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DNV: IMO Sub-Committee on Ships Systems and Equipment (SSE 9)

13 Mar 2023

Classification society DNV on Monday (6 March) published a technical and regulatory article on the 9th session of the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 9), where a draft of the new interim guidelines of onshore power supply services in ports was agreed. The following an excerpt of the article:

The 9th session of the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 9) was held from 27 February to 3 March 2023. SSE 9 finalized the draft of new SOLAS requirements to minimize the incidence and consequences of fires on Ro-Ro passenger ships, and to require ventilation of totally enclosed lifeboats. The revision of the Code of Safety for Diving Systems to enhance the safety of divers in fixed and portable diving systems was completed, and the draft of the new interim guidelines on safe operation of onshore power supply services in ports was agreed.

Relevant for shipowners, managers, seafarers, maritime training institutes and flag states.  

Meeting highlights

  • Finalized draft amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 related to fire safety on Ro-Ro passenger ships
  • Finalized draft amendments to the LSA Code and related IMO instruments to require ventilation of totally enclosed lifeboats
  • Finalized the draft of the revised Code of Safety for Diving Systems
  • Finalized the draft of interim guidelines on the safe operation of onshore power supply (OPS) service in ports
  • Agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 to require fire detection and fire alarm systems for all control stations and cargo control rooms on cargo ships

Onshore power supply

SSE 9 finalized the draft of interim guidelines on the safe operation of onshore power supply (OPS) service in port. 

Following the global efforts to reduce air pollution from ships, an increasing number of ports require or encourage ships to use shore power instead of fuel oil. The draft of the interim guidelines intends to prevent accidents caused by operational errors in relation to ships’ connections to shore power.

The draft of the interim guidelines will be submitted to MSC 107 (June 2023) for approval.

Unified Interpretations 

Reliability of essential propulsion components

SOLAS Regulation II-1/26.2 requires the Administration to give special consideration to the reliability of single essential propulsion components and may require a separate source of propulsion power sufficient to give the ship a navigable speed, especially in the case of unconventional arrangements.

SSE 9 agreed on a draft interpretation of SOLAS Regulation II-1/26.2 to clarify its application to single shaft-line electric propulsion systems. The draft interpretation addresses the risk of permanent loss of propulsion for ships without additional propulsion units in case of a non-repairable single failure in the winding of an electric propulsion motor.

Note: The full copy of the technical and regulatory article can be found here.

 

Photo credit: Cameron Venti from Unsplash
Published: 13 March, 2023

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