IMO to amend mandatory fire test code, life boat

Amendments to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO’s) Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to make mandatory the International Code for the Application of Fire Test Procedures (2010 FTP Code) and to improve lifeboat release hooks are set to be adopted.
The proposed SOLAS amendment is intended to ensure new, stricter, safety standards for lifeboat release hooks, aimed at preventing accidents involving lifeboats, and will result in the review and possible replacement of a large number of release hooks for lifeboats, thereby requiring action from all involved parties, including flag States, manufacturers, shipowners, surveyors.
It was learnt that when IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meets at the Organization’s London Headquarters for its 88th session from 24 November to 3 December 2010 some of the issues relating to safety of life would be tackled.
The agenda also includes discussion on piracy and armed robbery against ships off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden and the implementation of the Long-Range Identification and Tracking of ships (LRIT) system.
Also the draft 2010 FTP Code, along with relevant SOLAS amendments to make it mandatory, will be considered for adoption.
The 2010 FTP Code provides the international requirements for laboratory testing, type-approval and fire test procedures for products referenced under SOLAS chapter II-2. It comprehensively revises and updates the current Code, adopted by the MSC in 1996.
The 2010 FTP Code includes the following tests: non-combustibility; smoke and toxicity; test for “A”, “B” and “F” class divisions; test for fire door control systems; test for surface flammability (surface materials and primary deck coverings); test for vertically supported textiles and films; test for upholstered furniture; test for bedding components; test for fire-restricting materials for high-speed craft; and test for fire-resisting divisions of high-speed craft.
It also includes annexes on Products which may be installed without testing and/or approval and Fire protection materials and required approval test methods.
The MSC will consider the adoption of a draft amendment to SOLAS regulation III/1, to require lifeboat on-load release mechanisms not complying with new International Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) Code requirements, to be replaced no later than the next scheduled dry-docking of the ship, following entry into force of the SOLAS amendment. Related amendments to the LSA Code, which require safer design of on-load release mechanisms, will also be considered for adoption.
Furthermore, the Committee will consider for approval draft Guidelines for evaluation and replacement of lifeboat release and retrieval systems, referred to in the draft amendment to SOLAS regulation III/1. The guidelines and related proposed SOLAS amendment were finalized by an inter-session The proposed SOLAS amendment is intended to ensure new, stricter, safety standards for lifeboat release hooks, aimed at preventing accidents involving lifeboats, and will result in the review and possible replacement of a large number of release hooks for lifeboats, thereby requiring action from all involved parties, including flag States, manufacturers, shipowners, surveyors.

Source: Compass Newspaper