The 10th session of the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) was held in London 4-8 March 2024. SSE 10 agreed amendments to the 1994 and 2000 HSC Codes and discussed provisions to prohibit the use of fire-fighting foams containing fluorinated substances, in addition to PFOS. SSE 10 also agreed various unified interpretations of provisions of IMO safety-, security- and environment-related conventions.
The major meeting highlights are summarised below:
- Amendments to the 1994 and 2000 HSC Codes, respectively, to harmonise the lifejacket carriage requirements in the Codes with those requirements in SOLAS chapter III.
- Draft unified interpretation of the requirements of SOLAS regulation II-1/26.2 in order to clarify requirements regarding the reliability of single essential propulsion components. The draft MSC circular provides a unified interpretation but only for passenger ships. SSE 10 revised the draft MSC Circular for approval by MSC 109 with an expected entry into force date 1 January 2026.
- Various unified interpretations of provisions of IMO safety-, security- and environment-related conventions, as set in the following pages.
The following notes are a summary of the relevant topics and outcomes discussed. Note that the presented information reflects the status at the time of Ship Systems and Equipment Sub-Committee 10 which may change as a result of ongoing developments. As SSE is a Sub-Committee, all decisions concerning rules, regulations and dates are subject to further consideration and approval by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC). It is also uncertain at this time whether the mentioned amendments or new regulations will eventually be adopted in future versions of the Red Ensign Group Yacht Codes or other flag codes.