1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-ninth
session (1 to 10 December 2004), noted that the Council of the International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), on 27 February 2004, had adopted
amendment no.3 to Annex 14 - Aerodromes, Volume II - Heliports, to
the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The ICAO Council prescribed
12 July 2004 as the date on which the amendment would become effective
and resolved that it would be applicable from 25 November 2004. The
amendment also contains a provision stating that the replacement of
existing installations shall not be required before 1 January 2009.
2 The Committee noted that the adopted amendment
impacted on the IMO Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile
Offshore Drilling Units (MODU Code), in particular chapter 13 (Helicopter
facilities), and agreed that necessary amendments to the MODU Code
should be prepared.
3 The Committee noted further that ICAO’s
Air Navigation Commission authorized the ICAO Secretariat to undertake
a review of Annex 14, Volume II, and the related guidance material
in the Heliport Manual. To this end, a Heliport Design Study Group
(HDSG) was established in 2003. The group will additionally consider
the introduction of certification requirements for heliports and helidecks.
It is expected that the group will finalize the review in 2006 with
the preparation of a formal proposal for further amendments.
4 Member Governments are invited to bring the
above information to the attention of shipping companies, shipowners,
ship operators, drilling contractors and all parties concerned, pending
finalization of appropriate amendments to the MODU Code.