The Merchant Shipping (Cargo Ship Construction) Regulations 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

1.  These Regulations replace the Merchant Shipping (Cargo Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations 1981 and 1984, and amendments. They also implement certain recent amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention 1974 (SOLAS) and implement in part EC Directive 94/57/EC.

2.  The Regulations now contain requirements for ships of all dates of construction since 1965. A number of details of technical requirements previously contained in Regulations are now contained in a Merchant Shipping Notice.

3.  The principal changes from the previous Regulations are—

(a) a number of requirements on United Kingdom ships which went beyond existing SOLAS requirements are omitted.

(b) the new SOLAS amendments implemented are—

(i) amendments made by Resolution MSC 13(57) including, among other matters, revised requirements as to damage control information, and double bottoms in ships other than tankers;

(ii) amendments made by Resolution MSC 27(61) including requirements for access to the cargo tank area of tankers and revised requirements for communications, electrical arrangements and ventilation of spaces;

(iii) amendments made by Resolution 1 of the Conference on Global Maritime Distress and Safety System;

(iv) amendments made by Resolution MSC 31(63) for emergency towing arrangements in oil tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers of more than 20,000 dwt, and requirements for oil fuel installations; and

(c) United Kingdom ships in complying with their statutory requirements as to construction and maintenance of hull, machinery, electrical installations and control installations now also have to comply with certain rules of Classifications Societies or the Institution of Electrical Engineers (referred to in the Regulations as “approved standards”) (regulation 5).

4.  The Regulations enable the Secretary of State to authorise persons to act as Certifying Authorities for the purpose of the Regulations. Currently so authorised are Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, the British Committee of Bureau Veritas, the British Committee of Det Norske Veritas, the British Committee of Germanischer Lloyd, the British Committee of Registro Italiano Navale and the British Technical Committee of the American Bureau of Shipping.

5.  A compliance cost assessment has been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Marine Safety Agency, Department of Transport, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton SO15 1EG. A copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.

6.  Merchant Shipping Notices are obtainable from Eros Marketing Support Services Ltd, Unit B, Imber Court Trading Estate, Orchard Lane, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 0BN (Telephone number: 0181 957 5028). The SOLAS Convention, its Protocol and amendments and the Codes and Guidelines referred to in the Regulations are obtainable from the International Maritime Organisation, 4, Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR. British or International Standards are obtainable from the British Standards Institution, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL and the Institution of Electrical Engineers Regulations from the Institution at Savoy Place, London WC2 0BL.