IMO urges pragmatism on Solas imlementation

The International Maritime
Organisation (IMO) has
issued recommendations that
encourage authorities to adopt
a “practical and pragmatic
approach when verifying
compliance with the Solas
guidelines”.
But while the IMO
approach would answer
some of the concerns about
the guidelines expressed by
shipper organisations around
the world, the SA governing
authority, Samsa, is only
partially complying with them,
according to Peter Lamb,
senior associate at Norton Rose
Fulbright SA.
The IMO suggested there
should be a three-month grace
period after the July 1 date of
enforcement. This covers two
areas of shipper concern.
The first relates to
transhipped containers
loaded before July 1. The IMO
recommends that these should
be allowed to be shipped from
the transhipment port after
July1 without a verified gross
mass (VGM) to their final port
of destination.
And Samsa’s response to
the IMO circular, Marine
Notice 25 of 2016 on May
27, certainly allows for this
three-month grace period for
transhipped containers.
But the IMO maritime
safety committee (MSC) also
noted delegations’ comments
that, in the first few months
after July 1, some leeway
should be provided “in order
for any problems resulting
from software updates
required for the electronic
collection and transmittal of
verified gross mass data to
be rectified without causing
delays to containers being
loaded”.
And the IMO therefore
recommended that
authorities – like Samsa –
should “provide flexibility
to all stakeholders in
containerised transport
to refine, if necessary,
procedures for documenting,
communicating and sharing
the VGM”.
“But,” said Lamb, “in
Samsa’s marine notice the
three month grace period
applies to transhipments, but
is not afforded to all other
exported containers. And
there is no indication that
Samsa will be flexible on the
procurement of documents,
communicating and sharing
of the VGM. So most shippers
will still need to comply with
the guidelines come July 1.”
CAPTION
Some leeway in first three months.