International Maritime Organization

La présente publication comprend la version actualisée des trois instruments de l’Organisation maritime internationale (OMI) les plus importants traitant des engins de sauvetage, à savoir :

• le Recueil international de règles relatives aux engins de sauvetage (Recueil LSA) (résolution MSC.48(66));
• la Recommandation révisée sur la mise à l’essai des engins de sauvetage (résolution MSC.81(70)); et
• le Recueil de règles pratiques pour l’évaluation, la mise à l’essai et l’acceptation de prototypes d’engins et de dispositifs de sauvetage nouveaux (résolution A.520(13)).

This consolidated edition of the FAL Convention includes the 2022 amendments (resolution FAL.14(46)) adopted at the forty-sixth session of the FAL Committee. These amendments, which enter into force on 1 January 2024, address single window systems, electronic transmission of data, lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to counteract the effects of corruption.

The publication also includes the 2023 amendments (resolution FAL.15(47)) that are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2025. These amendments affect Recommended Practice 7.11, and aim to address the need to combat illicit activities in the national facilitation programmes of Governments.

The International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code) presents engineering specifications for fire safety equipment and systems required by SOLAS chapter II-2 including, among others: international shore connections; personnel protection: fire extinguishers: fixed gas fire-extinguishing systems; fixed foam fire-extinguishing systems; fixed pressure water-spraying and watermist fire-extinguishing systems; automatic sprinkler, fire detection and fire alarm systems; fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems; sample extraction smoke detection systems; low-location lighting systems; fixed emergency fire pumps; arrangement of means of escape; fixed deck foam systems; inert gas systems; and fixed hydrocarbon gas detection systems.

This course provides mandatory minimum training in fire prevention and fire fighting and is based on the provisions of table A-VI/1-2 of the STCW Code.

This “basic” course provides training to navigation officers to operate ships in Polar waters and to address those additional provisions deemed necessary for consideration beyond existing requirements of the SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions, in order to take into account the climatic conditions of Polar waters and to meet appropriate standards of Maritime safety and pollution prevention.

The GMDSS Manual provides, in a single comprehensive publication, an explanation of the principles upon which the GMDSS is based, including the radiocommunication requirements and recommendations for its implementation, the operational performance standards and technical specifications to be met by GMDSS equipment, and the procedures for and method of operation of the various radio services that form the GMDSS and the Master Plan for the GMDSS.

The 2024 edition contains the latest information emanating from the IMO project on the modernization of the GMDSS, which was completed in 2022 and led to the overall revision of relevant SOLAS regulations and many other mandatory and non-mandatory IMO instruments related to the GMDSS. This edition also includes:

• An introduction to the GMDSS, including a description of the GMDSS concept;
• A description of the components of the GMDSS, carriage requirements and operational procedures;
• Detailed information regarding terrestrial and satellite-based radiocommunication systems used in the GMDSS;
• Information concerning ongoing work at IMO related to future radiocommunication systems and services;
• Information on promulgation of Maritime safety information and Search and rescue related information, including NAVTEX and enhanced group call services;
• Excerpts from the relevant SOLAS regulations for the GMDSS;
• Supporting IMO resolutions relevant to the GMDSS;
• The current GMDSS Master Plan, giving the details of the coastal infrastructure and services provided by Member States; and
• Extracts from the ITU-R Radio Regulations giving the radio regulatory background.

The Manual is intended for use by ship personnel, shore operators, trainers, administrations, regulators and anyone concerned with ship radiocommunications.

La présente publication fournit des informations pratiques utiles aux gouvernements, en particulier ceux des pays en développement, aux Administrations, aux propriétaires de navires, aux autorités chargées du contrôle par l’État du port, aux agences de protection de l’environnement et autres parties prenantes sur les implications de la ratification, de la mise en œuvre et du contrôle du respect de la Convention sur la gestion des eaux de ballast.

Son objectif est d’encourager les gouvernements à ratifier la Convention et à la mettre en œuvre et la faire respecter comme il convient. Il est à noter toutefois qu’à des fins juridiques, il faudrait systématiquement se reporter au texte de la Convention faisant foi.

This publication presents:

• International goal-based ship construction standards for Bulk carriers and Oil tankers (resolution MSC.287(87))
• Associated SOLAS amendments (MSC.290(87)), making the Standards mandatory
• Guidelines for the verification of conformity with goal-based construction standards for Bulk carriers and Oil tankers (MSC.296(87))
• Guidelines for the information to be included in a Ship Construction File (MSC.1/Circ.1343)
• Generic Guidelines for developing IMO goal-based standards (MSC.1/Circ.1394)

This Guide aims to identify and describe the key considerations directly associated with a response to a marine oil spill in ice and snow conditions anywhere in the world. By addressing elements of planning and preparedness for marine and coastal oil spills, in addition to the fate and behaviour of oil spills in ice and snow as well as potential response strategies and options, this guide aims to assist incident managers and decision makers in safely implementing an effective response.

Le présent Guide a été élaboré dans le but de regrouper les textes existants de l’Organisation maritime internationale (OMI) relatifs à la sûreté maritime dans un vade-mecum facile à consulter du chapitre XI-2 de la Convention internationale de 1974 pour la sauvegarde de la vie humaine en mer (Convention SOLAS) et du Code international pour la sûreté des navires et des installations portuaires (Code ISPS) en vue d’aider les États à promouvoir la sûreté maritime en mettant en place le cadre juridique, les pratiques et les procédures administratives connexes, ainsi que les ressources matérielles techniques et humaines nécessaires.

Il a pour double objectif d’aider les Gouvernements contractants à la Convention SOLAS à mettre en œuvre et à faire appliquer les dispositions du chapitre XI-2 de la Convention SOLAS et du Code ISPS et à en vérifier le respect et de servir d’aide et de référence à ceux qui exécutent des activités de renforcement des capacités dans le domaine de la sûreté maritime.

Dans cette deuxième édition, les recommandations approuvées par le Comité de la sécurité maritime (MSC) sur l’élaboration d’une législation en matière de sûreté maritime ainsi que sur la gestion des cyber-risques maritimes ont été incorporées et des références renvoyant à des renseignements complémentaires ont été révisées et mises à jour afin d’appuyer la mise en œuvre du Code ISPS.

The primary aim of the revised Guide to Ship Sanitation, published by WHO, is to present the public health significance of ships in terms of disease and to highlight the importance of applying appropriate control measures. This guide, in e-reader format only, is intended to be used as a basis for the development of national approaches to controlling the hazards that may be encountered on ships, as well as providing a framework for policy-making and local decision-making.

The Marine environment protection Committee, at its forty-fourth session (March 2000), adopted, by resolution MEPC.83(44), Guidelines for Ensuring the Adequacy of Port Waste Reception Facilities.

The intention of these Guidelines is to provide guidance on the determination of adequacy of reception facilities for ship-generated waste as part of the implementation of MARPOL. Widespread use of the Guidelines will assist States to overcome the problem of determining the need for reception facilities.

These Guidelines contain information for the preparation of shipboard marine emergency plans.

The main objectives of these Guidelines are:

• to assist shipowners in preparing shipboard marine emergency plans in conformity with the cited regulations
• to assist Governments in developing and enacting domestic laws which give force to and implement the cited regulations

In the interest of uniformity, Governments are requested to refer to these Guidelines when preparing appropriate national regulations.

These Guidelines were approved in conjunction with the extension of the unified interpretation of regulation 3(4) of Annex II of MARPOL, which made it possible for Administrations to authorize manufacturers to carry out provisional assessments on IMO’s behalf. The Guidelines also provide step- by-step procedures for ascertaining the carriage requirements of all liquids offered for bulk carriage.

This publication provides Guidelines on international offers of assistance (IOA) in response to a marine Oil pollution incident and is designed for use by any country, particularly parties to the International Convention on Oil pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC 1990), as a tool to assist in managing requests for spill response resources and offers of assistance from other countries and organizations when confronted with large, complex or significant oil spill incidents.

Although developed by a technical group of the IMO, these guidelines could be used during large, complex or significant oil spills within inland areas as well as marine or coastal environments. While these guidelines can play an important role in the implementation of the OPRC 1990 Convention, they are not prescriptive or legally binding, and are meant as a tool to assist as needed.

The PDF of this publication is available for download under the Supplements tab

Seafarers are recognized as a special category of worker and many countries have designated them as key workers in accordance with the adoption of a joint statement by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Given the global nature of the shipping industry and the different jurisdictions with which seafarers may be brought into contact, they need special protection, especially in relation to contacts with public authorities. The objective of these Guidelines is to ensure that seafarers detained on suspicion of committing a crime are treated fairly during any investigation and detention by public authorities, and that detention is for no longer than necessary.

La presente publicación tiene por objeto proporcionar información esencial y una ayuda práctica para el personal de respuesta en caso de derrame de hidrocarburos, a fin de poder elaborar estrategias de respuesta y poner en práctica medidas de contención y de limpieza del derrame de hidrocarburos en entornos de corrientes rápidas.

Está dirigida al personal que ya tiene un conocimiento de los aspectos básicos de la contención y recuperación de hidrocarburos utilizando equipo convencional de respuesta en caso de derrame, como las barreras flotantes y las raseras, y proporciona información sobre las estrategias necesarias para la respuesta en caso de contaminación en corrientes rápidas.

By clicking on the "Read" button on this page you will be accessing the PDF of the full book. To access the Full-Text version and PDFs of the individual chapters, click on the “Chapters” tab and select the chapter you would like to read.

This publication presents:

• the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009, which will enter into force on 26 June 2025;
• six resolutions adopted at the International Conference on the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships held under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization in Hong Kong, China, from 11 to 15 May 2009;
• six sets of guidelines for the uniform implementation of the Convention developed and adopted by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee; and
• additional instruments on the implementation of the Hong Kong Convention.

This three-volume course covers the requirements for hull structures at initial, annual, intermediate, periodical and renewal and additional surveys, as specified in SOLAS, as amended up to its 1988 Protocol, and in the 1966 Load Lines Convention, including its 1988 Protocol.

The Mission Coordination volume assists personnel who plan and coordinate SAR operations and exercises.

A new edition of the IAMSAR Manual is published every three years. The 2022 edition includes amendments, adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and approved by the Maritime safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at its 103rd session in May 2021 by means of MSC.1/Circ.1640, which become applicable on 1 June 2022.

The purpose of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code) is to provide an international standard for the safe carriage, in bulk by sea, of dangerous chemicals and noxious liquid substances listed in chapter 17 of the Code.

The Code prescribes the design and construction standards of ships, regardless of tonnage, involved in such carriage and the equipment they shall carry to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and the environment, having regard to the nature of the products involved. This edition of the Code incorporates a number of amendments which have entered into force since it was last published in 2016, including:

• resolutions MEPC.302(72) and MSC.440(99), amending the model form of International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk, which entered into force on 1 January 2020; and
• resolutions MEPC.318(74) and MSC.460(101), amending chapters 1, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 21, including a complete revision of the product information set out in chapters 17 and 18, which enter into force on 1 January 2021.

The purpose of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Lyquified Gases in Bulk (IGC Code 1993) is to provide an international standard for the safe carriage by sea of liquefied gases (and other substances listed in the Code) in bulk. To minimize risks to ships involved in such carriage, to their crews and to the environment, the Code prescribes the design and constructional standards of such ships and the equipment they should carry.

This edition remains valid and applies to all applicable ships constructed before 1 January 2016.

The purpose of the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-Flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), is to provide an international standard for ships using low flashpoint fuel, other than ships covered by the IGC Code. The basic philosophy of this Code is to provide mandatory provisions for the arrangement, installation, control and monitoring of machinery, equipment and systems using low flashpoint fuel to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and the environment, having regard to the nature of the fuels involved.

The version of the book on this page contains both volumes combined. To access the volumes of the book individually, click on the “Chapters” tab and select the volume you would like to read.

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code) lays out the regulatory framework for all aspects of handling dangerous goods and marine pollutants in sea transport.

The IMDG Code is divided into two volumes: Volume 1 containing sections on general provisions, definitions and training; classification; packing and tank provisions; consignment procedures; construction and testing of packagings, IBCs, large packagings, portable tanks, MEGCs and road tank vehicles and transport operations, and Volume 2 containing the Dangerous Goods List, special provisions and exceptions, Appendix A (list of generic and N.O.S. proper shipping names), Appendix B (glossary of terms) and the Index.

Since it was first published in 1965, the Code has undergone many changes, in both format and content, in order to keep up with the rapid expansion of the shipping industry.

Amendment 41-22 includes revisions to various sections of the Code and to transport requirements for specific substances. It was adopted by the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee at its one hundred and fifth session in April 2022 and is mandatory from 1 January 2024 but may be applied by Administrations in whole or in part on a voluntary basis from 1 January 2023.

The provisions of the Code should be of interest to maritime administrations, shipping companies, manufacturers, packers, shippers, feeder services such as road and rail, and port authorities.

This edition is valid until 31 December 2025. The 2024 Edition of the IMDG Code is now available at https://doi.org/10.62454/KO200E.

In October 2008, the Marine environment protection committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted revisions to the international regulations for the prevention of Air pollution from ships (MARPOL Annex VI). The revised regulations included a requirement that, from 1 January 2020, the sulphur content of fuel oil used by ships operating outside designated emission control areas shall not exceed 0.50% by mass, known as “IMO 2020”. Reducing emissions of sulphur oxides will bring significant global benefits for human health and the environment.

IMO 2020 will have a major impact worldwide. To support its successful implementation by the international shipping sector, this publication brings together all the instruments and guidance prepared into one document for easy reference, including IMO resolutions and circulars.