Applicability: Owners and operators of container ships and other ships with arrangements designed and fitted for carrying containers on deck
The IMO’s Revised Guidelines for the Preparation of the Cargo Securing Manual (contained in Circular MSC.1/Circ.1353/Rev.1) introduce new requirements for the content of the Cargo Securing Manual (CSM) including, for some vessels, the addition of a new Chapter 5 Cargo Safe Access Plan (CSAP).
The Circular invites member governments to:
- apply the revised guidelines in their entirety for containerships*, the keels of which were laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January, 2015; and
- apply chapters 1 to 4 of the revised guidelines to existing containerships*, the keels of which were laid or which were at a similar stage of construction before 1 January, 2015.
Administrations may continue accepting CSMs drafted in accordance with MSC/Circ.385 – Containers and cargoes (BC) Cargo Securing Manual – provided that they satisfy the requirements of the revised guidelines.
* dedicated containerships and those parts of other ships for which arrangements are specifically designed and fitted for the purpose of carrying containers on deck.
What do you need to do?
The flag administration will determine whether the above circulars are mandatory or optional. If no position is declared by the flag administration, Lloyd’s Register’s policy is to apply the requirements.
Existing ships with keel laid before 1 January, 2015
If the existing CSM has been approved previously in accordance with MSC/Circ.385 or MSC/Circ.745, then it already complies with the new requirements provided the language complies with the following:
“The Cargo Securing Manual … should be written in the working language or languages of the ship. If the language or languages used is not English, French or Spanish, a translation into one of these languages should be included.”
In this case, no action is required. It is not necessary for the CSM to be re-stamped.
The Chapter 5 CSAP requirement does not apply to existing ships.
We recommend that a copy of this Class News is retained on board with the CSM in case of questions from port state control.
New ships with keel laid on or after 1 January, 2015
If compliance is required, the CSM must comply fully with MSC.1/Circ.1353/Rev.1, including the new Chapter 5 CSAP.
For further information
Speak to one of our experts at your local Lloyd's Register office.