SOLAS Instrumentation cheat sheet

SOLAS structure: Chapter I general provisions, II-1 machinery/electrical, II-2 fire, III life-saving, IV radio, V navigation, VI cargo, VII dangerous goods, IX ISM, X HSC, XI-1 special measures, XI-2 ISPS, XII bulk carrier safety, XIV polar code.

Entry into force: amendments adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee enter into force on a date set at adoption, historically 24 months after adoption for the explicit amendment procedure, or 6 months for tacit acceptance unless objected by an agreed number of Parties.

Certificate issuance: Passenger Ship Safety Certificate validity 12 months; Cargo Ship Safety Construction, Equipment and Radio certificates normally 5 years, with annual and intermediate surveys under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification.

Certificate form and duration: the Record of Equipment (Form E, C, R, P) must be attached and kept current; the certificate is invalid if equipment differs from the record.

Port State Control: a valid certificate is prima facie evidence of compliance, but the port State may take action if clear grounds exist that ship or equipment do not substantially comply.

Exemptions: short international voyages may be exempted from certain Chapter IV and V requirements; exemptions are recorded on the certificate and do not extend to Chapter II-2 fire safety core requirements.

Equivalents: Chapter I Regulation 5 allows alternatives that are at least as effective; approval requires flag State acceptance, and the alternative must be documented and carried on board.

Roles: IMO adopts instruments, flag State administers and delegates surveys to recognized organizations, port State verifies, and the company holds responsibility under ISM for shore and shipboard procedures.

Chapter V applies to all ships on all voyages unless expressly stated; Regulation 19 carriage table depends on ship type and gross tonnage, and the required equipment is listed on the Record of Equipment.

V/19 navigation equipment for ships 300 GT and above on international voyages includes magnetic compass (or equivalent), means of correcting heading, pelorus, echo sounder, gyrocompass, radar, and automatic identification system (AIS).

ECDIS: required for passenger ships 500 GT and above and cargo ships 3000 GT and above on international voyages built on or after 1 July 2012; paper chart carriage must be retained or a backup arrangement provided.

V/19.2.10: an automatic identification system (AIS) is required for ships 300 GT and above on international voyages and all passenger ships; AIS must be maintained in operation at all times except where master believes it may compromise safety.

Voyage data recorder (VDR) carriage: passenger ships and cargo ships 3000 GT and above on international voyages; simplified VDR (S-VDR) for existing cargo ships 3000-20,000 GT under the phase-in schedule.

V/20 requires a bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS) on ships of 150 GT and above on international voyages, phased by construction date; BNWAS must be operable whenever the ship is underway.

V/15 and V/16: bridge layout must permit the watchkeeper to have a clear view and easy access to essential equipment; the bridge must be designed so that the officer of the watch can carry out duties without distraction.

V/27 requires up-to-date nautical charts and publications for the intended voyage, including Notices to Mariners and any electronic chart updates.

GMDSS sea areas: A1 within VHF coverage of a coast station, A2 within MF coverage, A3 within Inmarsat coverage, A4 outside A1-A3; carriage depends on the sea area in which the ship operates.

Sea area A1 minimum: VHF radio with DSC (channel 70), VHF radiotelephone, NAVTEX receiver, and either a satellite EPIRB (406 MHz) or a VHF EPIRB for ships operating only in A1.

Sea area A2 adds MF/HF DSC and radiotelephone, and a dedicated DSC watch receiver on 2187.5 kHz; A3 adds Inmarsat ship earth station or HF DSC; A4 requires HF DSC and radiotelephone with 24-hour watch capability.

Distress alerting: 406 MHz satellite EPIRB with 121.5 MHz homing transmitter, float-free mounting, and registration with the flag State; the EPIRB must be tested periodically and the battery expiry recorded.

Watchkeeping: continuous DSC watch on VHF channel 70 and, where fitted, MF/HF DSC; NAVTEX and SafetyNET receivers must be capable of receiving maritime safety information (MSI) in the area.

Radio personnel: every ship must carry at least one person holding a GMDSS General Operator's Certificate or equivalent; the master and others may be designated to operate equipment under the certificate holder's authority.

Sources of energy: the radio installation must have a reserve source of energy independent of the ship's main and emergency generators, sized to maintain continuous operation for the required period.

Radio log and tests: daily and weekly tests of DSC, radiotelephone and EPIRB are recorded in the radio log; the radio log must be retained for the period specified by the flag State.

Fire detection: fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems required for accommodation, service spaces and control stations on passenger ships and for machinery spaces of unattended category A; detectors must cover all areas where a fire may start.

Detector types: smoke detectors for accommodation and corridors, heat detectors for galley and machinery spaces where smoke detectors would cause nuisance alarms; spacing and coverage are set by the Fire Safety Systems Code.

Alarm signaling: the fire alarm must be audible on the navigation bridge and in the spaces concerned; a continuously manned central control station must show the zone of the alarm.

Fire pumps: cargo ships 1000 GT and above require at least two independently driven fire pumps; each pump must be capable of delivering the required pressure and flow at the hydrants.

Fixed fire-extinguishing systems: CO2 and other gas systems require a warning alarm and time delay before release, and the space must be capable of being sealed; the quantity of gas is calculated from the gross volume of the protected space.

Fire control plan: a permanently exhibited plan showing the location of all fire-fighting equipment and access to compartments; a duplicate copy must be kept in a marked container outside the accommodation.

Fire drills and training: each crew member must participate in fire drills at intervals not exceeding one month; drills must include checking of fire-fighting equipment and the closing of fire doors.

Maintenance: fire-fighting systems and appliances must be kept in good order and tested at intervals specified by the flag State, with records retained on board.

LSA Code: Chapter III equipment must comply with the International Life-Saving Appliance Code; the Record of Equipment lists the actual life-saving appliances carried and must match the certificate.

Lifeboats and rescue boats: cargo ships require lifeboats on each side or a free-fall lifeboat; a rescue boat is required on cargo ships, and the lifeboat may serve as rescue boat if it meets the requirements.

Lifebuoys and lifejackets: number and distribution depend on ship length and type; lifejackets must be provided for every person on board plus additional jackets for watchkeepers and for children on passenger ships.

Immersion suits and thermal protective aids: required for each person on board on cargo ships operating in cold water areas, with additional suits for watchkeepers; thermal protective aids supplement the suits.

Launching appliances: davits and winches must be serviced and tested at intervals not exceeding 5 years for the release gear, and the on-load release gear must be examined and tested by a competent person.

Emergency lighting and alarms: lifeboat and muster stations must have emergency lighting, and the general emergency alarm must be audible throughout the accommodation and machinery spaces.

Drills and inspections: abandon-ship and fire drills at monthly intervals; life-saving appliances inspected weekly and the results recorded in the logbook.

Maintenance and records: a planned maintenance system must cover life-saving appliances, and records of inspection, maintenance and testing must be available for survey.

Unattended machinery spaces (UMS): the ship must be provided with alarms and safety devices that operate automatically and with a means of transferring control to the bridge or engine control room.

Alarm systems: the engineer's alarm must be capable of being called to the bridge and must indicate the specific machinery fault; a separate alarm is required for the bilge and for the steering gear.

Electrical installations: the main source of electrical power must be capable of supplying the essential services; a transitional emergency source is required for ships where the emergency generator cannot start within the specified time.

Emergency generator: must be capable of starting automatically and supplying the emergency switchboard within 45 seconds, and must operate for the required period as specified in the regulations.

Steering gear: two independent power units are required for ships of 10,000 GT and above; a steering gear alarm must be provided on the bridge to indicate failure of a power unit or low oil level.

Bilge and ballast: bilge pumping arrangements must be capable of draining all compartments; a bilge water alarm must be provided in periodically unattended machinery spaces to detect accumulation.

Boilers and pressure vessels: safety valves, water level indicators and alarms are required; unattended boiler operation requires automatic control and alarm for low water level and flame failure.

Machinery alarms and safety: the alarm system must be tested and records kept; the safety devices must not be capable of being overridden without the master's or chief engineer's knowledge.

Watertight doors: power-operated sliding doors must have indicators on the bridge showing open/closed position, and an audible alarm must sound before the door moves; the door must be capable of being closed from the bridge.

Watertight door drills: drills must be held at intervals not exceeding one week for ships with watertight doors; the drill must include operation from the bridge and locally.

Bilge system: bilge suction lines and valves must be arranged so that any compartment can be pumped; the bilge pumping system must be tested and the results recorded.

Ballast system: ballast tank levels and valve positions must be monitored; the ballast water management plan and records are separate from SOLAS but interact with stability instrumentation.

Stability instrument: a loading instrument or stability booklet must be provided for ships where required; the instrument must be approved and verified at intervals, and the results must remain within the approved limits.

Draft and heel indicators: draft marks and a heel indicator must be available; the bridge must have a means of determining the ship's trim and stability condition before departure.

Damage control: a damage control plan must be permanently exhibited showing the boundaries of watertight compartments and the location of closing appliances.

Alarms: high bilge level alarms and water ingress detection must be provided in cargo holds and machinery spaces as required by the ship type and the regulations.

Survey types: initial, annual, intermediate and renewal surveys under HSSC; the survey items are listed in the Survey Guidelines under the HSSC and the certificate is endorsed after each survey.

Annual survey window: the annual survey must be carried out within 3 months before or after the anniversary date of the certificate; the intermediate survey takes place at the second or third anniversary.

Renewal survey: carried out within 3 months before the expiry date; the new certificate is dated from the expiry of the old certificate, and the survey must cover all items in the Record of Equipment.

Planned maintenance: the company must have a planned maintenance system under ISM Code section 10; records of maintenance and testing must be kept and available for survey.

Equipment testing: navigation equipment, radio equipment and fire detection systems must be tested at the intervals specified by the flag State; the results are recorded in the appropriate log.

Records: the official logbook, radio log, oil record book and garbage record book are separate mandatory records; the radio log must show the tests carried out and the times of watch.

Deficiency handling: deficiencies found at survey or port State control must be rectified and recorded; the flag State may require a follow-up survey before the certificate is revalidated.

Remote and continuous monitoring: where instrumentation is monitored remotely, the surveyor must be satisfied that the system provides equivalent information and that alarms are tested.

Alarm management: alarms must be prioritized and grouped by system; the bridge must have a central alarm panel that indicates the source and priority, and nuisance alarms must be minimized.

Bridge design: the bridge must be arranged so that the watchkeeper can see the horizon and the navigation displays without leaving the conning position; the bridge must have a clear view for the lookout.

Ergonomics: displays and controls must be arranged by function and frequency of use; the bridge must have a means of dimming and adjusting lighting for night vision.

Integration: navigation equipment must be integrated so that heading, position and speed are available at the conning position; the integration must not compromise the independence of the backup systems.

Fatigue: the rest hours and watch schedules must comply with the STCW and MLC requirements; the BNWAS supports watchkeeping but does not replace the officer of the watch.

Alarm fatigue: repeated alarms can lead to desensitization; the design must reduce false alarms and the crew must be trained to respond to the alarm list.

Human error: the ISM Code requires procedures for familiarization and training; the bridge team must be trained in the use of the equipment and in emergency procedures.

Recording: the VDR records bridge audio and data; the master must be aware that the VDR data may be used in accident investigation and must be preserved after an incident.