Important Construction and Equipment related IMO Regulations, coming into force soon
(completeness not guaranteed)

 

Subject	Coming into Force	Source	Content	Remarks
Water Level Detectors	1 January 2007	SOLAS II-1/23-3 MSC.194(80)	... shall be fitted with water level detectors until the first intermediate or renewal survey after 1 Jan 2007 not later than 31 Dec 2009	existing single hold cargo ships other than bulk carriers constructed before 1 Jan 2007
Automatic Identification System (AIS)	1 July 2008	SOLAS V-Reg.19	ships must be fitted with an AIS	all ships constructed before 2002 and not engaged in international voyages
Anti Fouling Systems	17 September 2008	Intern. Convention on the control of harmful antifouling systems on ships	ships must remove organotin anti-fouling systems from the hull or apply a sealer coat; certification and anti-fouling record required without annual or intermediate surveys Further EU Regulation 782/2003 has to be observed which requires TBT free coatings since 1 January 2008!	all ships of 400gt and above
Sewage Prevention	27 September 2008	MARPOL Annex IV MEPC.115(51)	approved sewage treatment plant, approved sewage comminuting and desinfecting system or sewage holding tank; certification process ... more	all ships
Bunkers Convention	21 November 2008	Bunkers Convention	... requires to maintain insurance or other financial security, such as the guarantee of a bank or similar financial institution, to cover the liability of the registered owner for pollution damage in an amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national or international limitation regime, but in all cases, not exceeding an amount calculated in accordance with the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976, as amended.	all ships over 1,000 gross tonnage
Long Range Identification and Tracking System	31 December 2008	SOLAS XI-2/14, MSC.202(81)	... shall be fitted with a system to automatically transmit information to enable, subject to the provisions of paragraph 5, the identification and tracking of the ship by Contructing Governments	all vessels, except ships certified for operations exclusively in sea area A1
Amendments to Damage Stability Requirements	1 January 2009	SOLAS II-1, MSC.194(80)	different requirements as per MSC.194(80)	all new ships (cargo ships over 80m)
Company and Registered Owner ID Number	1 January 2009	SOLAS XI-1/3-1, MSC.194(80)	every company and registered owner shall be provided with an identification number which conforms to the IMO Unique Company and Registered Owner Identification Number Scheme adopted by the Organization. The company identification number shall be inserted on the certificates and certified copies thereof issued under regulation IX/4 and section A/19.2 or A/19.4 of the ISPS Code.	all ships request of such ID Numbers at Lloyd's Register Fairplay
Revised Performance Standards for ECDIS	1 January 2009	SOLAS V/19, MSC.232(82)	... in addition to the general requirements set out in resolution A.694(17), the presentation requirements set out in resolution MSC.191(79), ECDIS equipment should meet the requirements of these standards and follow the relevant guidelines on ergonomic principles adopted by the Organization	applies to all ECDIS equipment like dedicated standalone workstation or multifunction workstation as part if an INS
Material Safety Data Sheet for MARPOL Annex I Cargoes	1 July 2009	SOLAS VI/5-1, MSC.239(83) MSC.150(77)	Ships carrying MARPOL Annex I cargoes, as defined in Appendix I to Annex I of the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, and marine fuel oils shall be provided with a Material Safety Data Sheet prior to the loading of such cargoes based on the recommendations developed by the Organization.	all ships
General Permit for vessel's in US trade	19 September 2009	Federal Register Notice, Vol 73, No.249	summary of permit requirements: 19 December 2008 - publication of final General Permit regulations, 6 February 2009 - date effective, 19 February 2009 - requirements for inspections, recordkeeping and reporting to be met, 19 June 2009 - start submission period for Notice of Intent, 19 September 2009 - Deadline for submission of Notice of Intent! For the transitional period from now until 19 September 2009 all vessels are provisionally covered by General Permit, but requirements for recordkeeping and reporting have to be observed!	all ships
Emergency Towing Procedures	1 January 2010	MSC.256(84)	Ships shall be provided with a ship-specific emergency towing procedure. Such a procedure shall be carried aboard the ship for use in emergency situations and shall be based on existing arrangements and equipment available on board the ship.	- for tankers already in force - for passenger ships on 1 January 2010 - for cargo ships constructed on or after 1 January 2010 and cargo ships constructed before 1 January 2010, not later than 1 January 2012.
2 separate CO2 release stations	first schedules dry-docking after 1 January 2010	FSS Code Ch.5, §2.2.2	Ships built before 1 July 2002 and fitted with a fixed CO2 fire extinguishing system for the protection of machinery spaces and cargo pump rooms shall be provided with 2 separate controls for releasing CO2 into a protected space.	- all ships built before 1 July 2002
IMDG Code Amdt. 34-08	1 January 2010	IMDG Code, GGVSee, VkBl. 26/2009	Regulations for the transport of Dangerous Goods.	- all ships carrying Dangerous Goods
China - Requirement to contract with a local clean up contractor	1 March 2010	Regulations of the People's Republic of China source: Swedish Club Circular	operators of ships must conclude a pollution cleanup operation contract with an approved pollution cleanup company	- ships carrying polluting and hazardous liquid in bulk - other ships of above 10,000 GT
Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships	after ratification by 15 states which represent not less than 40% of world fleet tonnage and which recycling capacity is not less than 3% of their combined gt (over the last 10 years) not yet in force	Hong Kong Convention	Requirements for Shipowners: - Restriction of Materials for any installations, re-fits, ... (TBT, PCB, ...) - Inventory of Hazardous Materials (Booklets to be maintained over the lifetime of the ship) - Surveys and Certification - Final Survey (before ship recycling)	for all ships of 500 gt and upwards on international voyages
Ballast Water Convention	12 months after ratification by 30 states representing 35% of world gt not yet in force	Ballast Water Convention	certificate, BW record book, Administration approved ballast water management plan; ships (depending on the year of built) must comply with the ballast water exchange standard or b.w. performance standard, approved treatment systems for the performance standard	all ships pay attention to already existing additional national or local legislations by US, Canada, Australia, Chile, Israel, New Zealand, Buenos Aires, Scapa Flow, Vancouver

 
Legislation Implementation on Sulphur Content of Marine Fuel
(applicable to ships which are not fitted with an exhaust gas cleaning system)

Type of Fuel	Trade Area	Sulphur Content	Regulation	Entry into Force
any Marine Fuel	worldwide	4.5% m/m	MARPOL Annex VI	already in force
any Marine Fuel	SOx Emission Control Areas (SECA): North Sea, Baltic Sea, English Channel	1.5% m/m	MARPOL Annex VI	already in force
Marine Diesel Oil (MDO: DMB and DMC)	EU Waters	1.5% m/m	EU Directive 2005/33	already in force
Marine Gas Oil (MGO: DMX and DMA)	EU Waters	0.1% m/m	EU Directive 1999/32	already in force
Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and Marine Diesel Oil (MDO)	within 24 nm of California Shore	1.5% m/m	California Air Resource Board	already in force
Marine Gas Oil (MGO)	within 24 nm of California Shore	1.5% m/m	California Air Resource Board	expected 1st July 2009
Marine Diesel Oil (MDO)	within 24 nm of California Shore	0.5% m/m	California Air Resource Board	expected 1st July 2009
any Marine Fuel	at all EU Berths	0.1% m/m	EU Directive 2005/33	1st January 2010
any Marine Fuel	all EU Inland Waterways	0.1% m/m	EU Directive 2005/33	1st January 2010
Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) and Marine Gas Oil (MGO)	within 24 nm of California Shore	0.1% m/m	California Air Resource Board	1st January 2012
any Marine Fuel	SOx Emission Control Areas (SECA): North Sea, Baltic Sea, English Channel	1.0% m/m	Revised MARPOL Annex VI	1 July 2010
any Marine Fuel	SOx Emission Control Areas (SECA): North Sea, Baltic Sea, English Channel	0.1% m/m	Revised MARPOL Annex VI	1 January 2015