Annex - Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,
1974, As Amended
The Annex below has been consolidated into SOLAS Chapter XIV
A new chapter XIV is added after chapter XIII, as follows:
Chapter XIV - Safety Measures for Ships Operating in Polar Waters
Regulation 1 - Definitions
For the purpose of this chapter:
1 Polar Code means the International Code for Ships Operating in
Polar Waters, consisting of an introduction and parts I-A and II-A and parts I-B and
II-B, as adopted by resolutions MSC.385(94) and of the Marine Environment Protection
Committeefootnote, as may be amended, provided that:
- .1 amendments to the safety-related provisions of the introduction
and part I-A of the Polar Code are adopted, brought into force and take effect
in accordance with the provisions of article VIII of the present Convention
concerning the amendment procedures applicable to the annex other than chapter
I; and
- .2 amendments to part I-B of the Polar Code are adopted by the
Maritime Safety Committee in accordance with its Rules of Procedure.
2 Antarctic area means the sea area south of latitude 60º S.
3 Arctic waters means those waters which are located north of a
line from the latitude 58º00΄.0 N and longitude 042º00΄.0 W to latitude 64º37΄.0 N,
longitude 035º27΄.0 W and thence by a rhumb line to latitude 67º03΄.9 N, longitude
026º33΄.4 W and thence by a rhumb line to the latitude 70º49΄.56 N and longitude
008º59΄.61 W (Sørkapp, Jan Mayen) and by the southern shore of Jan Mayen to 73º31'.6
N and 019º01'.0 E by the Island of Bjørnøya, and thence by a great circle line to
the latitude 68º38΄.29 N and longitude 043º23΄.08 E (Cap Kanin Nos) and hence by the
northern shore of the Asian Continent eastward to the Bering Strait and thence from
the Bering Strait westward to latitude 60º N as far as Il'pyrskiy and following the
60th North parallel eastward as far as and including Etolin Strait and thence by the
northern shore of the North American continent as far south as latitude 60º N and
thence eastward along parallel of latitude 60º N, to longitude 056º37΄.1 W and
thence to the latitude 58º00΄.0 N, longitude 042º00΄.0 W.
4 Polar waters means Arctic waters and/or the Antarctic area.
5 Ship constructed means a ship the keel of which is laid or which
is at a similar stage of construction.
6 At a similar stage of construction means the stage at which:
- .1 construction identifiable with a specific ship begins;
and
- .2 assembly of that ship has commenced comprising at least 50
tonnes or 1% of the estimated mass of all structural material, whichever is
less.
Regulation 2 – Application
1 Unless expressly provided otherwise, this chapter applies to ships
operating in polar waters, certified in accordance with chapter I.
2 Ships constructed before 1 January 2017 shall meet the relevant
requirements of the Polar Code by the first intermediate or renewal survey,
whichever occurs first, after 1 January 2018.
3 In applying part I-A of the Polar Code, consideration should be given
to the additional guidance in part I-B of the Polar Code.
4 This chapter shall not apply to ships owned or operated by a
Contracting Government and used, for the time being, only in Government
non-commercial service. However, ships owned or operated by a Contracting Government
and used, for the time being, only in Government non-commercial service are
encouraged to act in a manner consistent, so far as reasonable and practicable, with
this chapter.
5 Nothing in this chapter shall prejudice the rights or obligations of
States under international law.
Regulation 3 – Requirements for ships to which this chapter applies
1 Ships to which this chapter applies shall comply with the requirements
of the safety-related provision of the introduction and with part I-A of the Polar
Code and shall, in addition to the requirements of regulations I/7, I/8, I/9, and
I/10, as applicable, be surveyed and certified, as provided for in that Code.
2 Ships to which this chapter applies holding a certificate issued
pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 1 shall be subject to the control
established in regulations I/19 and XI-1/4. For this purpose, such certificates
shall be treated as a certificate issued under regulation I/12 or I/13.
Regulation 4 – Alternative design and arrangement
1 The goal of this regulation is to provide a methodology for
alternative design and arrangements for structure, machinery, and electrical
installations, fire safety and life-saving appliances and arrangements.
2 Structural arrangements, machinery and electrical installation, fire
safety design and arrangement measures and as well as life-saving appliances and
arrangements may deviate from the prescriptive requirements set out in chapters 3,
6, 7 and 8 of the Polar Code, provided that the alternative design and arrangements
meet the intent of the goal and functional requirements concerned and provide an
equivalent level of safety to the requirements in those chapters.
3 When alternative designs or arrangements deviate from the prescriptive
requirements of chapters 3, 6, 7 and 8 of the Polar Code, an engineering analysis,
evaluation and approval of the design and arrangements shall be carried out based on
the guidelines approved by the Organizationfootnote.
4 Any alternative designs or arrangement deviating from the prescriptive
requirements shall be recorded in the Polar Ship Certificate and the ship's Polar
Water Operational Manual, as required by the Polar Code, also defining the technical
and operational measures and conditions for the allowed deviation.