Shipping

A number of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and the 1988 Load Lines Protocol have taken effect as from the 1st of January 2014.

The amendments cover passenger ship safety (in relation to safe return to port after a flooding casualty), the testing of free-fall lifeboats, minimum safe manning levels, prohibition of blending onboard, the revised MARPOL Annex III, the United States Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area and the Winter Seasonal Zone off the southern tip of Africa.

These amendments are in force in Malta and it is, therefore, the duty of all operators and masters of Maltese ships to ensure that their ships are fully in compliance with the aforementioned changes.Further information on these changes is available at the IMO website or by clicking here.

For further information contact Dr Jotham Scerri-Diacono or any other member of the shipping team at GANADO Advocates.