Statutory Alert Amendments to SOLAS chapter II-1: regulation 45 and its impact on lifebuoys provided with self-igniting lights.
Applicability All new passenger and cargo ships built on or after January 1, 2007
Information As part of amendments to SOLAS chapter II-1, paragraph 10 of regulation has been replaced, and a new paragraph 11 has been added. These ammedments were adopted at the 79th session of the Maritime Safety Committee by regulation MSC.170(79).
The replacement paragraph 10 states that: No electrical equipment shall be installed in any space where flammable mixtures are liable to collect, e.g. in compartments assigned principally to accumulator batteries, in paint lockers, acetylene stores or similar spaces, unless the Adminidtration is satisfied that such equipment is:
essential for operation purposes
of a type which will not ignite
appropriate to the space concerned; and
approprately certified for safe usage in the dusts, vapours or gases likely to be encountered.
The new paragraph 11 states that: In tankers, electrical equipment, cables and wiring shall not be installed in hazardous locations unless it conforms with standards not inferior to those acceptable to the Organization.
For the purposes of paragraph 11, the term 'tanker' is as defined in SOLAS 1974, as amended, chapter I, regulation 2(h). This states: "A tanker is a cargo ship constructed or adapted for the carriage in bulk of liquid cargoes of an inflammable nature".
The replacement paragraph 10 is applicable to all new passenger and cargo ships, built on or after January 1, 2007, while the new paragraph 11 is applicable to all new tankers, built on or after January 1, 2007.
