SOLAS
planning, navigation, distress signal etc.
Technical Provisions
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.
Article I General obligations under the
Convention
Article II – Application
Article III - Laws, regulations
Article IV - Cases of force majeure
Article V - Carriage of persons in emergency
Article VI - Prior treaties and conventions
Article VIII – Amendments
Article IX - Signature, ratification,
acceptance, approval and accession
Article X - Entry into force
Article XI – Denunciation
Article XII - Deposit and registration
Article XII - Deposit and registration
Chapter I – General Provisions: Surveys
and certification of all the safety items etc., are
included.
Chapter II-1 – Construction – Subdivision
and stability, machinery and electrical
installations: Deals with watertight integrity of
the ship, especially for passenger vessels.
Annex 2 - Certificates and documents required
Chapter II-2 – Fire protection, fire detection
and extinction: This chapter elaborates on the to be carried on board ships
means and measures for fire protection in
Annex 3 - List of resolutions adopted by the
accommodation, cargo spaces and engine rooms
SOLAS Conferences
for passenger, cargo and tanker ships.
Chapter III – Lifesaving appliances and
arrangements: All the lifesaving appliances
and their use in different situations are
described.
Chapter IV – Radio
communications: Includes requirements of
GMDSS, SART, EPIRB etc., for cargo and
passenger vessels.
Chapter V – Safety of navigation: This chapter
deals with all the seagoing vessels of all sizes, Article III
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES
from boats to VLCCs, and includes passage
SEAFARERS’ EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL
Chapter VI – Carriage of Cargoes: This
chapter defines the storage and securing of
different cargo and containers but does not
include oil and gas cargo.
Chapter VII – Carriage of dangerous
goods: Defines the International Maritime
Goods Code for storing and transporting
hazardous goods.
Chapter VIII – Nuclear ships: The code of
Safety for a nuclear-propelled ship is stated in
this chapter.
Chapter IX – Management for the Safe
Operation of Ships: The International Safety
Management Code for ship owners and
operators is described clearly.
Chapter X – Safety measures for high-speed
craft: safety code for high-speed craft is
explained.
Chapter XI-1 & 2– Special measures to
enhance maritime Safety: Special and
enhanced survey for safe operation, other
operational requirements and ISPS code is
briefed in this chapter.
Chapter XII – Additional safety measures for
bulk carriers: Includes safety requirements for
above 150 meters length bulk carriers.
Chapter XIII – Verification of Compliance
Chapter XIV -Safety Measures for Ships
Operating in Polar Waters
Annex 1 - Global and uniform implementation
of the harmonized system of survey and
certification (HSSC)
Annex 4 - Regulation 12-2 of chapter II-I
(adopted 11 December 1992 by MSC.27(61))
Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006)
Article I
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS
Article ii DEFINITIONS AND SCOPE OF
APPLICATION
Regulation 2.2 – Wages
Article IV
RIGHTS
Article V
IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
RESPONSIBILITIES
Article VI
IREGULATIONS AND PARTS A AND B OF
THE CODE
Article VII CONSULTATION WITH
SHIPOWNERS’ AND SEAFARERS’
ORGANIZATIONS
Article VIII ENTRY INTO FORCE
Article IX DENUNCIATION
Article X EFFECT OF ENTRY INTO FORCE
Article XI DEPOSITARY FUNCTIONS
Article XII
Article XIII SPECIAL TRIPARTITE
COMMITTEE
Article XIV AMENDMENT OF THIS
CONVENTION
Article XV AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE
Article XVI AUTHORITATIVE LANGUAGES
Title 1. Minimum requirements for seafarers to
work on a ship
Regulation 1.1 – Minimum age
Purpose: To ensure that no under-age persons
work on a ship
Regulation 1.2 – Medical certificate
Purpose: To ensure that all seafarers are
medically fit to perform their duties at sea
Regulation 1.3 – Training and qualifications
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers are trained or
qualified to carry out their duties on board ship
Regulation 1.4 – Recruitment and placement
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers have access to
an efficient and well-regulated seafarer
recruitment and placement system
Title 2. Conditions of employment
Regulation 2.1 – Seafarers’ employment
agreements
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers have a fair
employment agreement
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers are paid for
their services
Regulation 2.3 – Hours of work and hours of
rest
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers have regulated Purpose: To ensure that seafarers’ work
hours of work or hours of rest
Regulation 2.4 – Entitlement to leave
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers have adequate welfare facilities
leave
Regulation 2.5 – Repatriation
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers are able to
return home
Regulation 2.6 – Seafarer compensation for the
ship’s loss or foundering
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers are
compensated when a ship is lost or has
foundered
Regulation 2.7 – Manning levels
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers work on board Purpose: To ensure that each Member
ships with sufficient personnel for the safe,
efficient and secure operation of the ship
Regulation 2.8 – Career and skill development
and opportunities for seafarers’ employment
Purpose: To promote career and skill
development and employment opportunities for
seafarers
Title 3. Accommodation, recreational facilities,
food and catering
Regulation 3.1 – Accommodation and
recreational facilities
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers have decent
accommodation and recreational facilities on
board
Regulation 3.2 – Food and catering
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers have access to its responsibilities under this Convention
good quality food and drinking water provided regarding international cooperation in the
under regulated hygienic conditions
Title 4. Health protection, medical care, welfare
and social security protection
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
Regulation 4.2 – Ship owners’ liability
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers are protected
from the financial consequences of sickness,
injury or death occurring in connection with
their employment
Regulation 4.3 – Health and safety protection
and accident prevention
environment on board ships promotes
occupational safety and health
Regulation 4.4 – Access to shore-based
Purpose: To ensure that seafarers working on
board a ship have access to shore-based facilities
and services to secure their health and well-
being
Regulation 4.5 – Social security
Purpose: To ensure that measures are taken with
a view to providing seafarers with access to
social security protection
Title 5. Compliance and enforcement
Regulation 5.1 – Flag State responsibilities
implements its responsibilities under this
Convention with respect to ships that fly its flag
Regulation 5.1.2 – Authorization of
recognized organizations
Regulation 5.1.3 – Maritime labour certificate
and declaration Adoption: 5 April 1966;
of maritime labour compliance
Regulation 5.1.4 – Inspection and
enforcement
Regulation 5.1.5 – On-board complaint
procedures
Regulation 5.1.6 – Marine casualties
Regulation 5.2 – Port State responsibilities
Purpose: To enable each Member to implement
implementation and enforcement of the
Convention standards on foreign ships
Regulation 5.2.1 – Inspections in port
Regulation 5.2.2 – Onshore seafarer
complaint-handling procedures
Regulation 5.3 – Labour-supplying
responsibilities
Purpose: To ensure that each Member
implements its responsibilities under this
Convention as pertaining to seafarer recruitment
and placement and the social protection of its
seafarers
International Convention on Load Lines 2006
 These Plimsoll marks take their name
from the politician Samuel Plimsoll
(1824–98), who persevered for many
years before seeing a bill through
Parliament, in 1876, which resulted in
the Merchant Shipping Act.
 The Act gave the Department of Trade
and Industry, as we now know it, the
right of inspection, to ensure that a
vessel should not be overloaded
beyond her Plimsoll mark or line.
 Samuel Plimsoll championed the
improvement of conditions for the
seafarer, and became the President of
the Sailors and Firemens Union in his
later years.
 International Convention on Load
Lines is an International Convention
on Load Lines (CLL), signed in
London on 5 April 1966, amended by
the 1988 Protocol and further revised
in 2003. The 1988 Protocol was
adopted to harmonize the survey and
certification requirement of the 1966
Convention with those contained in
the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea(SOLAS) and
MARPOL 73/78.
Entry into force: 21 July 1968
 Annex I is divided into four Chapters:
 Chapter I - General;
 Chapter II - Conditions of
assignment of freeboard;
 Chapter III - Freeboards;
 Chapter IV - Special
requirements for ships
assigned timber freeboards.
 Annex II covers Zones, areas and
seasonal periods.
 Annex III contains certificates,
including the International Load Line
Certificate.
 The 1988 Protocol - The Protocol was
primarily adopted in order to
harmonize the Convention's survey
and certification requirement with
those contained in SOLAS and
MARPOL 73/78.
Adoption: 11 November 1988
Entry into force: 3 February 2000
  The 1995 amendments Article 7: Force majeure

Adopted: 23 November 1995 Article 8: Equivalents

Entry into force: 12 months after being Article 9: Approvals for experimental
accepted by two-thirds of Contracting purposes
Governments.
Status: superseded by 2003 amendments Article 10: Repairs, alterations and
modifications
 The 2003 amendments - regulations
Article 11: Zones and areas
concerning: strength and intact
stability of ships; definitions; Article 12 : Submersion
superstructure and bulkheads; doors;
position of hatchways, doorways and Article 13: Survey, inspection and marking
ventilators; hatchway coamings; hatch
covers; machinery space openings; Article 14: Initial and periodical surveys and
miscellaneous openings in freeboard inspections
and superstructure decks; cargo ports
Article 15: Maintenance of conditions after
and other similar openings; spurling
survey
pipes and cable lockers; side scuttles;
windows and skylights; calculation of Article 16: Issue of certificates
freeing ports; protection of the crew
and means of safe passage for crew; Article 17: Issue of certificate by another
calculation of freeboard; sheer; Government
minimum bow height and reserve
buoyancy; and others. Article 18: Form of certificates

Adopted: June 2003 Article 19: Duration of certificates

Entry into force: 1 January 2005 Article 20 : Acceptance of certificates

Article 21: Control

Article 22: Privileges

 S - The Summer Load
Article 23: Casualties
 W - The Winter Load Line
Article 24: Prior treaties and conventions
 WNA - The Winter North Atlantic
Load Line Article 25: Special rules drawn up by agreement

 T - The Tropical Load Line Article 26: Communication of information

 F - The Fresh Water Load Line in Article 27: Signature, acceptance and accession
summer. The Fresh Water Load Line
in summer is marked abaft the vertical Article 28: Coming into force
line. The difference between the Fresh
Article 29: Amendments
Water Load Line in summer and the
Summer Load Line is the allowance to Article 30: Denunciation
be made for loading in fresh water at
the other load lines. Article 31: Suspension

 TF - The Tropical Fresh Water Load Article 32: Territories

Line
Article 33: Registration

Article 34 : Languages
Article 1 General obligation under the
Convention

ARTICLE 2 : DEFINITIONS

Article 3: General provisions

Article 4: Application

Article 5: Exceptions

Article 6 : Exemptions