St. Vincent and the Grenadines Maritime Administration has issued a circular to remind interested parties that the International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code), will be mandatory for all ships starting July 2024. 

SOLAS Chapter XV will enter into force on 1st July, 2024. The International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code) will be mandatory for all cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft, of 500 gross tonnage and over, carrying more than 12 industrial personnel, and engaged on international voyages.

SOLAS Chapter XV is applicable for cargo ships and high-speed cargo as follows:

• New cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft constructed on, or after, the 1 st July, 2024.
• Existing cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft constructed before the 1st July, 2024. Existing ships are divided into two groups as follows:

1. Cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft which are authorized by this Administration to carry more than 12 industrial personnel in accordance with Resolution MSC.418(97); and   
2. Cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft which are NOT authorized by this Administration to carry more than 12 industrial personnel in accordance with Resolution MSC.418(97).

B1 group of ships
Shipowners and Ship Managers are advised to seek authorization in line with Resolution MSC.418(97) prior to the entry into force of the IP Code. Any such request shall be made through the vessel’s Recognised Organisation (RO). RO should clearly indicate their support or reservation of any aspect of the application, and if relevant, any recommendations or conditions that may be considered. Upon granting authorisation, RO shall issue a Statement of Compliance for the Carriage of Industrial Personnel in accordance with the Interim Recommendations of Resolution MSC.418(97).

Grandfather provisions will allow the existing cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft constructed before the 1st July, 2024, which are already authorized by this Administration to carry industrial personnel, to obtain an Industrial Personnel Safety certificate by complying with the below parts of the IP Code, i.e. the provisions for training, safe personnel transfer, life-saving appliances and the carriage of dangerous goods.

Cargo ships: Vessels shall comply with the requirements III/1, III/2 (except for paragraph 2.1.7), IV/7 and IV/8 of the IP Code by the first intermediate or renewal survey, whichever occurs first, after the 1 st July, 2024.

High-speed cargo craft: Vessels shall comply with the requirements III/1, III/2 (except for paragraph 2.1.7), V/7 and V/8 of the IP Code by the third periodical or first renewal survey, whichever occurs first, after the 1st July, 2024. On or after 1 July 2024, RO may issue the Industrial Personnel Safety Certificate with annotation that the vessel has been authorized by the Administration to carry up to [number] of Industrial Personnel, including the conditions provided the vessel is in possession of the Statement of Compliance for the Carriage of Industrial Personnel.

B2 group of ships
Cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft, irrespective of date of construction, which prior to the 1st July, 2024 have not been authorized by the Administration to carry more than 12 industrial personnel based on the recommendations developed by the Organization, shall comply and be certified in accordance with this Chapter and the IP Code, prior to the carriage of more than 12 industrial personnel on board.

Source: Safety4sea

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	Issue 88 of Robban Assafina (Nov./ Dec. 2023)