Health & Safety

The European Union has adopted Directive 2023/946, which amends the “water on deck” damage stability requirements for ro-ro passenger ships in Directive 2003/25/EC.

This new directive is intended to align the EU’s stability requirements with the enhanced standards established by SOLAS 2020.

Since 5 December 2024, the new directive 2023/946 is applicable for new and existing ro-ro passenger ships engaged on international voyages that operate regularly to or from a port of an EU Member State, and which have never been certified in accordance with this directive or the previous Directive Continue reading “Lloyd’s Register: New water on deck damage stability requirements for ro-ro passenger ships”

The Marine Department of the Hong Kong SAR has published note on the amendments to the International Life-Saving Appliance Code (LSA Code) and the Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances.
The amendments, which will enter force on 1 January 2026, decisions made following the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee 108th session earlier this year. Continue reading “Hong Kong SAR note on amendments to LSA code”

The International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) has partnered with the Canadian National Centre of Expertise on Maritime Pilotage (NCEMP) and the Canadian Coast Guard to rigorously explore remote pilotage to ground-truth its feasibility, readiness, and impacts on safe navigation practices and systems.
Launched this summer, the study is specifically designed to deliver unbiased, science-based and authoritative insights into pilotage as a socio-technical system and the readiness, risks, impacts, benefits, opportunities, and prerequisites of remote pilotage.
A crucial part of the work is to conduct trials which will take place over the next two years in three different ways to ensure Continue reading “IMPA study on remote pilotage reaches out to manufacturers and system integrators”

The Liberia Maritime Authority has updated Marine Notice SAF-004 on lifeboat and emergency drills. The amended notice includes changes on drills and training sessions.
The notice provides guidelines for the safe conduct of abandon ship drills using lifeboats and alternative method for lifeboat drills on mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). It applies to owners, masters, ships officers, nautical inspectors, and recognized organization surveyors when performing drills and surveys on board Liberian flag ships and MODUs. It also addresses several SOLAS requirements established by the office of the deputy commissioner.

Training
Every crewmember should take part in at least one abandon ship, and one fire drill each month. This increases to at least each week for passenger ships, however, the entire does not have to be involved in every drill. Continue reading “Liberia: Updated guidelines for lifeboat and emergency drills”