Feature 2 | METHODS AND MATERIALS IMO sets tanker and bulk standards


For the first time in its history, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be setting standards for ship construction, following an agreement reached at the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), meeting in May, writes Sandra Speares.


means that those classes of ship will have to comply with structural standards drawn up by the committee. Te MSC also adopted rules that give the


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IMO a role in verifying compliance with the safety of life at sea convention, SOLAS. Tis included amendments to Chapter II- 1 of the convention. Te changes are set to enter into force on 1 July 2012. Te verification process comes in two


stages. Firstly there will be a self assessment by the body submitting the rules to the IMO for checking, then an audit of procedures by experts appointed by the organisation. According to the IMO: “The new


SOLAS regulation II-1/3-10 will apply to oil tankers and bulk carriers of 150m in length and above. It will require new ships to be designed and constructed for a specified design life and to be safe and environmentally friendly, in intact and specified damage conditions, throughout their life. “Under the regulation, ships should have


adequate strength, integrity and stability to minimise the risk of loss of the ship or pollution to the marine environment due to structural failure, including collapse [of the hull], resulting in flooding or loss of watertight integrity.” Te goal based standards adopted last


month relate to three tiers including overall objectives, functional requirements and verification of conformity. Two further tiers cover rules and regulations for ship design and construction and industry practices and standards. IMO Secretary-General Efthimios


Mitropoulos has described the adoption of GBS as “a significant and important breakthrough for the organisation, not only in terms of how future regulations will be developed, but also with respect to the role that IMO will play in verifying


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he IMO’s MSC adopted goal based standards (GBS) for construction of tankers and bulk carriers, which


compliance, in this particular case, with SOLAS requirements.” “Te concept that IMO should state what


has to be achieved, leaving classification societies, ship designers and naval architects, marine engineers and ship builders the freedom to decide on how best to employ their professional skills to meet the required standards is a sound one and I congratulate the Committee on the painstaking and hard work carried out to turn the concept into reality.” The agreement has been welcomed


by many industry bodies including the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).


“a significant and important breakthrough for the organisation, not only in terms of how future regulations will be developed, but also with respect to the role that IMO will play in verifying compliance, in this particular case, with SOLAS requirements.”


“Tis is the culmination of several years of


negotiations in which ICS has been closely involved and continues to be active,” said ICS Marine Director Peter Hinchliffe.


“It is likely that we will increasingly see


regulatory developments at IMO being based on a more explicit goal-based assessment of hazards and their mitigation measures. In particular this may apply to requirements for the specification and carriage of shipboard equipment.” Derek Hodgson, permanent secretary


of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) commented: “IACS welcomed the adoption of the new regulatory framework for newbuilding oil tankers and bulk carriers at the meeting of MSC. In particular, IACS was pleased that the committee agreed a deadline by which rules will need to be submitted for verification that takes account of the work IACS has already commenced to develop harmonised common structural rules (HSR). “In June’s IACS Council meeting


progress on the HSR project was discussed. IACS recognises that the timely delivery of technically robust outputs from this work will be needed so they can be taken account of in the rules that will be submitted for verification.” Under the new procedures class


societies will submit their structural rules to the IMO and the expert group will verify that the rules are adequate to meet the criteria set down in goal–based standards. Te idea of goal-based standards was


first put to the IMO Council in November 2002 by the Bahamas and Greece with a view to getting more member state control over the rules being applied to the construction of tankers and bulk carriers. “Tey have really got what they asked for,” commented Mr Hinchliffe. “Te proof of the pudding will be when


the IMO has verified the rules, what difference will that make to the rules that have been submitted? Will they verify them or will they make some changes?”


The Naval Architect July/August 2010


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