A summary of the decisions taken at the ninety-third session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC93) held from 14 to 23 May 2014 is provided as below for your information.

1. Adopted Mandatory Requirements
Mandatory requirements were adopted at MSC93 as follows:

(1) Steering Gear (SOLAS II-1/29) (See Attachment 1 and 11)
These are to set the alternative way to demonstrate the requirements of steering gear. Where it is impracticable to demonstrate the requirement for steering gear with the ship at its deepest seagoing draught, ships may demonstrate compliance with the requirement by one of the following methods:
(i) The ship is at even keel and the rudder fully submerged whilst running ahead at the speed corresponding to the number of maximum continuous revolutions of the main engine and maximum design pitch; or
(ii) Where full rudder immersion during sea trials cannot be achieved, an appropriate ahead speed shall be calculated using the submerged rudder blade area in the proposed sea trial loading condition. The calculated ahead speed shall result in a force and torque applied to the main steering gear which is at least as great as if it was being tested with the ship at its deepest seagoing draught and running ahead at the speed corresponding to the number of maximum continuous revolutions of the main engine and maximum design pitch; or
(iii) The rudder force and torque at the sea trial loading condition have been reliably predicted and extrapolated to the full load condition. The speed of the ship shall correspond to the number of maximum continuous revolutions of the main engine and maximum design pitch and propeller.

It was agreed to apply the above amendments to ships regardless of date of construction. Although the amendments will come into effect as from 1 January 2016, MSC.1/Circ.1482 was approved to enable its early implementation of the amendments before the effective date.

Applied: on or after 1 January 2016

(To be continued)