The 105th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 105) was held from 20 to 29 April 2022. Since the minutes, resolutions and circulars of the meeting were recently released from the IMO, a summary of the decisions taken at MSC 105 is provided as below for your information.

1. Adopted mandatory requirements
Mandatory requirements were adopted at MSC 105 as follows:
(1) Amendments to SOLAS etc. due to modernization of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) (See attachment 1)
Following recent modernization of the GMDSS, the draft amendments to SOLAS II-1, III, IV and V, and the appendix (Certificates), etc., were adopted. In addition, the relevant performance standards, guidelines and guidance were also approved. The main points of the amendments are shown as follows:
i) Definition of "Sea area A3" are modified to "a recognized mobile satellite service supported by the ship earth station carried on board" from "n Inmarsat geostationary satellite".
ii) The provisions in SOLAS regulation III/6 related to two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatus and search and rescue locating devices (SART) have been relocated under SOLAS IV.
iii) The performance standards for the reception of maritime safety information and search and rescue related information by MF (NAVTEX) and HF, shipborne VHF radio installations, shipborne MF and MF/HF radio installations, Inmarsat-C ship earth stations, etc. were amended.

Applied: on or after 1 January 2024

(2) Amendments to IMSBC Code
The 6th amendments to IMSBC Code including new cargos were adopted.

Applied: on or after 1 December 2023

(To be continued)