International Code for the Application of Fire Test Procedures (2010 FTP Code) mandatory from 1 July 2012

International Code for the Application of Fire Test Procedures (2010 FTP Code) mandatory from 1 July 2012

Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to make mandatory the International Code for the Application of Fire Test Procedures (2010 FTP Code) came into force on 1 July 2012, thereby enhancing the fire safety provisions onboard all ships.

 

The 2010 FTP Code provides the international requirements for laboratory testing,  type-approval and fire test procedures for products referenced under SOLAS chapter II-2 (which includes regulations on fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction).

 

The 2010 FTP Code includes the following: test for non-combustibility; test for smoke and toxicity; test for “A”, “B” and “F” class divisions; test for fire door control systems; test for surface flammability (surface materials and primary deck coverings); test for vertically supported textiles and films; test for upholstered furniture; test for bedding components; test for fire-restricting materials for high-speed craft; and test for fire-resisting divisions of high-speed craft.

It also includes annexes on products which may be installed without testing and/or approval and on fire protection materials and required approval test methods. 

Other amendments entering into force on 1 July 2012

Other amendments to international treaties which entered into force on 1 July 2012 include:

 

• amendments to SOLAS regulation V/18 to require annual testing of automatic identification systems (AIS);

• amendments to SOLAS regulation V/23 on pilot transfer arrangements, to update and to improve safety aspects of pilot transfer;

• amendments to safety certificates in the SOLAS appendix and SOLAS Protocol of 1988, relating to references to alternative design and arrangements;

• amendments to the International Convention for Safe Containers, 1972, to include addition of new paragraphs in Regulation 1 Safety Approval Plate, specifying the validity of and elements to be included in approved examination programmes; the addition of a new test for containers being approved for operation with one door removed; and the addition of a new Annex III Control and Verification, which provides specific control measures to enable authorized officers to assess the integrity of structurally sensitive components of containers and to help them decide whether a container is safe to continue in transportation or whether transport should be stopped until remedial action has been taken; and

• a new chapter 9 of the International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code), related to fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems

LIST OF SPECIAL AREAS UNDER MARPOL AND PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE SEA AREAS

LIST OF SPECIAL AREAS UNDER MARPOL

Special Areas	Amendments adopted to the MARPOL Annex	Entry into force of the amendments	More stringent measures in effect from
MARPOL Annex l: OIL
Mediterranean sea	2 Nov 1973	2 Oct 1983	2 Oct 1983
Baltic Sea	2 Nov 1973	2 Oct 1983	2 Oct 1983
Black Sea	2 Nov 1973	2 Oct 1983	2 Oct 1983
Red Sea	2 Nov 1973	2 Oct 1983	*
“Gulfs” area	2 Nov 1973	2 Oct 1983	1 Aug 2008 (Resolution MEPC.168(56))
Gulf of Aden	1 Dec 1987 (Resolution MEPC.29(25))	1 Apr 1989	*
Antarctic area	16 Nov 1990 (Resolution MEPC.42(30))	17 Mar 1992	17 Mar 1992
North West European waters	25 Sept 1997 (Resolution MEPC.75(40))	1 Feb 1999	1 Aug 1999 (Resolution MEPC.77(41))
Oman area of the Arabian sea	15 Oct 2004 (Resolution MEPC.117(52))	1 Jan 2007	*
Southern South African waters	13 Oct 2006 (Resolution MEPC.154(55))	1 Mar 2008	1 Aug 2008 (Resolution MEPC.167(56))
MARPOL Annex ll: Noxious Liquid Substances
Antarctic area	30 Oct 2006 (Resolution MEPC.57(33))	1 Jul 1994	1 Jul 1994
MARPOL Annex lV: Sewage
Baltic Sea	15 July 2011	1 July 2012	1 July 2013 (Resolution MEPC.200(62))
MARPOL Annex V: Garbage
Mediterranean Sea	2 Nov 1973	31 Dec 1988	1 May 2009 (Resolution MEPC.172(57))
Baltic Sea	2 Nov 1973	31 Dec 1988	1 Oct 1989 (Resolution MEPC.31(26))
Black Sea	2 Nov 1973	31 Dec 1988	*
Red Sea	2 Nov 1973	31 Dec 1988	*
“Gulfs” Area	2 Nov 1973	31 Dec 1988	1 Aug 2008 (Resolution MEPC.168(56))
North Sea	17 Oct 1989 (Resolution MEPC.36(28))	18 Feb 1991	18 Feb 1991 (Resolution MEPC.37(28))
Antarctic Area (south of latitude 60 degrees south)	16 Nov 1990 (Resolution MEPc.42(30))	17 Mar 1992	17 Mar 1992
Wider Caribbean region including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea	4 July 1991 (Resolution MEPC.48.31))	4 Apr 1993	1 May 2011 (Resolution MEPC.191(60))
MARPOL Annex Vl: Air Pollution (Emission Control areas)
Baltic Sea (SOx)	26 Sept 1997	19 May 2005	19 May 2006
North Sea (SOx)	22 Jul 2005 (Resolution MEPC.132(53))	22 Nov 2006	22 Nov 2007
North American (SOx, and NOx, and PM)	26 Mar 2010 (Resolution MEPC.190(60))	1 Aug 2011	1 Aug 2012
United States Caribbean Sea (SOx, NOx and PM)	15 Jul 2011 (Resolution MEPC.202(62))	1 Jan 2013	1 Jan 2014

*          The Special Area requirement for these area have not taken effect because of lack of notifications from MARPOL Parties whose coastlines border the relevant Special Areas on the existence of adequate reception facilities (regulations 38.6 of MARPOL Annex l and 5(4) of MARPOL Annex V).

LIST OF PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE SEA AREAS

PSSA	Proposing State(s)	Associated protective Measures*	MEPC resolution
Great Barrier Reef	Australia	IMO-recommended Australian system of pilotage; mandatory ship reporting system	September 1990 (Resolution MEPC.44(30))
Archipelago of Sabana- Camaguey	Cuba	Area to be avoided	September 1997 (Resolution MEPC.74(40))
Sea Area Around Malpelo Island	Colombia	Area to be avoided	March 2002 (Resolution Mepc.97(47))
Marine Area Around the Florida Keys	United States	Area to be avoided; mandatory no anchoring areas	March 2002 (Resolution MEPC.98(47))
Wadden Sea	Netherlands, Denmark, Germany	Mandatory deep water route	October (Resolution MEPC.101(48))
Paracas National Reserve	Peru	Area to be avoided	July 2003 (Resolution MEPC.106(49))
Western European Water	Belgium, France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom	Mandatory ship reporting system	October 2004 ( Resolution MEPC.121(52))
Torres Strait as an extension to GBR PSSA	Australia and Papua New Guinea	IMO-recommended Australian system of pilotage; two-way route	July 2003 (Resolution MEPC.133(53))
Canary Islands	Spain	Areas to be avoided; traffic separation systems; recommended routes; mandatory ship reporting system	March 2004 (Resolution MEPC.134(53))
Galapagos Archipelago	Ecuador	Area to be avoided; mandatory ship reporting system; recommended tracks	March 2004 (Resolution MEPC.135(53))
Baltic sea Area	Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden	Traffic separation schemes, deepwater route, areas to be avoided, mandatory ship reporting system, MARPOL special area; MARPOL SOx Emission Control Area	March 2004 (Resolution MEPC.135(53))
Papshanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (North-western Hawalian Island)	United States	Areas to be avoided; recommended/mandatory ship reporting system	March 2007 (Resolution MEPC.171(57))
Strait of Bonifacio	France and Italy	Recommendation on navigation	July 2011 (Resolution MEPC.204(62))
Saba Bank (Caribbean Island of Saba)	The Netherlands	Area to be avoided; mandatory no anchoring area	Approved in principle in July 2011. To be formally designated by MEPC 64 in Oct 2012

*    This table only lists those APMs that have been specifically identified as APMs per se. There may be other IMO-adopted measures in the designated PSSA. In some cases, national measures may also relavant.