New SOLAS amendments were adopted by the eighty-eight (88th) session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) held from 24 November to 3 December 2010.

IMO Resolutions MSC.308 (88) and MSC.309 (88) were adopted in this 88th session of the MSC on 3-December-2010. The amendments introduced by Resolutions MSC.308 (88) and MSC.309 (88) shall enter into force on 1-July-2012. Resolutions MSC.308 (88) & MSC.309 (88) establish a number of amendments to the following SOLAS regulations:

• Regulation II-1/41 - Main source of electrical power and lighting systems

• Regulation II-2/1 - Application

• Regulations II-2/3 - Definitions

• Regulations II-2/7 - Detection and alarm

• Regulation V/18 - Approval, surveys and performance standards of navigation systems and equipment and voyage data recorder

• Regulation V/23 - Pilot transfer arrangements

• Appendix - Certificates: Forms of PSS, CSSC and CSSE Certificates

As a consequence of the adoption of SOLAS amendments, a new revision (2012/07) of the following ICS forms will be in force on and after 1-July-2012:

a) PSSC/IC (2012/07) including Survey Report + Record of Approved

b) CONSTRUCTION/IC (2012/07) including Survey Report

c) EQUIPMENT/IC (2012/07) including Survey Report + Record of SOLAS-Amendments + Record of Approved.

The following guidance are adopted on the timing of replacement of existing certificates by the certificates issued after the entry into force of amendments to certificates on IMO instruments in accordance with MSC-MEPC.5/Circ.6:

1 In cases where the ship has not to comply with new requirements, the certificate (and its supplement, if any) is not re-issued until its expiry;

.2 In cases where the ship has to comply with new requirements, the certificate (and its supplement, if any) is re-issued at the opportunity of the survey specified with the new requirement occurring after the date of entry into force of the amendments; and

.3 Where a ship is subjected to a modification or conversion which involves an additional survey, the certificate (and its supplement, if any) is re-issued.

Source: ICS Class