Major amendments to SOLAS Chapters II-2 and V and the Chemical and Gas Codes entered into force on July 1, 2002. The amendments will be applicable, retrospectively, to ships constructed before this date. Ships affected will be required to fit additional equipment. Owners and operators are advised to plan ahead to ensure that their ships comply with the new regulations by the respective due date.

In summary, among others, the new additional requirements require that for:

• all ships 500 gt and greater – Emergency Escape Breathing Devices (EEBDs) to be provided by first Safety Equipment (SE) survey after July 1, 2002.
• passenger ships 2,000 gt or greater – fixed local application fire extinguishing systems to be provided by October 1, 2005 (in Category ‘A’ machinery spaces of over 500m³).
• tankers 500 gt and over – cargo pumproom hydrocarbon monitoring and cargo pump temperature sensing devices to be provided by first scheduled dry docking after July 1, 2002 but not later than July 1, 2005.
• all ships irrespective of gt – Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or terrestrial navigation system to be provided by first SE survey after July 1, 2002.
• all cargo ships 300 gt and greater – Automatic Identification System (AIS) to be provided from July 1, 2003 (precise dates vary with ship type and gt – see SOLAS V Reg 19.2.4 for more detail).
• all passenger ships irrespective of gt – AIS to be provided not later than July 1, 2003.
• all ropax ships irrespective of gt – Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) to be provided not later than first passenger ship safety survey on or after July 1, 2002.
• all non-ropax passenger ships irrespective of gt – VDR to be provided not later than January 1, 2004.
• all chemical tankers irrespective of gt – from July 1, 2002, new cargo hoses are to have been prototype tested. Each new hose length to be pressure tested to 1.5 times working pressure before being placed in service.
• all chemical tankers irrespective of gt – from July 1, 2002, a secondary means of allowing full flow vapour relief.
• all gas tankers irrespective of gt (applies to GC and IGC code ships only) – from July 1, 2002, new cargo hoses are to have been prototype tested. Each new hose length to be pressure tested to 1.5 times working pressure before being placed in service.