Resolution MEPC.80(43)

AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF SHIPS CARRYING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN BULK (BCH CODE)

(adopted on 1 July 1999)

THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,

RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention on the Interna­tional Maritime Organization concerning the function of the Committee conferred upon it by international conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution,

RECALLING ALSO resolution MEPC.20(22) by which it adopted the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carry­ing Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code),

NOTING article 16 of the International Convention for the Pre­vention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the "1973 Convention") and article VI of the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the "1978 Protocol") which to­gether specify the amendment procedure of the 1978 Protocol and con­fer upon the appropriate body of the Organization the function of con­sidering and adopting amendments to the 1973 Convention, as modi­fied by the 1978 Protocol (MARPOL 73/78).

NOTING that the Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventieth session, considered and approved the proposed amendments to the BCH Code,

NOTING FURTHER resolution MEPC.79(43), by which the Committee adopted relevant amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemi­cals in Bulk (IBC Code),

RECOGNIZING the need to bring the amendments to the BCH Code into force on the date on which the relevant amendments to the IBC Code enter into force,

HAVING CONSIDERED the proposed amendments to the BCH Code circulated in accordance with article 16(2)(a) of the 1973 Convention,

1. ADOPTS, in accordance with article 16(2)(d) of the 1973 Con­vention, amendments to the BCH Code, the text of which is set out at annex to the present resolution;

2. DETERMINES, in accordance with article 16(2)(f)(iii) of the 1973 Convention, that the amendments shall be deemed to have been accepted on 1 January 2002, unless prior to the date, not less than one-third of the Parties or the Parties, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than 50 per cent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant fleet, having communicated to the Organization their objections to the amendments;

3. INVITES the Parties to note that in accordance with article 16(2)(g)(ii) of the 1973 Convention the amendments shall enter into force on 1 July 2002 upon their acceptance in accordance with para­graph 2 above;

4. REQUESTS the Secretary-General, in conformity with article 16(2)(e) of the 1973 Convention, to transmit to all Parties to the 1978 Protocol certified copies of the present resolution and the text of the amendments contained in the annex; and

5. REQUESTS FURTHER the Secretary-General to transmit to the Members of the Organization which are not Parties to the 1978 Protocol copies of the resolution and its Annex.

ANNEX.
 AMENDMENTS TO THE BCH CODE

Chapter II.
Cargo containment

1. The following new paragraph 2.14.3 is added after the existing paragraph 2.14.2:

"2.14.3 The controlled tank venting systems as provided in paragraph 2.14.2 above should consist of a primary and a sec­ondary means of allowing full flow relief of vapour to prevent over-pressure or under-pressure in the event of failure of one means. Alternatively, the secondary means may consist of pressure sensors fitted in each tank with a monitoring system in the ship's cargo control room or position from which cargo op­erations are normally carried out. Such monitoring equipment should also provide an alarm facility which is activated by de­tection of over-pressure or under-pressure conditions within a tank. Ships should comply with the requirements of this para­graph by the date of the first scheduled dry-docking after 1 July 2002, but not later than 1 July 2005. However, the Administra­tion may approve relaxation of this paragraph for ships of less than 500 gross