With regard to the outcome of the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee at its seventy-seventh session (MSC 77), matters relevant to amendments to the SOLAS Convention concerning maritime security measures have been advised in earlier ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0536. Following the decision taken at MSC 77, an MSC Circular, MSC/Circ.1097 "Guidance relating to the implementation of SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the ISPS Code" has been circulated. The summary of the circular is given hereunder, where some of the decisions introduced in ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0536 have been re-produced.

1. Mobile and immobile floating units

Application to FSU(Floating Storage Units), FPSO (Floating Production, Storage And Offloading Units)
The ISPS Code clearly indicates that the code applies to the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unites (MODU). However, Advice was sought on the position of floating production, storage and offloading units (FPSOs), floating strage units (FSUs) and single buoy moorings (SBMs). As a result of discussion:

(1) It was confirmed that FSU and FPSO are not subject to ISPS Code application, however, some sort of security measures must be implemented to guarantee the security of the ships interfacing with them.
(2) It was concluded that such units, when attached to a fixed platform, should be covered by the security regime in force for the platform.
(3) Such units, when engaged in periodic short voyages between the platform and the coastal State, should not be considered to be ships engaged on international voyages
(4) The Committee also agreed that single buoy moorings (SBMs), attached to an offshore facility would be covered by that facility's security regime and if it was connected to a port facility it would be covered by the port facility security plan (PFSP).


(To be continued)