At the session of the Sub-Committee on Stability, Load Lines and Fishing Vessels’ Safety held in February this year, focus was on international safety regulations.
At the meeting, agreement was reached about the counting of fishing vessels and, thus, the adoption of the international safety regulations – the so-called Torremolinos Protocol – has come closer.
In the autumn of 2012, the so-called Cape Town Agreement was concluded by the IMO. The purpose is to adopt international safety regulations for fishing vessels. One element of the Agreement is the countries’ obligation to report the number of vessels flying their flag upon ratification. The recently held session of the Sub-Committee on Stability, Load Lines and Fishing Vessels’ Safety agreed on the manner of this counting.
Good for safety
It will not have any major impact on the Danish fishing fleet if the international regulations on fishing vessel safety enter into force because the Danish regulations on fishing vessels are already based on the provisions that are expected to be internationalised. An internationalisation will, first and foremost, result in an increased future fishing vessel safety for the countries whose fishing fleet does not meet the provisions today. Once the Torremolinos Protocol takes effect, it will become possible to update it on an ongoing basis for the benefit of safety.
Other issues
In addition to international safety regulations for fishing vessels, the following issues were considered:
• Amendments to the Intact Stability Code, including continued development of supplementary risk-based stability provisions as well as provisions on stability in connection with towing and anchor handling operations.
• Damage stability of passenger ships, including guidelines on the safe return to port.
• Interpretations of the Tonnage Convention (the TM69 Convention).
[mappress]
DMA, April 2, 2013