"Rules for Cargo Handling Appliances" was partly amended to adopt ILO Convention No. 152 and the effective date of the amendments is 1 January 2005.

The amendments to "Rules for Cargo Handling Appliances" require lifting appliances and their loose gears to take annual thorough surveys by a surveyor of ClassNK. And, an interval of load tests for lifting appliances will be changed from 4 years to 5 years after 1 January 2005.

Further, after 1 January 2005, the ClassNK form of the register will be changed from the former form "REGISTER OF SHIP'S CARGO HANDLING MACHINERY AND GEAR" to the new form "REGISTER OF SHIP'S LIFTING APPLIANCES AND ITEMS OF LOOSE GEARS". Therefore, renewal of the register will be done at the first periodical survey of cargo handling appliances after 1 January 2005.

For any questions about the above, please contact:

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Material and Equipment Department / Administration Center, Head Office
Address: 4-7 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8567, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-5226-2020
Fax: +81-3-5226-2057
E-mail: eqd@classnk.or.jp