RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,
NOTING the Technical provisions for means of access for
inspections (hereinafter referred to as "the Technical provisions"),
adopted by resolution MSC.133(76),
which are mandatory under SOLAS regulation
II-1/3-6 on Access to and within spaces in the cargo area of
oil tankers and bulk carriers adopted by resolution
MSC.134(76),
ACKNOWLEDGING concerns expressed with regard to perceived
problems which might be encountered when implementing the requirements
of the Technical provisions,
HAVING CONSIDERED, at its seventy-eighth session, amendments
to the Technical provisions, prepared and circulated in accordance
with article VIII and regulation II-1/3-6 of the 1974
SOLAS Convention,
1. ADOPTS amendments to the Technical provisions
for means of access for inspections, the text of which is set out
in the Annex to the present resolution;
2. DETERMINES, in accordance with article VIII(b)(vi)(2)(bb) of the
Convention, that the said amendments shall be deemed to have been
accepted on 1 July 2005, unless, prior to that date, more than one
third of the Contracting Governments to the Convention or Contracting
Governments the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less
than 50% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant fleet,
have notified their objections to the amendments;
3. INVITES SOLAS Contracting Governments to note
that, in accordance with article
VIII(b)(vii)(2) of the Convention, the amendments shall enter
into force on 1 January 2006 upon their acceptance in accordance with
paragraph 2 above;
4. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit
certified copies of this resolution and the text of the Technical
provisions contained in the Annex to
all Contracting Governments to the Convention;
5. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit
copies of this resolution and the Annex to
all Members of the Organization, which are not Contracting Governments
to the Convention.