- Revised safety certificate templates for safety radio and equipment necessitate coordinated issuance of affected certificates.]
- DNV outlines the implications and provides recommendations for ship owners and managers to ensure compliance.
Changes to SOLAS Chapters III/IV/V and the HSC Code, introduced by MSC.496(105) and 499(105), mandate new templates for safety certificates effective from January 1, 2024. These updates require a synchronized issuance of all pertinent certificates to maintain consistency across vessel representations.
Coordinated Issuance Process
DNV monitors required updates through retro-active requirements (RR) 1070a and 1070b. Vessels without a narrow-band-direct-printing (NBDP) Radio Telex (Tlx) (RR 1070a) may delay certificate re-issuance until the next renewal survey. Vessels with at least one Tlx (RR 1070b) must disconnect or remove the Tlx if not used for Maritime Safety Information (MSI) reception, triggering re-issuance of relevant safety certificates.
Compliance Measures
Early compliance can be requested by adding the relevant RR to the scope of any remote survey, incurring standard remote survey costs. Upon re-issuance of certificates and RR deletion, vessel compliance with new regulations is achieved.
Changes to SOLAS Ch. III/IV and the HSC Code
Effective January 2024, the amendment discontinues NBDP Tlx for two-way distress and safety communication on the HF band. Portable VHF equipment and SART/AIS-SART are relocated from SOLAS Ch. III to Ch. IV, necessitating updates to safety radio records.
Recommendations
- Disconnect or remove Tlx if not used for HF-MSI reception; mark accordingly if disconnected but not removed.
- Indicate Tlx status and locations of portable VHF and SART/AIS-SART in radio survey reports.
- Ship managers can opt for early certificate re-issuance by selecting the appropriate RR in survey requests.
DNV advises its customers to adhere to these recommendations to ensure compliance with revised safety certificate requirements.
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Source: DNV
