Purpose

Instruction to Class (IC) 2-2017 rev.1 is adopted in order to instruct the Recognised Organisations (ROs) of the NMA’s acceptance criteria for:

  1. granting certain exemptions to ships
  2. allowing a ship to continue its service when certain systems or pieces of equipment cannot be repaired or replaced.

Application

IC 2-2017 rev.1 applies to cargo ships registered in a Norwegian ship register.

References

  • Agreement of 1 June 2002 between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and ROs concerning surveys of ships registered in a Norwegian ship register (the Agreement)
  • Articles 2.2, 2.3 and 3.1-3.5, cf. Annex I to the Agreement sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.8, Annex II to the Agreement sections 3.1, 3.3 and 3.7 and Annex III.
  • Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 1072 on the construction of ships, cf. International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS) Chapter II-1.
  • Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 1099 on fire protection on ships, cf. International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS) Chapter II-2.
  • Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 1019 on life-saving appliances on ships, cf. International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS) Chapter III.
  • Regulations of 5 September 2014 No. 1157 on navigation and navigational aids for ships and mobile offshore units, cf. International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS) Chapter V.
  • Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 955 on radio-communication equipment for Norwegian ships and mobile offshore units, cf. International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS) Chapter IV.
  • Regulations of 1 December 1975 No. 5 for preventing collisions at sea, cf. COLREG
  • Regulations of 30 May 2012 No. 488 on environmental safety for ships and mobile offshore units, cf. MARPOL Annexes I-VI.
  • Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 944 on dangerous goods on Norwegian ships, cf. the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code).

Repeal

IC 2-2017 rev.1 repeals IC 2-2010 Navigational Lights on Norwegian Vessels.

Background

Over time, the NMA has identified a need to provide specific instructions in order to facilitate consistency in how ROs deal with ship-owners’ requests to use solutions which deviate from the prescriptive standards laid down in the applicable Norwegian statutes that give effect to the international instruments referred to above.

IC 2-2017 rev.1 is adopted in order to provide the ROs with the means necessary to address and consider ship-owners’ requests for certain exemptions from the requirements laid down in the applicable Norwegian statutes.

Item

IC 2-2017 rev.1 instructs the ROs of the acceptance criteria which shall be applied when ROs receive ship-owners’ requests for exemptions in relation to items 1 to 4 listed under the heading “Exemptions and interpretations” below.

IC 2-2017 rev.1 further provides instructions on actions required by an RO to allow a ship to continue its service in cases of malfunctioning navigation or radio-communication or oil filtering equipment or failure of the oil discharge monitoring and control system, refer to items 5 to 9 listed under the heading “Exemptions and interpretations” below.

1. Exemptions and interpretations

Fixed fire-extinguishing arrangements in cargo spaces

  1. Cargo spaces of any cargo ship constructed and solely intended for the carriage of ore, coal, grain, unseasoned timber, non-combustible cargoes or cargoes which constitute a low risk of fire* may be exempted from the requirements of the Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 1099 on fire protection on ships section 2, first subparagraph (a), cf. SOLAS Reg. II-2/10.7.1.3 and 10.7.2, in accordance with SOLAS Reg. II-2/10.7.1.4.

* MSC.1/Circ.1395/Rev.1 LISTS OF SOLID BULK CARGOES FOR WHICH A FIXED GAS FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM MAY BE EXEMPTED, OR FOR WHICH A FIXED GAS FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM IS INEFFECTIVE.

2. Servicing of inflatable liferafts

  1. According to SOLAS Reg. III/20.8, every inflatable liferaft shall be serviced at intervals not exceeding 12 months. In cases where this is impracticable, the Administration may extend this period up to 17 months.
  2. RO may extend this period to up to 17 months without consulting the NMA in cases where service providers are inaccessible.
  3. Legal basis for extending the service interval is: Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 1019 on life-saving appliances on ships section 2, cf. SOLAS Reg. III/20.8.1.

3. Immersion suits

  1. The NMA considers warm climates, as referred to in SOLAS Reg. III/32.3.2, to be within latitudes 30° N and 30° S.

4. Amendments to paragraph 3.2.5 of the IGC Code as amended by MSC.370(93)

  1. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its ninety-seventh session (21 to 25 November 2016), adopted, by resolution MSC.411(97), the following amendment to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code), as amended by resolution MSC.370(93), to correct paragraph 3.2.5 by removing the requirement for fire-rated wheelhouse windows as follows: In paragraph 3.2.5, the words "Wheelhouse windows shall be constructed to not less than "A-0" class (for external fire load)." are deleted.
  2. The amendments of the IGC Code paragraph 3.2.5 enters into force on 1 January 2020.
  3. With reference to MSC.1/Circ.1549, the NMA adopts the early implementation of the amendments to the IGC Code adopted by resolution MSC.411(97).
  4. Ships to which the IGC Code paragraph 3.2.5 applies, need not be fitted with “A-0” class wheelhouse windows.
  5. An exemption granted as a consequence of the NMA’s early implementation of the amendments to the IGC Code paragraph 3.2.5, set out in the annex to resolution MSC.411(97), shall be entered in the International certificate of fitness for the carriage of liquefied gases in bulk.

5 Navigation lights

  1. On offshore vessels of traditional design, construction and operational use, it may be a challenge to carry stern light and masthead lights in accordance with Chapter 3(a) in Annex 1 to COLREG and rule 21 (c) in COLREG. According to Rule 1(e) of COLREG, the NMA authorises ROs to approve arrangements as described below.
  2. On offshore vessels designed with accommodation and wheelhouse in the forward part of the vessel and an exposed cargo deck in the after part, the distance between the masthead lights may be reduced to less than one half of the vessel’s length. However, the distance between the masthead lights shall never be less than 10 metres.
  3. For offshore vessels not able to carry the stern light at the stern without compromising proper functioning of the vessel, the stern light needs not be placed at the stern if the vessel is capable of indicating its own length by other means, for example a floodlight illuminating the aft part of the vessel.
  4. Legal basis for the exemption is Regulations of 1 December 1975 No. 5 for preventing collisions at sea (COLREG) Rule 1(e).
  5. In case the positioning or lighting fixture of navigation lights on vessels other than offshore vessels requires some form of consideration, the NMA shall be consulted on a case-by-case basis.

6. Navigation and navigational aids

  1. In the event of malfunction of navigational equipment, the carriage of which is required by SOLAS Chapter V, an RO may confirm compliance with SOLAS Reg. V/16.2 for a period of up to one month pending repair of the malfunctioning equipment without consulting the NMA.
  2. Before an RO confirms compliance with SOLAS Reg. V/16.2, the master of the ship concerned shall document to the satisfaction of the RO that suitable arrangements have been made by the master to take the inoperative equipment or unavailable information into account when planning for and executing a safe voyage to a port where repairs can take place.
  3. If more than one month is needed for the repair of the malfunctioning navigational equipment in paragraph 5.1, the NMA shall be consulted on a case-by-case basis.

7. Radio-communication equipment

  1. In the event of a malfunction of the equipment for providing the general radio communications required by SOLAS Reg. IV/4.1.8, an RO may, without consulting the NMA, confirm compliance with SOLAS Reg. IV/15.8 for up to one month pending repair of the malfunctioning equipment.
  2. Before the RO confirms compliance with SOLAS Reg. IV/15.8, it shall be confirmed that the ship is capable of performing all distress and safety functions, and that suitable arrangements have been made by the master to take the inoperative equipment or unavailable information into account when planning for and executing a safe voyage to a port where repairs can take place.
  3. If more than one month is needed for the repair of the radio-communication equipment in paragraph 6.1, the NMA shall be consulted on a case-by-case basis.

8. Oil filtering equipment

  1. In the event of a malfunction of the oily water separator (OWS), the NMA authorises ROs to consider if suitable arrangements have been made by the master to take the inoperative equipment into account when planning for and executing a safe voyage to a port where repairs can take place.
  2. Any oil or oily mixtures shall be retained on board for subsequent discharge to reception facilities, cf. MARPOL Reg. I/15.9.
  3. If more than one month is needed to repair the malfunctioning OWS in paragraph 7.1, the NMA shall be consulted on a case-by-case basis.

9. Oil discharge monitoring and control system

  1. In the event of failure of the oil discharge monitoring and control system, the NMA authorises ROs to consider the use of any manually operated alternative method, in accordance with MARPOL Reg. I/ 31.2. The defective unit concerned shall be made operable as soon as possible.
  2. Any oil or oily mixtures shall be retained on board for subsequent discharge to reception facilities, cf. MARPOL Reg. I/34.9
  3. If more than one month is needed to repair the defective oil discharge monitoring and control system in paragraph 8.1, the NMA shall be consulted on a case-by-case basis.