 50°C higher than 180 mm2/s; or
.3 bitumen, tar and their emulsions shall be
prohibited in the Antarctic area, as defined in
Annex I, regulation 1.11.7.
2 When prior operations have included the
carriage or use of oils listed in paragraphs 1.1
to 1.3 of this regulation, the cleaning or
flushing of tanks or pipelines is not required."
(Resolution MEPC.189 (60) deals with the
amendment to MARPOL 73/78 by adding a
new chapter (Chapter 9) comprising a new
regulation (Regulation 43) to Annex I of the
Convention. The new Regulation 43 stipulates
the special requirements for the use or
carriage of oils in the Antarctic area including
the prohibition of the use and carriage of
Heavy Grade Oil in the area.)

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2011 July 2011 1 January 2013 Annex IV :entry into force of July 2011
amendments to MARPOL
& VI
Annex VI energy efficiency

Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI

Regulations for the prevention of air
pollution from ships, add a new chapter 4 to
make mandatory the Energy Efficiency
Design Index (EEDI), for new ships, and the
Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan
(SEEMP) for all ships. Other amendments to
Annex VI add new definitions and the
requirements for survey and certification,
including the format for the International
Energy Efficiency Certificate. 
 
The regulations apply to all ships of 400
gross tonnage and above. However, under
regulation 19, the Administration may waive
the requirement for new ships of 400 gross
tonnage and above from complying with the
EEDI requirements. This waiver may not be
applied to ships above 400 gross tonnage for
which the building contract is placed four
years after the entry into force date of
chapter 4; the keel of which is laid or which
is at a similar stage of construction four
years and six months after the entry into
force; the delivery of which is after six
years and six months after the entry into
force; or in cases of the major conversion of
a new or existing ship, four years after the
entry into force date.
The EEDI is a non-prescriptive,
performance-based mechanism that leaves
the choice of technologies to use in a
specific ship design to the industry. As long
as the required energy-efficiency level is
attained, ship designers and builders would
be free to use the most cost-efficient
solutions for the ship to comply with the
regulations.
 
The SEEMP establishes a mechanism for
operators to improve the energy efficiency
of ships.
 
Annex VI emissions

Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI

Regulations for the prevention of air
pollution from ships to designate certain
waters adjacent to the coasts of Puerto
Rico (United States) and the Virgin Islands
(United States) as an ECA for the control of

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 emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulphur
oxides (SOX), and particulate matter under.
Another amendment makes old steamships
exempt from the requirements on sulphur
relating to both the North American and
United States Caribbean Sea ECAs. The new
ECA takes effect 12 months after entry
into force.
 

Annex IV sewage

Amendments to MARPOL Annex IV

Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships
to include the possibility of establishing
“Special Areas” for the prevention of such
pollution from passenger ships and to
designate the Baltic Sea as a Special Area
under this Annex.
 
Annex V garbage

Revised MARPOL Annex V Regulations for

the prevention of pollution by garbage from
ships, developed following a comprehensive
review to bring the Annex up to date. The
main changes include the updating of
definitions; the inclusion of a new
requirement specifying that discharge of all
garbage into the sea is prohibited, except as
expressly provided otherwise (the
discharges permitted in certain
circumstances include food wastes, cargo
residues and water used for washing deck
and external surfaces containing cleaning
agents or additives which are not harmful to
the marine environment); expansion of the
requirements for placards and garbage
management plans to fixed and floating
platforms engaged in exploration and
exploitation of the sea-bed; and the
addition of discharge requirements covering
animal carcasses.

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2012 1 August 2013 Annexes I,
II, IV, V and Amendments to MARPOL Annexes I, II, IV,
VI V and VI which are aimed at enabling small
island developing States to comply with
requirements for port States to provide
reception facilities for ship waste through
regional arrangements. Parties participating
in a regional arrangement must develop a
Regional Reception Facilities Plan and
provide particulars of the identified
Regional Ships Waste Reception Centres;
and particulars of those ports with only
limited facilities. 
2010 October 1 January 2014 Annexes III Entry into force of 2010 October
and VI MARPOL amendments
2010
Revised MARPOL Annex III Regulations for
the prevention of pollution by harmful
substances carried by sea in packaged
form adopted in order for changes to the
Annex to coincide with the next update of
the mandatory International Maritime
Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, specifying
that goods should be shipped in accordance
with relevant provisions.
 
United States Caribbean ECA becomes
effective

United States Caribbean Sea Emission

Control Area (SOx, NOx and PM) becomes
effective, under MARPOL Annex VI.

2010 October MARPOL amendments which entered into force on 1 January

2014

1. A revised MARPOL Annex III Regulations for the prevention of pollution

by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form, to include

changes to the Annex to coincide with the next update of the mandatory

International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, specifying that

goods should be shipped in accordance with relevant provisions.

2. United States Caribbean Emission Control Area (ECA) now effective -

The United States Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area (SOx, NOx and

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 PM) came into effect, under MARPOL Annex VI, on 1 January 2014,

bringing in stricter controls on emissions of sulphur oxide (SOx), nitrogen

oxide (NOx) and particulate matter for ships trading in certain waters

adjacent to the coasts of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin

Islands.

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 Latest Amendments to SOLAS 74

Year of Adoption of Entry in Section / What is the amendment?

Amendment Amendment force of the Chapter
amendment effected
2011 May 2011 1st January Chapter III A new paragraph 5 of SOLAS
2013 regulation III/1 is added to require
lifeboat on-load release mechanisms
not complying with new International
Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) Code
requirements to be replaced no later
than the first scheduled dry-docking
of the ship after 1 July 2014 but, in
any case, not later than 1 July 2019.
 
The SOLAS amendment is intended to
establish new, stricter, safety
standards for lifeboat release and
retrieval systems, aimed at preventing
accidents during lifeboat launching, and
will require the assessment and
possible replacement of a large number
of lifeboat release hooks.

2012 May 2012 1st January

2014 Amendments to the following:
 
• SOLAS regulation II-1/8-1, to introduce
a mandatory requirement for new
passenger ships for either onboard
stability computers or shore-based
support, for the purpose of providing
operational information to the Master for
safe return to port after a flooding
casualty;
 
• SOLAS regulation III/20.11.2 regarding
the testing of free-fall lifeboats, to
require that the operational testing of
free-fall lifeboat release systems shall be
performed either by free-fall launch with
only the operating crew on board or by a
simulated launching;
 
• SOLAS regulation V/14 on ships' manning,
to require Administrations, for every ship,
to establish appropriate minimum safe
manning levels following a transparent
procedure, taking into account the guidance
adopted by IMO (Assembly resolution
A.1047 (27) on Principles of minimum safe

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 manning); and issue an appropriate minimum
safe manning document or equivalent as
evidence of the minimum safe manning
considered necessary;
 
• SOLAS chapter VI to add a new SOLAS
regulation VI/5-2, to prohibit the blending
of bulk liquid cargoes during the sea voyage
and to prohibit production processes on
board ships;
 
• SOLAS chapter VII to replace regulation
4 on documents, covering transport
information relating to the carriage of
dangerous goods in packaged form and the
container/vehicle packing certificate; and
 
• SOLAS chapter XI-1 regulation XI-1/2 on
enhanced surveys, to make mandatory the
International Code on the Enhanced
Programme of Inspections during Surveys
of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, 2011
(2011 ESP Code, resolution A.1049(27)).

Southern tip of Africa further southward

by 50 miles, came into effect on 1 January
2014.  

2012 May SOLAS amendments which entered into force on 1 January 2014

1. Amendment to SOLAS regulation II-1/8-1, to introduce a mandatory

requirement for new passenger ships for either onboard stability

computers or shore-based support, for the purpose of providing

operational information to the Master for safe return to port after a

flooding casualty;

2. Amendment to SOLAS regulation III/20.11.2 regarding the testing of

free-fall lifeboats, to require that the operational testing of free-fall

lifeboat release systems shall be performed either by free-fall launch

with only the operating crew on board or by a simulated launching;

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 3. Amendment to SOLAS chapter V to add a new regulation V/14 on ships'

manning, to require Administrations, for every ship, to establish

appropriate minimum safe manning levels following a transparent

procedure, taking into account the guidance adopted by IMO (Assembly

resolution A.1047(27) on Principles of minimum safe manning); and issue

an appropriate minimum safe manning document or equivalent as evidence

of the minimum safe manning considered necessary;

4. Amendment to SOLAS chapter VI to add a new regulation VI/5-2, to

prohibit the blending of bulk liquid cargoes during the sea voyage and to

prohibit production processes on board ships;

5. Amendment to SOLAS chapter VII to replace regulation 4 on documents,

covering transport information relating to the carriage of dangerous

goods in packaged form and the container/vehicle packing certificate; and

6. Amendment to SOLAS regulation XI-1/2 on enhanced surveys, to make

mandatory the International Code on the Enhanced Programme of

Inspections during Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, 2011 (2011

ESP Code, resolution A.1049(27)).

SOLAS Amendments Enter Into Force – 1st July 2014

New requirements under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea (SOLAS) to require all ships to have plans and procedures to recover
persons from the water are among a set of SOLAS amendments entered into
force on 1 July 2014.  
 

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 1. Recovery of persons from the water
 
The SOLAS amendments, adopted in 2012, were developed as part of the
International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s work on large passenger ship
safety and are aimed at ensuring all ships have the capability to effectively
serve as a rescue asset and have the right equipment to be able to rescue
persons from the water and from survival craft, in the event of an incident.  
 
This new requirement is intended to enhance safety at sea and also to provide
support to search and rescue coordinators in all types of rescue operations and,
particularly, in those situations where there is insufficient dedicated search
and rescue capacity or access to helicopters and specialized rescue craft is
limited. 
The ship’s plans and procedures should take into account related Guidelines for
the development of plans and procedures for recovery of persons from the
water (MSC.1/Circ.1447). 
 
Ships constructed before 1 July 2014 are required to comply with the
requirement by the first periodical or renewal safety equipment survey of the
ship to be carried out after 1 July 2014,whichever comes first.

The implementation of the requirements on ships to which SOLAS does not

apply is encouraged under a related MSC resolution, also adopted in 2012,  which
invites SOLAS Contracting Governments to determine to what extent the
requirements should apply to: cargo ships of a gross tonnage below 500 engaged
on any voyage; cargo ships of a gross tonnage of 500 and above not engaged on
international voyages; passenger ships not engaged on international voyages;
fishing vessels; high-speed craft; dynamically supported craft; special purpose
ship; and mobile offshore drilling units.
 
For seafarers, IMO has issued A Pocket Guide to Recovery Techniques (IMO
I947E).
 
2. Reducing on-board noise
 
Also entering into force on 1 July 2014 is the new SOLAS regulation II-1/3-12,
which requires new ships to be constructed to reduce on-board noise and to
protect personnel from noise, in accordance with the revised Code on noise
levels on board ships, which sets out mandatory maximum noise level limits for

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machinery spaces, control rooms, workshops, accommodation and other spaces
on board ships.
 
3. Fire-fighter communication on-board
 
Amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/10 on fire fighting enter into force on 1
July 2014, to require a minimum of two two-way portable radiotelephone
apparatus for each fire party for fire fighters’ communication to be carried.
The apparatus shall be of an explosion-proof type or intrinsically safe. Ships
constructed before 1 July 2014 shall comply with the above requirements not
later than the first survey after 1 July 2018.
 
4. Instructions, on-board training and drills
 
Further amendments to regulation II-2/15 on instructions, on-board training
and drills require an on-board means of recharging breathing apparatus
cylinders used during drills, or a suitable number of spare cylinders. 
 
5. Protection of vehicle, special category and RO-RO spaces
 
Another amendment to regulation II-2/20 on protection of vehicle, special
category and RO-RO spaces related to fixed fire-extinguishing systems,
updates the requirements.  The amendments apply to ships constructed on or
after 1 July 2014. Ships constructed before 1 July 2014 shall comply with the
previously applicable requirements.
 
6. Forms of certificates and records of equipment
 
Other amendments to the appendix to the annex to the SOLAS Convention
replace all forms of certificates and records of equipment, including its 1988
Protocol, and further amendments relate to the forms of the Cargo Ship Safety
Construction Certificate and Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate of its
1978 Protocol.
 
7. Container convention amendments 
 
Also entering into force on 1 July 2014 are amendments to the International
Convention for Safe Containers (CSC), 1972, which were adopted in 2013 by
resolution MSC.355 (92), to incorporate and facilitate the entry into force of
amendments to the CSC Convention adopted in 1993 by resolution A.737 (18),
including amendments relating to the form of the safety approval plate and to

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the approval of existing and new containers. The amendments also introduce a
transitional period for marking containers with restricted stacking capacity and
include a list of deficiencies which do not require an immediate out-of-service
decision by control officers, but require additional safety measures to enable
safe ongoing transport.

Amendments to the Load Line Convention

1. Winter Seasonal Zone moved south under amendments to LL Protocol

Amendments to regulation 47 of the 1988 Protocol to the International

Convention on Load Lines (LL), 1966 to shift the Winter Seasonal Zone

off the southern tip of Africa further southward by 50 miles, came into

effect on 1 January 2014.

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