Updates for merchant shipping safety laws proposed

     The Government proposes to introduce two new regulations and amend seven existing regulations under the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance to implement the latest requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in relation to the construction and survey and fire safety requirements of ships.

​     A spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau today (December 7) said, "The two new regulations, namely the Merchant Shipping (Safety)(Construction and Survey) Regulation and the Merchant Shipping (Safety)(Fire-fighting Appliances and Fire Protection) Regulation, together with the amendments to existing regulations, incorporate the relevant provisions in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea into local legislation."

​     Major new requirements on the construction and survey of ships cover regulations of ships using low-flashpoint fuels, specific construction requirements for oil tankers and bulk carriers, and the keeping of construction drawings of ocean-going vessels on board and ashore.

​     On fire safety, the new requirements include the provision of emergency escape breathing devices for crew use in the event of fire, installation of extinguishing systems for deep-fat cooking equipment on ocean-going vessels, and the provision of gas detectors on ships carrying gas-fuelled motor vehicles.

​     The Legislative Council Panel on Economic Development and the Shipping Consultative Committee of the Marine Department have been consulted on the legislative proposal.

​     The legislative proposal was gazetted today and will be tabled at the Legislative Council on December 12 for negative vetting.