Anti-fouling paints are used to coat the bottoms of ships to prevent sealife such as algae and molluscs attaching themselves to the hull – thereby slowing down the ship and increasing fuel consumption.

This applies to all ships (except fixed and floating platforms, floating storage units (FSUs), and floating production storage and off-loading units (FPSOs) that have been constructed prior to 1 January 2003 and that have not been in dry-dock on or after 1 January 2003).

Ships of 24 metres or more in length but less than 400 gross tonnage engaged in international voyages (excluding fixed or floating platforms, FSUs and FPSOs) will have to carry a Declaration on Anti-fouling Systems signed by the owner or authorized agent.

As part of the ESP requirements, a survey planning questionnaire and survey programme is required to be prepared by the owners/managers at least six months in advance of the special survey and submitted to ICB CLASS for agreement for all ships that are assigned the ESP notation.

In addition to the ESP requirements, for single hulled oil tankers beyond a certain age, compliance with Regulation 13G(7) of MARPOL 73/78 as amended is also required.

Code of Safety for Caribbean Cargo Ships that applies to cargo ships of less than 500 gross tonnage including oil tankers and tankers, irrespective of length, engaged on international voyages trading in the Caribbean Trading Area.

The safety of fishing vessels has been a matter of concern to IMO since the Organization’s inception, but the differences in design and operation between fishing vessels and other types of ship have proved to be an obstacle to their inclusion in the SOLAS and Load Lines Conventions.

Carriage of chemicals in bulk is covered by regulations in SOLAS Chapter VII – Carriage of dangerous goods and MARPOL Annex II – Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk. Amendments to both MARPOL Annex II and the IBC Code adopted earlier this year will enter into force on 1 January 2021.

The IMDG Code was developed as an international code for the maritime transport of dangerous goods in packaged form, in order to enhance and harmonize the safe carriage of dangerous goods and to prevent pollution to the environment. The Code sets out in detail the requirements applicable to each individual substance, material or article, covering matters such as packing, container traffic and stowage, with particular reference to the segregation of incompatible substances.

Chemical tankers constructed before 1 July 1986 are, where applicable, governed by the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemical in Bulk (BCH Code). As mentioned before, this Code was modified several times by resolutions of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC). The Code is mandatory under Annex II of MARPIL 73/78.

The certificate should be issued after an initial or periodical survey to a chemical tanker engaged in international voyages which complies with the relevant requirements of the Code.

The purposes of these codes is to provide an international standard for the safe transport by sea in bulk of liquefied gases and certain other substances, by prescribing the design and construction standards of ships involved in such transport and the equipment they should carry so as to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and to the environment, having regard to the nature of the products involved.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved four sets of amendments to the GC Code. Gas carriers built after 1976 but before July 1986 are included in the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk.

The latest was adopted in June 1993. All amendments are not necessarily agreed by every government. Although this Code is not mandatory, many countries have implemented it into national law. Accordingly, many ships of this age are required by charterers to meet with Code standards and to have on board a Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk.

The IMSBC replaces the Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes (BC Code), to facilitate the safe stowage and shipment of solid bulk cargoes by providing information on the dangers associated with the shipment of certain types of solid bulk cargoes and instructions on the procedures to be adopted when the shipment of solid bulk cargoes is contemplated.