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Hi guys, as we know there should be a proper
regulatory for each and every system in operation. Merchant shipping is one of
the most heavily regulated industries and was among the first to adopt widely
implemented international safety standards.
Regulations concerning shipping are developed at the global level. Because shipping is inherently international, it is vital that shipping is subject to uniform regulations on matters such as construction standards, navigational rules and standards of crew competence. The alternative would be a plethora of conflicting national regulations resulting in commercial distortion and administrative confusion which would compromise the efficiency of world trade.
To set and promote the highest standards of
health, safety and environment protection IMO adopted four pillars in
its structure.
·
SOLAS
(Safety of life at sea)
·
STCW
( Standards of training, certification, and watchkeeping)
·
MARPOL
(Marine pollution)
·
MLC
(Maritime labor convention)
1) SOLAS
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What is SOLAS Convention?
The word SOLAS is an abbreviation and SOLAS
full form is “Safety Of Life At Sea”, an international maritime treaty, also
known as SOLAS Convention or International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea (SOLAS), which establishes the least safety measures in the construction,
equipment and operation of merchant ships.
IMO SOLAS 74, the last adopted revised
convention of 1974, includes a number of regulations under different SOLAS
chapters, which deals with safety precautions and safety procedures starting
from the construction of the ship to real emergency like – “Abandon
Ship”. The convention is updated to meet the safety norms in the modern
shipping industry from time to time.
This article explains the contents of SOLAS
chapters and regulations providing a summary of SOLAS, i.e. different chapters
of SOLAS and the regulations they carry. Marine Insight has provided links of
various articles which will help the readers to understand how the regulation
of the SOLAS Annexes is implemented on a seagoing vessel and the importance of
SOLAS.
2) STCW
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International
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for
Seafarers, 1978 was adopted on 7 July 1978 and entered into force on 28 April
1984. The main purpose of the Convention is to promote safety of life and
property at sea and the protection of the marine environment by establishing in
common agreement international standards of training, certification and
watchkeeping for seafarers.
3)
MARPOL
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MARPOL
is the main international convention aimed at the prevention of pollution from
ships caused by operational or accidental causes. It was adopted at the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1973. The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in
response to a number of tanker accidents in 1976–1977. The 1978 Protocol was
absorbed into the parent Convention and the combined instrument entered into
force in 1983. In 1997, a Protocol was adopted to amend the Convention and a
new Annex VI was added, which came into force in May 2005.
The
technical requirements of MARPOL are included in six separate Annexes:
Annex I : Regulations for
the Prevention of Pollution by Oil
Annex II : Regulations for
the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk
Annex III : Prevention of
Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried in Sea in Packaged Form
Annex IV: Prevention of
Pollution by Sewage from Ships
Annex V: Prevention of
Pollution by Garbage from Ships
Annex VI : Prevention of
Air Pollution from Ships
4) MLC
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The Maritime Labour
Convention 2006 (MLC) is an international agreement of the International Labour
Organisation (‘ILO’) which sets out seafarers’ rights to decent conditions of
work. It is sometimes called the ‘Seafarers’ Bill of Rights’. It
applies to all seafarers, including those with jobs in hotel and other
passenger services on cruise ships and commercial yachts.
In 2013 the MLC became
binding law for 30 countries.
As of January 2019, a total
of 90 countries had ratified the MLC 2006, which has resulted in more than 91%
of the world’s shipping fleet being regulated. For detailed information please
visit the ILO website.
More than 100 pages long,
the MLC 2006 sets minimum requirements for nearly every aspect of working and
living conditions for seafarers including recruitment and placement practices,
conditions of employment, hours of work and rest, repatriation, annual leave,
payment of wages, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering,
health protection, occupational safety and health, medical care, onshore
welfare services and social protection.
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