Liberia issues stability and trim information requirements for shipmasters

The Liberian Maritime Authority has issued a revised marine notice TEC-003, Rev. 05/24 to remind shipmasters of the requirement to have adequate stability and trim information.

This marine notice was published on 10 May 2024.

Purpose:

This Notice is a reminder that under the provisions of Regulation 10, Chapter II of the Load Line Convention, the Master of every ship "shall be supplied with sufficient information, in an approved form, to enable him to arrange for the loading and ballasting of his ship in such a way as to avoid the creation of any unacceptable stresses in the ship's structure and to ensure adequate stability of the ship under varying conditions of service."

Applicability:

The requirements of Regulation 10, Chapter II of the Load Line Convention, apply to every ship the keel of which was laid or was at a similar stage of construction on or after 22 July 1968.

Requirements:

1.0 The Master of every such ship not already provided with stability information under Regulation 5-1, Chapter II-1 of SOLAS 1974, taking into account guidelines in MSC/Circ.456 and MSC/Circ.920, "shall be supplied with such information satisfactory to the Administration as is necessary to enable him by rapid and simple process to obtain accurate guidance as to the stability of the ship under varying conditions of service. A copy of the stability information shall be furnished to the Administration."

2.0 For the purpose of complying with these Regulations, the term "satisfactory to the Administration" shall mean approved by the Classification Society with which the ship is classed, such Society being one of the Classification Societies recognized and authorized by the Administration to act on behalf of the Government of Liberia pursuant to the provisions of the Maritime Regulations.

3.0 A copy of the stability information is required to be furnished to the Administration under the above Regulations. The filing of such information with the Classification Society with which the ship is classed shall be deemed to be in compliance with that provision.

4.0 Classification Societies are reminded to include provisions for ballast water exchange procedures in their rules, thereby providing to the ship’s master the necessary information for same in the ship’s Stability Booklet.

5.0 Revised Guidance to the master for avoiding dangerous situations in adverse weather and sea conditions is set out in MSC.1/Circ.1228 with a view to providing masters with a basis for decision making on ship handling in adverse weather and sea conditions, thus assisting them to avoid dangerous phenomena that they may encounter in such circumstances.

6.0 Additionally, for passenger ships constructed on or after 1 September 1984; dry-cargo ships constructed on or after 1 February 1992; and cargo ships constructed on or after 1 January 2009, there shall be permanently exhibited, or readily available on the navigation bridge, for the guidance of the master plans prepared taking into account guidelines in MSC.1/Circ.1245, as amended, showing clearly for each deck and hold the boundaries of the watertight compartments, the openings therein with the means of closure and position of any controls thereof, and the arrangements for the correction of any list due to flooding. In addition, booklets containing the aforementioned information shall be made available to the officers of the ship.

7.0 For ships constructed on or after 1 January 2009 to which the damage stability requirements of part B-1 of SOLAS II-1 apply, damage stability information shall provide the master a simple and easily understandable way of assessing the ship’s survivability in all damage cases involving a compartment or group of compartments.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

Stability and Trim Information to be Supplied to the Master