MARLAW FINAL ASSESMENT

INSTRUCTIONS: Analyze which Convention does the situation will exactly fall in, and Prove
your answer by determining the Conventions Chapters/Sections related to the situation.

1. Doña Paz – Late on 20 December 1987, while bound for Manila from Tacloban, this
passenger ferry collided with the oil tanker MT Vector in the Tablas Strait near Marinduque. The
collision ignited the Vector's cargo and the fire spread to the Doña Paz; both ships burned and
sank. Though Doña Paz was certified to only carry 1,518 passengers, thousands more were
crammed on board and unlisted on its trip manifest. Except for 24 passengers, everyone on the
Doña Paz died, including its crew of 58; while on the Vector only 2 of its 13-crew survived. The
combined death toll for both ships is estimated at 4,386 making the incident the deadliest
peacetime maritime disaster in history.

SOLAS CONVENTION

The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with its requirements, and a number
of certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control
provisions also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if
there are clear grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not substantially comply
with the requirements of the Convention - this procedure is known as port State control. The
current SOLAS Convention includes Articles setting out general obligations, amendment
procedure and so on, followed by an Annex divided into 14 Chapters.

Chapter II-2 - Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction

Includes detailed fire safety provisions for all ships and specific measures for passenger ships,
cargo ships and tankers.

They include the following principles: division of the ship into main and vertical zones by
thermal and structural boundaries; separation of accommodation spaces from the remainder of
the ship by thermal and structural boundaries; restricted use of combustible materials; detection
of any fire in the zone of origin; containment and extinction of any fire in the space of origin;
protection of the means of escape or of access for fire-fighting purposes; ready availability of
fire-extinguishing appliances; minimization of the possibility of ignition of flammable cargo
vapour.

Chapter III - Life-saving appliances and arrangements

The Chapter includes requirements for life-saving appliances and arrangements, including
requirements for life boats, rescue boats and life jackets according to type of ship. The
International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements for LSAs
and is mandatory under Regulation 34, which states that all life-saving appliances and
arrangements shall comply with the applicable requirements of the LSA Code.

A.852 (20) Guidelines on the structure of an integrated system of emergency plans on board
A.865 (20) Minimum training requirements to be satisfied by designated crew to provide
assistance to passengers in emergency situations on board passenger ships

SOLAS Chapter III Rules 19.

With regard to training and drills for emergencies.

SOLAS. Chapter III Rule 20.

Regarding the functional availability, maintenance and inspection of lifesaving appliances and
arrangements.:

The SOLAS 90 damage stability standard, which had applied to all ro-ro passenger ships built
since 1990, was extended to existing ships in accordance with an agreed phase-in programme.
Ships that only meet 85% of the standard had to comply fully by 1 October 1998 and those
meeting 97.5% or above, by 1 October 2005. (The SOLAS 90 standard refers to the damage
stability MONALISA 2.0 - REPORT ON MARITIME ACCIDENTS 119 standard in the 1988
(October) amendments to SOLAS adopted 28 October 1988 and entering into force on 29 April
1990.) The conference also adopted a new regulation 8-2, containing special requirements for ro-
ro passenger ships carrying 400 passengers or more. This is intended to phase out ships built to a
one-compartment standard and ensure that they can survive without capsizing with two main
compartments flooded following damage.

2. RMS Titanic – A British ocean liner and, at the time, the world's largest ship. On 14 April
1912, on her maiden voyage, she struck an iceberg, buckling part of her hull and causing her to
sink in the early hours of 15 April. 706 of her 2,224 passengers and crew survived. Her loss was
the catalyst for major reforms in shipping safety and is arguably the most famous maritime
disaster, being the subject of numerous media portrayals.

SOLAS CONVENTION

The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with its requirements, and a number
of certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control
provisions also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if
there are clear grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not substantially comply
with the requirements of the Convention - this procedure is known as port State control. The
current SOLAS Convention includes Articles setting out general obligations, amendment
procedure and so on, followed by an Annex divided into 14 Chapters.
Chapter III - Life-saving appliances and arrangements

The Chapter includes requirements for life-saving appliances and arrangements, including
requirements for life boats, rescue boats and life jackets according to type of ship. The
International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements for LSAs
and is mandatory under Regulation 34, which states that all life-saving appliances and
arrangements shall comply with the applicable requirements of the LSA Code.

Chapter II-1 - Construction - Subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical

installations

The subdivision of passenger ships into watertight compartments must be such that after
assumed damage to the ship's hull the vessel will remain afloat and stable. Requirements for
watertight integrity and bilge pumping arrangements for passenger ships are also laid down as
well as stability requirements for both passenger and cargo ships.

Chapter XIV - Safety measures for ships operating in polar waters

The chapter makes mandatory, from 1 January 2017, the Introduction and part I-A of the
International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code).

Liability and compensation (IMO)

In 1974, IMO turned its attention to the question of passengers and their luggage and adopted a
convention which establishes a regime of liability for damage suffered by passengers carried on
seagoing vessels. The Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their
Luggage by Sea declares the carrier liable for damage or loss suffered by passengers if the
incident is due to the fault or the neglect of the carrier. The limit of liability was set at 46,666
Special drawing Right (SDR) per carriage. In 1990 a Protocol was adopted to the Athens
Convention raising the amount of compensation payable. For death or personal injury, for
example, the limit was raised to 175,000 SDR. In October 2002 a Diplomatic Conference
adopted a 2002 Protocol which totally revised the 1974 Convention, adopting much increased
levels of liability, revising the basis of liability and introducing compulsory insurance.

3.HMS Bulwar – On 26 November 1914, a powerful internal explosion ripped her apart at
7:50am while she was moored at Number 17 buoy in Kethole Reach, 4 mi (6.4 km) west of
Sheerness in the River Medway estuary. All her officers were lost, and out of her complement of
750, 14 survived; two of these subsequently died of wounds in hospital.

SOLAS CONVENTION

The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with its requirements, and a number
of certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control
provisions also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if
there are clear grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not substantially comply
with the requirements of the Convention - this procedure is known as port State control. The
current SOLAS Convention includes Articles setting out general obligations, amendment
procedure and so on, followed by an Annex divided into 14 Chapters.

Chapter VII - Carriage of dangerous goods

Part D includes special requirements for the carriage of packaged irradiated nuclear fuel,
plutonium and high-level radioactive wastes on board ships and requires ships carrying such
products to comply with the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated
Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on Board Ships (INF Code).

The chapter requires carriage of dangerous goods to be in compliance with the relevant
provisions of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code).

“INF cargo” means packaged irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high‐level radioactive wastes carried
as cargo in accordance with class 7 of the IMDG Code.”

Chapter VIII - Nuclear ships

Gives basic requirements for nuclear-powered ships and is particularly concerned with radiation
hazards. It refers to detailed and comprehensive Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships
which was adopted by the IMO Assembly in 1981.

Class 7 Dangerous Goods Examples

Commonly transported class 7 dangerous goods include enriched uranium, radioactive ores,

isotopes and some medical equipments or parts.7

“Irradiated nuclear fuel” means material containing uranium, thorium and/or plutonium
isotopes which has been used to maintain a self‐sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

4.Eastland – On 24 July 1915, while moored to the dock in the Chicago River, the capacity load
of passengers shifted to the river side of the ship causing it to roll over, killing 845 passengers
and crew.

SOLAS CONVENTION

The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with its requirements, and a number
of certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control
provisions also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if
there are clear grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not substantially comply
with the requirements of the Convention - this procedure is known as port State control. The
current SOLAS Convention includes Articles setting out general obligations, amendment
procedure and so on, followed by an Annex divided into 14 Chapters.

Chapter II-1 - Construction - Subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical

installations

The subdivision of passenger ships into watertight compartments must be such that after
assumed damage to the ship's hull the vessel will remain afloat and stable. Requirements for
watertight integrity and bilge pumping arrangements for passenger ships are also laid down as
well as stability requirements for both passenger and cargo ships.

Chapter III - Life-saving appliances and arrangements

The Chapter includes requirements for life-saving appliances and arrangements, including
requirements for life boats, rescue boats and life jackets according to type of ship. The
International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements for LSAs
and is mandatory under Regulation 34, which states that all life-saving appliances and
arrangements shall comply with the applicable requirements of the LSA Code.

Liability and compensation (IMO)

In 1974, IMO turned its attention to the question of passengers and their luggage and adopted a
convention which establishes a regime of liability for damage suffered by passengers carried on
seagoing vessels. The Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their
Luggage by Sea declares the carrier liable for damage or loss suffered by passengers if the
incident is due to the fault or the neglect of the carrier. The limit of liability was set at 46,666
Special drawing Right (SDR) per carriage. In 1990 a Protocol was adopted to the Athens
Convention raising the amount of compensation payable. For death or personal injury, for
example, the limit was raised to 175,000 SDR. In October 2002 a Diplomatic Conference
adopted a 2002 Protocol which totally revised the 1974 Convention, adopting much increased
levels of liability, revising the basis of liability and introducing compulsory insurance.

5.The Amoco Cadiz-tanker ran aground due to a steering gear failure on March 16, 1978, three
miles from the coast of Brittany, France. It split in three before sinking, creating the largest oil
spill of its kind in history to that date – 1.6 million barrels.

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)

is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment
by ships from operational or accidental causes.
The MARPOL Convention was adopted on 2 November 1973 at IMO. The Protocol of 1978 was
adopted in response to a spate of tanker accidents in 1976-1977. As the 1973 MARPOL
Convention had not yet entered into force, the 1978 MARPOL Protocol absorbed the parent
Convention. The combined instrument entered into force on 2 October 1983. In 1997, a Protocol
was adopted to amend the Convention and a new Annex VI was added which entered into force
on 19 May 2005. MARPOL has been updated by amendments through the years.

MARPOL.
MARPOL 73/78 is not only the key convention protecting the marine environment but it also
protects the atmosphere from pollution by ships. The 1967 Torrey Canyon and Amoco Cadiz
accident was the catalyst for the adoption of the MARPOL convention, it was the biggest oil
tanker spill recorded at the time, which led to the creation of a devoted subcommittee on
pollution from ships at IMO (Marine Environment Protection Committee) and the development
and adoption of MARPOL, as well as a series of global treaties addressing liability and
compensation for damage from oil pollution.
MARPOL Annex I – Prevention of Pollution by Oil

Annex I (Oil) came into force on 02.10.1983 and contains conditions for discharge of mixtures
containing oil and also requirements applicable to the construction and equipment of tankers
larger than 150GRT and other ships larger than 400GRT. This Annex is based on the principle
that oil and water do not mix and are therefore easily separated. It contains requirements
regarding the operation, construction and equipment of ships. The operational requirements
stipulate the conditions under which ships may discharge water/oil mixtures into the sea.
Overboard discharges are to be above the waterline so that discharges can be visible. The
construction and equipment requirements are such as to enable the ship personnel to comply with
the discharge conditions. Other construction requirements are such to minimise the chances of oil
cargo tank penetration in the event of damage, i.e. double hull construction and protective
location of segregated ballast tanks. Requirements for minimising oil pollution from oil tankers
in the event of side and/ or bottom damages penetrating the cargo oil tanks are also included.

Liability and compensation

IMO is primarily concerned with the safety of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution,
but the Organization has also introduced regulations covering liability and compensation for
damage, such as pollution, caused by ships.

The Torrey Canyon disaster of 1967, which led to an intensification of IMO's technical work in

preventing pollution, was also the catalyst for work on liability and compensation.

6. Mont-Blanc and the Halifax Explosion – On 6 December 1917, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada, was devastated by the huge explosion of the fully laden French munitions ship Mont-
Blanc. She collided with the Norwegian ship Imo in The Narrows part of Halifax Harbor. The
Mont-Blanc's 40-man crew all escaped but minutes later she exploded. About 2,000 people on
the shore and in Halifax were killed by the explosion, falling debris, fires or collapsing buildings,
and over 9,000 were injured, particularly by flying glass. It is still the largest accidental
explosion of conventional weapons to date.
SOLAS CONVENTION
The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment, and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with their requirements, and several
certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control provisions
also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if there are clear
grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not comply with the requirements of the
Convention SOLAS CONVENTION
Chapter I - General Provisions
Includes regulations concerning the survey of the various types of ships and the issuing
of documents signifying that the ship meets the requirements of the Convention. The Chapter
also includes provisions for the control of ships in ports of other Contracting Governments.
Chapter II-2 - Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
Includes detailed fire safety provisions for all ships and specific measures for passenger
ships, cargo ships and tankers.They include the following principles: division of the ship into
main and vertical zones by thermal and structural boundaries; separation of accommodation
spaces from the remainder of the ship by thermal and structural boundaries; restricted use of
combustible materials; detection of any fire in the zone of origin; containment and extinction of
any fire in the space of origin; protection of the means of escape or of access for fire-fighting
purposes; ready availability of fire-extinguishing appliances; minimization of the possibility of
ignition of flammable cargo vapour.
Chapter IV - Radiocommunications
Regulations in Chapter IV cover undertakings by contracting governments to provide
radiocommunication services as well as ship requirements for carriage of radiocommunications
equipment. The Chapter is linked to the Radio Regulations of the International
Telecommunication Union.
Chapter V - Safety of Navigation
Chapter V identifies certain navigation safety services which should be provided by
Contracting Governments and sets forth provisions of an operational nature applicable in general
to all ships on all voyages. This contrasts with the Convention as a whole, which only applies to
certain classes of ships engaged on international voyages. This Chapter also includes a general
obligation for masters to proceed to the assistance of those in distress and for Contracting
Governments to ensure that all ships shall be sufficiently and efficiently took control of from a
safety point of view. The chapter makes mandatory the carriage of voyage data recorders
(VDRs) and automatic ship identification systems (AIS).
Chapter VII - Carriage of dangerous goods
Part C covers Construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk and
gas carriers to comply with the requirements of the International Gas Carrier Code (IGC Code).
Part D includes special requirements for the carriage of packaged irradiated nuclear fuel,
plutonium and high-level radioactive wastes on board ships and requires ships carrying such
products to comply with the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated
Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on Board Ships (INF Code).
The chapter requires carriage of dangerous goods to be in compliance with the relevant
provisions of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code).
MARPOL Convention

The Convention includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimizing pollution from ships -
both accidental pollution and that from routine operations - and currently includes six technical
Annexes. Special Areas with strict controls on operational discharges are included in most
Annexes.
Annex I Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil (entered into force 2 October 1983)
Covers prevention of pollution by oil from operational measures as well as from accidental
discharges; the 1992 amendments to Annex I made it mandatory for new oil tankers to have
double hulls and brought in a phase-in schedule for existing tankers to fit double hulls, which
was subsequently revised in 2001 and 2003.
7. On January 25, 2012, while the ship was docked at Pier 35 in call port San Francisco CA
(USA), Customs and Border Protection officers arrested 3 passengers and charged them with
drug trafficking. They found around 13 kg of cocaine in 2 separate staterooms.
The 3 arrested passengers carried, respectively, Ahmed Rachid (Australian, ~7 kg), while Tony
Wilkinson and Kirstie Harris (roommates, both from New Zealand) carried ~5 kg. The ship
arrived in the USA from the Caribbean (call port Willemstad Curacao) via Panama Canal.
The 3 arrested passengers carried, respectively, Ahmed Rachid (Australian, ~7 kg), while Tony
Wilkinson and Kirstie Harris (roommates, both from New Zealand) carried ~5 kg. The ship
arrived in the USA from the Caribbean (call port Willemstad Curacao) via Panama Canal.
The officers were using a sniffer dog and checking the disembarking passengers. The man had
several packages with a total of 30 kg of cocaine. Drugs were hidden inside a wetsuit he was
wearing under his clothes. Another 25 packages of cocaine were later found in 3 suitcases in his
stateroom.

The STCW Code

The regulations contained in the Convention are supported by sections in the STCW Code.
Generally speaking, the Convention contains basic requirements which are then enlarged upon
and explained in the Code. Part A of the Code is mandatory. The minimum standards of
competence required for seagoing personnel are given in detail in a series of tables. Chapter II of
the Code, for example, deals with standards regarding the master and deck department.
Purpose: To protect the health of seafarers and ensure their prompt access to medical care on
board ship and ashore
Alcohol and drug consumption onboard: Taking prevention measures

Any level of alcohol consumption or illegal drugs by crew members onboard has
implications for the safety of the vessel, the crew and any passengers. Even small quantities of
alcohol have been shown to sufficiently impair seafarer’s fitness for duty and increase the risk of
accidents. As such, Regulation VIII/1, Code A-VIII/1 and B-VIII/1 of the STCW Convention, as
amended in June 2010 (the Manila amendments), brought in new provisions on fitness for duty –
alcohol limits.
The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC),
2006 is a milestone for the global maritime industry. Once implemented, MLC is
expected to enhance the life of seafarers working offshore, along with increasing the safety and
security of sea-going vessels.
Regulation 4.1 – Medical care on board ship and ashore
Purpose: To protect the health of seafarers and ensure their prompt access to medical care on
board ship and ashore
1. Each Member shall ensure that all seafarers on ships that fly its flag are covered by adequate
measures for the protection of their health and that they have access to prompt and adequate
medical care whilst working on board.
2. The protection and care under paragraph 1 of this Regulation shall, in principle, be provided at
no cost to the seafarers.
3. Each Member shall ensure that seafarers on board ships in its territory who are in need of
immediate medical care are given access to the Member’s medical facilities on shore.
4. The requirements for on-board health protection and medical care set out in the Code include
standards for measures aimed at providing seafarers with health protection and medical care as
comparable as possible to that which is generally available to workers ashore
The IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and Facilitation Committee (FAL) work in
close cooperation on matters related to the prevention and suppression of drug smuggling
on ships engaged in international maritime traffic.
On 27 November 1997 the Organization adopted Resolution A.872(20), which contained
Guidelines for the Prevention and Suppression of the Smuggling of Drugs, Psychotropic
Substances and Precursor Chemicals on Ships engaged in International Maritime Traffic. That
Assembly resolution was subsequently revoked and replaced by the Revised Guidelines for the
Prevention and Suppression of the Smuggling of Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursor
Chemicals on Ships engaged in International Maritime Traffic. The revised guidelines were
adopted by MSC through resolution MSC.228(82), on 7 December 2006; and by FAL through
resolution FAL.9(34), on 30 March 2007.IMO works closely with other international
Organizations, such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), on matters concerning drug smuggling on board ships.
8. The crew of the MT Ocean Pride have had their basic human rights breached, with a lack of
liberty, lack of protection for their health and bodily integrity, lack of protection for their right to
life, and lack of family life due to their retention on the MT Ocean Pride.
Throughout their ordeal the crew have been denied access to proper and timely medical
treatment. They have not been provided with suitable facilities, food, water, or medical supplies,
and their health and wellbeing has been severely damaged as a result.
SOLAS CONVENTION
The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment, and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with their requirements, and several
certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control provisions
also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if there are clear
grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not comply with the requirements of the
Convention SOLAS CONVENTION
Chapter XI-2 - Special measures to enhance maritime security
Regulation XI-2/3 of the chapter enshrines the International Ship and Port Facilities
Security Code (ISPS Code). Part A of the Code is mandatory and part B contains guidance as to
how best to comply with the mandatory requirements. Regulation XI-2/8 confirms the role of the
Master in exercising his professional judgement over decisions necessary to maintain the security
of the ship. It says he shall not be constrained by the Company, the charterer or any other person
in this respect.
Chapter I - General Provisions
Includes regulations concerning the survey of the various types of ships and the issuing of
documents signifying that the ship meets the requirements of the Convention. The Chapter also
includes provisions for the control of ships in ports of other Contracting Governments.
Regulation XI-2/5 requires all ships to be provided with a ship security alert system.
,Regulation XI-2/6 covers requirements for port facilities, providing among other things for
Contracting Governments to ensure that port facility security assessments are carried out and that
port facility security plans are developed, implemented and reviewed in accordance with the
ISPS Code. Other regulations in this chapter cover the provision of information to IMO, the
control of ships in port, (including measures such as the delay, detention, restriction of
operations including movement within the port, or expulsion of a ship from port), and the
specific responsibility of Companies.
 Chapter IX - Management for the Safe Operation of Ships
The Chapter makes mandatory the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, which
requires a safety management system to be established by the shipowner or any person who has
assumed responsibility for the ship (the "Company").
The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006 is a milestone for the global maritime

industry. Once implemented, MLC is expected to enhance the life of seafarers working offshore,

along with increasing the safety and security of sea-going vessels.

Guideline B4.1 – Medical care on board ship and ashore

Guideline B4.1.1 – Provision of medical care
1. When determining the level of medical training to be provided on board ships that are
not required to carry a medical doctor, the competent authority should require that:
(a) ships which ordinarily are capable of reaching qualified medical care and medical
facilities within eight hours should have at least one designated seafarer with the approved
medical first-aid training required by STCW which will enable such persons to take immediate,
effective action in case of accidents or illnesses likely to occur on board a ship and to make use
of medical advice by radio or satellite communication; and
(b) all other ships should have at least one designated seafarer with approved training in
medical care required by STCW, including practical training and training in life-saving
techniques such as intravenous therapy, which will enable the persons concerned to participate
effectively in coordinated schemes for medical assistance to ships at sea, and to provide the sick
or injured with a satisfactory standard of medical care during the period they are likely to remain
on board.
Guideline B3.2 – Food and catering
Guideline B3.2.1 – Inspection, education, research and publication
1. The competent authority should, in cooperation with other relevant agencies and
organizations, collect up-to-date information on nutrition and on methods of purchasing, storing,
preserving, cooking and serving food, with special reference to the requirements of catering on
board a ship. This information should be made available, free of charge or at reasonable cost, to
manufacturers of and traders in ships’ food supplies and equipment, masters, stewards and cooks,
and to shipowners’ and seafarers’ organizations concerned. Appropriate forms of publicity, such
as manuals, brochures, posters, charts or advertisements in trade journals, should be used for this
purpose.

9. Salem Express – At midnight between 14-15 December 1991, while on a voyage from
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt, with at least 644 passengers, the ship struck a reef and
sank within 10-20 minutes. The official toll is 470 lives lost, but there is a persistent unsourced
rumor that the ship was overcrowded, and the true death toll is far higher.
SOLAS CONVENTION
The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment, and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with their requirements, and several
certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control provisions
also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if there are clear
grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not comply with the requirements of the
Convention SOLAS CONVENTION
Chapter II-1 - Construction - Subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical
installations
The subdivision of passenger ships into watertight compartments must be such that after
assumed damage to the ship's hull the vessel will remain afloat and stable. Requirements for
watertight integrity and bilge pumping arrangements for passenger ships are also laid down as
well as stability requirements for both passenger and cargo ships.
The degree of subdivision - measured by the maximum permissible distance between two
adjacent bulkheads - varies with the ship's length and the service in which it is engaged. The
highest degree of subdivision applies to passenger ships.

Chapter III - Life-saving appliances and arrangements

The Chapter includes requirements for life-saving appliances and arrangements, including
requirements for lifeboats, rescue boats and life jackets according to type of ship. The
International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements for LSAs
and is mandatory under Regulation 34, which states that all life-saving appliances and
arrangements shall comply with the applicable requirements of the LSA Code.
A.852 (20) Guidelines on the structure of an integrated system of emergency plans on board
A.865 (20) Minimum training requirements to be satisfied by designated crew to help passengers
in emergency situations on board passenger ships.
Chapter V - Safety of Navigation
Chapter V identifies certain navigation safety services which should be provided by Contracting
Governments and sets forth provisions of an operational nature applicable in general to all ships
on all voyages. This contrasts with the Convention as a whole, which only applies to certain
classes of ships engaged on international voyages.
The subjects covered include the maintenance of meteorological services for ships; the ice patrol
service; routing of ships; and the maintenance of search and rescue services.
MARPOL Convention
The Convention includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimizing pollution from ships -
both accidental pollution and that from routine operations - and currently includes six technical
Annexes. Special Areas with strict controls on operational discharges are included in most
Annexes.
Annex I Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil (entered into force 2 October
1983)
Covers prevention of pollution by oil from operational measures as well as from accidental
discharges; the 1992 amendments to Annex I made it mandatory for new oil tankers to have
double hulls and brought in a phase-in schedule for existing tankers to fit double hulls, which
was subsequently revised in 2001 and 2003.
10. Doña Marilyn – On the afternoon of 24 October 1988, while sailing from Manila to
Tacloban City, the vessel was caught up in Typhoon Unsang and sank leaving 389 dead and 147
survivors. Doña Marilyn was a partner ship of Doña Paz which sank a year earlier inthedeadliest
ever peace-time maritime disaster.
SOLAS CONVENTION
The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the
construction, equipment, and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are
responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with their requirements, and several
certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control provisions
also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if there are clear
grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not comply with the requirements of the
Convention SOLAS CONVENTION
Chapter III - Life-saving appliances and arrangements
The Chapter includes requirements for life-saving appliances and arrangements, including
requirements for lifeboats, rescue boats and life jackets according to type of ship. The
International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements for LSAs
and is mandatory under Regulation 34, which states that all life-saving appliances and
arrangements shall comply with the applicable requirements of the LSA Code.

Chapter IV - Radiocommunications
The Chapter incorporates the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
All passenger ships and all cargo ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards on international
voyages are required to carry equipment designed to improve the chances of rescue following an
accident, including satellite emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) and search
and rescue transponders (SARTs) for the location of the ship or survival craft.
Regulations in Chapter IV cover undertakings by contracting governments to provide
radiocommunication services as well as ship requirements for carriage of radiocommunications
equipment. The Chapter is linked to the Radio Regulations of the International
Telecommunication Union.

Chapter V - Safety of Navigation

Chapter V identifies certain navigation safety services which should be provided by
Contracting Governments and sets forth provisions of an operational nature applicable in general
to all ships on all voyages. This contrasts with the Convention as a whole, which only applies to
certain classes of ships engaged on international voyages.
The subjects covered include the maintenance of meteorological services for ships; the ice patrol
service; routing of ships; and the maintenance of search and rescue services.
This Chapter also includes a general obligation for masters to proceed to the assistance of those
in distress and for Contracting Governments to ensure that all ships shall be sufficiently and
efficiently took control of from a safety point of view.
The chapter makes mandatory the carriage of voyage data recorders (VDRs) and automatic ship
identification systems (AIS).