At the 108th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC108), amendment to IMO circular containing a unified interpretation of SOLAS II-1/3-6 and its technical regulations MSC.158(78) on the means of access required for oil tankers of 500 gross tonnage and bulk carriers, as defined of SOLAS IX/1, of 20,000 gross tonnage and over on vessels the keels of which are laid on or after 1 January 2005 was adopted as MSC.1/Circ.1572/Rev.2 and the provisions related to the interval for the inspection of the means of access and records were revised.
Therefore, shipowners and ship management companies are required to take necessary actions accordingly referring to the following information until the application date of new provisions.

1. Application
The Unified Interpretation applies for inspections conducted by the crew or competent inspectors on or after 1 January 2025.

2. Additional new requirements (MSC.1/Circ.1572/Rev.2 ANNEX Paragraph 1.4)
2.1 The inspection of the means of access
(1) The means of access arrangements, including portable equipment and attachments, to be annually inspected.
(2) The inspections to be recorded in Part 2 of the Ship Structure Access Manual.
(3) Prior to any space examinations that utilized the permanent means of access, an inspection to confirm the condition of the permanent means of access to be recorded for each space.

2.2 Inspection procedures of the means of access
(1) In the case where any damage or deterioration is found, the effect of such deterioration including loss of coating and wastage should be assessed as to whether the damage or deterioration affects the safety for continued use of the access.
(2) In the case where the damage and deterioration are assessed as "substantial damage", the damage and deterioration are to be recorded in Part 2 of the Ship Structure Access Manual.

(To be continued)