The IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment held its 6th Session from 4 to 8 March 2019. The meeting focused on improvements in ventilation conditions of survival craft that will be achieved by finalising draft amendments to the LSA Code on ventilation requirements for survival craft and draft amendments to the ‘Revised recommendation on testing of life-saving appliances’.
Mainly, the Sub-Committee discussed the draft amendments to the LSA Code, relating to ventilation requirements of totally enclosed lifeboats.
In the meantime, the meeting made progress in developing draft amendments to the revised recommendation on testing of life-saving appliances regarding the ventilation of survival craft, aiming to ensure a habitable environment is maintained in such survival craft.
During the meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee, a correspondence group was established to:
– Further develop the draft amendments to the LSA Code and resolution MSC.81(70);
– Prepare the necessary consequential amendments to other IMO instruments, e.g. MSC/Circ.980;
– Gather and review research data on the microclimate in partially enclosed lifeboats and life-raft and identify and recommend the possible criteria for new ventilation requirements for partially enclosed lifeboats and liferafts;
– Prepare draft amendments related to the testing of the means of ventilation for partially enclosed lifeboats and liferafts and the necessary consequential amendments to other IMO instruments;
– Consider the possible benefits of air quality monitoring for all survival crafts.