As you know, the Rule for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships and relating Guidance were partly amended on 15 November 2004, and they require computers for stability calculation on board the ships, the keel of which were laid or which were at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2005, as a supplement to the stability information booklet, to have necessary function and confirm in periodical surveys. However, on 20 February 2005, IACS Unified Requirement L5 which is the origin of the above amendments has been revised so that it applies to stability computers on board the ships for which the building contract is placed on or after 1 July 2005. Taking also account of various circumstances such as software development for such computers, the Society decided to postpone the application of such requirements in line with the application of the revised Unified Requirement L5. Accordingly, please be informed that the application of the following amendments of rules and guidance have been revised so that such requirements apply to computers on board the ships for which the building contract is placed on or after 1 July 2005, as a supplement to the stability information booklet. For your information, the provisions related to such computers in the Table B3, Part B of the Rules for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships which was also amended on 15 November 2004 will be corrected in line with the above postponement.

1. Rules and Guidance for which application has been postponed
(1) 1.2.2 "Stability Computer", Part U of the Rules for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships (2004 Amendment No.1)
(2) U1.2.2 "Stability Computer" and Annex U1.2.2 "Guidance for Stability Computer", Part U of the Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships (2004 Amendment No.1)
(3) Chapter 2 "Approval of Use of Loading Computer and Stability Computer", Part 7 of the Guidance for the Approval and Type Approval of Materials and Equipment for Marine Use (2004 Amendment No.2)

For any questions about the above, please contact:

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Development Department, Research Center, Head Office
Address: 1-8-3 Ohnodai, Midori-ku, Chiba 267-0056, Japan
Tel.: +81-43-294-6672
Fax: +81-43-294-6699
E-mail: dvd@classnk.or.jp