IMO Finalizes Regulations To Improve Pilot Transfer Safety

The International Maritime Organization IMO’s Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) has finalized draft regulations to improve the safety of maritime pilot transfer arrangements.

At meeting recently held, the NCSR Sub-Committee agreed on draft amendments to regulation V/23 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS regulation V/23) and draft performance standards for pilot transfer arrangements.

According to IMO, “These will be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee, with a view to approval, at its next session in December (MSC 109).”

The amendments to SOLAS aim to improve compliance and address inconsistencies and ambiguities in existing regulations.

The Sub-Committee also finalized a draft MSC resolution on Performance standards for pilot transfer arrangements, including detailed requirements for design, manufacture, construction, rigging, installation of pilot ladder winch reels, operational readiness, onboard inspection and maintenance, familiarization and approval, in relation to pilot transfer arrangements required under SOLAS regulation V/23.

In addition, the Sub-Committee finalized a draft MSC circular encouraging Voluntary early implementation of the amendments, to be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee.

As part of progress on key issues, the Sub-Committee advanced work on a number of issues, including enhancing the information security of AIS (automatic identification system), progressing the digital navigational data system (NAVDAT), radiocommunication matters and ships’ routeing measures.