The ninety-eighth session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 98) was held at the IMO in London, U.K. from 7 to 16 June 2017. Since the minutes, resolutions and circulars of the meeting were recently released from the IMO, a summary of the decisions taken at MSC 98 is provided as below for your information.

1. Adopted mandatory requirements
Mandatory requirements adopted at MSC 98 are as follows:

(1) Amendments to requirements on subdivision and damage stability (See attachment 1)
Amendments to the following requirements of SOLAS II-1 on subdivision and damage stability were adopted.
(i) Required subdivision index R for passenger ships (regulation 6)
Criteria for the required subdivision index R for passenger ships based on four cases corresponding to the total number of people on board (less than 400 people, 400 to 1350 people, 1350 to 6000 people, more than 6000 people).
(ii) Wells constructed in the double bottom (regulation 9)
The vertical distance from the bottom of wells, which is constructed in the double bottom in connection with drainage arrangements, to a plane coinciding with the keel line shall not be less than h/2 or 500 mm, whichever is greater, or compliance with Regulation 9.8 shall be shown for that part of the ship.
(iii) Use of butterfly valve to the collision bulkhead inside the forepeak of cargo ships (regulation 12)
A butterfly valve may be used for cargo ships as an alternative use of screw-down valve. In that case, a butterfly valve shall be suitably supported by a seat or flanges and capable of being operated from above the freeboard deck.
(iv) Damage control drills for passenger ships (regulation 19-1)
Requirements related to damage control drill, which shall be conducted regularly on all passenger ships.

Applied: on or after 1 January 2020

(To be continued)