New SOLAS regulation for lifting appliances

ILO was developed to protect stevedores from injuries during cargo operations. Scope of ILO is consequently limited to lifting appliances handling cargo, and if there are options for using harbor cranes the ILO scheme becomes voluntary for the onboard cargo cranes. The IMO scheme is based on the same survey scheme as ILO with annual examination and 5-yearly load test, but it includes also e.g. provision crane, engine room crane and hose-handling crane. The IMO survey scheme is covered by the harmonized approach which provides time-windows aligned with annual and renewal surveys for class. Similar to ILO, possible remarks issued may block the equipment for use, but it will not e.g. cause suspension of the vessel. For vessels under construction, lifting appliances shall be certified according to the standard set by the RO but there are no retroactive requirements for certification on existing vessels.

For most vessels, the introduction of IMO is achieved through a load-test of all lifting appliances during the upcoming renewal, followed by an IMO cargo gear book which will be maintained through annual surveys for class.

DNV considers lifting appliances which are either welded or bolted to the ships structure, or which are travelling on rails that are in turn welded or bolted to the ships structure, as permanently installed. Chain or rope hoist trolleys which are occasionally installed on runway beams are not considered by DNV as lifting appliances in terms of SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13.

Yes, the Norwegian flag state administration has informed us to also accept NMA Competent Persons to conduct these services on lifting appliances instead of the RO. In this case, DNV will not list the lifting appliances in the DNV survey status and the NMA Competent Person shall provide, issue, endorse and maintain the Register of Ship’s Lifting Appliances and Cargo Handling Gear and Certificates of Test and Thorough Examination as required by MSC.1/Circ.1663.

Yes, unless otherwise stated by the vessel’s flag state administration.

DNV does not consider these hoists as engine room crane in terms of SOLAS Regulation II-1/2.1.30.3.

Those have to comply with both regimes: the launching appliance part with the LSA Code and SOLAS Regulation III/20, the stores crane part with SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13.

Unfortunately, this term is not defined in SOLAS. In the absence of a definition, DNV considers the following vessels as offshore construction ships:

• Cable laying vessel
• Pipe laying vessel
• Offshore installation vessels (e.g. windfarm installation vessel)
• Offshore repair vessel
• Vessel for offshore decommissioning work