International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea

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The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 ( SOLAS ; German  International Convention of 1974 for the Protection of Human Life at Sea ) is a UN convention on ship safety. The original version was created as a reaction to the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The fifth version from 1974 is currently in force, expanded and changed by numerous supplementary protocols (English "amendments").

history

Law on the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (Ship Safety Treaty, London 1929), in the Reichsgesetzblatt 1931

On November 12, 1913, in response to the sinking of the RMS Titanic, a conference was called to create an international minimum standard for the safety of merchant ships. The result of this conference was the first version of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

In the following years there were several fundamental changes. The fourth version of the Convention (1960) was the first major task of the Intergovernmental Advisory Maritime Organization (IMCO) after it was founded in 1959. The current SOLAS Convention (the fifth version, called “SOLAS 74”) dates from 1974 and consists of twelve Chapters.

Additional amendments, so-called amendments (supplementary protocols), respond to newer needs. They were used to incorporate technical innovations and improvements into the SOLAS 74, but also to remedy grievances that had appeared in ship accidents.

Change processes often take a long time due to the different views and goals of the numerous IMO members. Changes to the rules were often only made after major ship accidents such as 1987 with the Herald of Free Enterprise (capsizing, 193 deaths) and 1990 with the Scandinavian Star (fire disaster, 159 deaths).

The last supplementary protocol for the time being was adopted in May 2011 and came into force on January 1, 2013.

Structure of the agreement

SOLAS is divided into 14 chapters:

  1. General requirements: ship types
  2. Construction: subdivision of the hull, stability, fire protection
  3. Life saving devices and accessories
  4. Radio communication: the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) requires passenger and cargo ships to carry equipment on international passage, including satellites Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Search and Rescue Radar Transponders (SART)
  5. Navigation safety
  6. Freight (excluding liquids and gases): stow and secure
  7. Dangerous goods: Compliance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code)
  8. Nuclear Ships : Compliance with the Code of Safety for Nuclear Merchant Ships
  9. Management: Compliance with the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code)
  10. Safety for high-speed boats: obliged to comply with the International Code of Safety for High-Speed ​​Craft (HSC-Code)
  11. Special measures to improve maritime safety International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code)
  12. Additional safety measures for bulk transport: structural requirements for freighters over 150 meters in length
  13. Verification of compliance
  14. Safety measures for ships operating in polar waters

Of these, only the fifth chapter (often called SOLAS V ) applies equally to all ships, from small private yachts to international commercial freighters. Many countries have incorporated these international requirements into national laws.

Implementation in Germany

The International Convention of 1974 was signed by the Federal Republic of Germany on February 18, 1975 in London and entered into force in Germany by ordinance of January 11, 1979.

On the basis of Section 9 (1) No. 7 of the Sea Tasks Act (SeeAufgG), the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure is authorized to issue statutory ordinances within the framework of the goals of the International Convention of 1974 for the Protection of Human Life at Sea and the 1988 Protocol to this Convention in its current version including the regulations on the prevention of external threats to shipping.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Amendments: General information and list with details ( Memento of July 25, 2014) IMO document (English)
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) . IMO , 1974.
  3. ↑ a b SOLAS Chapter V - 1/7/02 SOLAS CHAPTER V SAFETY OF NAVIGATION. (pdf) International Maritime Organization , May 7, 2003, accessed on January 11, 2020 (English).
  4. ↑ Nicolai Piechota and Carsten Rüger: Do you have bulkheads? - Why did the Costa Concordia sink? In: Frontal 21 . April 10, 2012 ("The crew is annoyed by the long and tedious opening and closing of the doors. The internationally valid SOLAS safety guidelines may also have been watered down on this point").
  5. ^ Ordinance on the entry into force of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of ​​1974, Federal Law Gazette II p. 141
  6. ↑ cf. Twenty-sixth ordinance amending the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of ​​1974 (26th SOLAS Amending Ordinance - 26th SOLAS Amendment Ordinance) of April 15, 2016