THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE,
RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime
Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,
NOTING the adoption by the Assembly of resolutions:
A.748(18) on the Code for the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel,
Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes in Flasks on Board Ships (INF
Code);
A.790(19) on the Review
of the INF Code;
A.853(20) on Amendments to the INF Code; and
A.854(20) on Guidelines for developing shipboard emergency plans for ships
carrying materials subject to the INF Code,
RECOGNIZING the need to provide a mandatory application ofthe agreed
international standards for the carriage of INF cargo by sea,
NOTING ALSO resolution MSC.87(71) by which it adopted amendments to
chapter VII of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS), 1974, as amended, to make the provisions of the INF Code mandatory
under that Convention on or after 1 January 2001,
HAVING CONSIDERED, at its seventy-first session, the text of the
proposed INF Code,
1. ADOPTS the International
Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and
High-Level Radioactive Wastes on Board Ships (INF Code), the text of which is
set out in the Annex to the present resolution;
2.
NOTES that under the
amendments to chapter VII of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, amendments to the INF
Code shall be adopted, brought into force and shall take effect in accordance
with the provisions of article VIII of that Convention concerning the amendment
procedure applicable to the Annex to the Convention other than chapter I;
3. REQUESTS the
Secretary-General to transmit certified copies of the present resolution and
the text of the INF Code, contained in the Annex, to all Contracting Governments
to the Convention;
4. FURTHER REQUESTS the
Secretary-General to transmit copies of this resolution and its Annex to
Members of the Organization, which are not Contracting Governments to the
Convention.
Chapter 1- General
1.1
Definitions
1.1.1 For the purpose of this Code:
.1
Administration means the Government of the State whose flag the ship is
entitled to fly.
.2
Convention means the International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea, 1974, as amended.
.3
INF cargo means packaged irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high-level
radioactive wastes carried as cargo in accordance with Class 7 of the IMDG
Code, schedule 10, 1 l, 12 or 13.
.4
Irradiated nuclear fuel means material containing uranium, thorium
and/or plutonium isotopes which has been used to maintain a self-sustaining nuclear
chain reaction.
.5
Plutonium means the resultant mixture of isotopes of that material
extracted from irradiated nuclear fuel from reprocessing.
.6
High-level radioactive wastes means liquid wastes resulting from the
operation of the first stage extraction system or the concentrated wastes from
subsequent extraction stage, in a facility for reprocessing irradiated nuclear
fuel, or solids into which such liquid wastes have been converted.
.7
IMDG Code means the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code defined
in regulation VII/14.6 ofthe Convention.
.8
IBC Code means the International Code for the Construction and Equipment
of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk, as defined in regulation VII/8.1
of the Convention.
.9
Incident means any occurrence or series of occurrences, including loss of
container integrity, having the same origin which results or may result in a
release, or probable cargo release of INF cargo.
.10
Release means the escape of 1NF cargo from its containment system or the
loss of an INF cargo package.
1.1.2 For the purpose of this Code, ships carrying INF
cargo are assigned to the following three classes, depending on the total
activity of INF cargo which is carried on board:
Class INF 1 ship - Ships which are certified to
carry INF cargo with an aggregate activity less than 4,000 TBq.
Class INF 2 ship - Ships which are certified to
carry irradiated nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive wastes with an
aggregate activity less than 2 x 106 TBq and ships which are certified to carry
plutonium with an aggregate activity less than 2x 105 TBq.
Class INF 3 ship - Ships which are certified to
carry irradiated nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive wastes and ships which
are certified to carry plutonium with no restriction of the maximum aggregate
activity of the materials.
1.2
Application
1.2.1 This Code applies to ships engaged in the
carriage of INF cargo as prescribed in regulation VII/15 of the Convention.
1.2.2 In addition to the requirements of this Code,
the provisions of the IMDG Code should apply to the carriage of INF cargo.
1.2.3 INF cargo that would be required to be carried
on Class 1NF 3 ships shall not be allowed on passenger ships.
1.3 Survey
and certification
1.3.1 Before the carriage of INF cargo takes place, a
ship intended to carry INF cargo shall be subject to an initial survey which
shall include a complete examination of its structure, equipment, fittings,
arrangements and material in so far as the ship is covered by this Code.
1.3.2 The Administration, or an organization
recognized by it in accordance with regulation 1/6 of the Convention shall,
after the initial survey as required in 1.3.1, issue the ship with the International
Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of INF Cargo, the form of which is set
out in the appendix.
1.3.3 A ship certified for the carriage of INF cargo
shall be subject to inspections and surveys under the applicable provisions of
chapter I of the Convention in order to ensure that the structure, equipment,
fittings, arrangements and material comply with the provisions of this Code.
1.3.4 The International Certificate of Fitness for the
Carriage of INF Cargo shall cease to be valid if the survey required by 1.3.3
has not been carried out or has shown that the ship does not comply with the
provisions of this Code, or when a certificate of that ship required by the
Convention has expired.
Chapter 2 - Damage stability
2.1 The damage stability of a Class
INF 1 ship shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration.
2.2 A Class INF 2 ship shall:
.1
if it is built to the standards for a passenger ship, comply with the damage
stability requirements of part B of chapter II-1 of the Convention; or
.2
if it is built to the standards for a cargo ship, comply with the damage
stability requirements of part B-1 of chapter II-1 of the Convention,
regardless of the length of the ship.
2.3 A Class INF 3 ship shall comply
with:
.1
the damage stability requirements for type 1 ship survival capability and
location of cargo spaces in chapter 2 of the IBC Code; or
.2
regardless of the length of the ship, the damage stability requirements in part
B-1 of chapter II- 1 of the Convention, using the subdivision index RINF as
given below:
RINF = R + 0.2(1 - R)
Chapter 3 - Fire safety measures
3.1 Fire safety measures of a Class
INF 1 ship shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration.
3.2 Class INF 2 and 3 ships,
regardless of their size, shall be fitted with the following systems and
equipment:
.1
a water fire-extinguishing system complying with the requirements of regulation
II-2/4 of the Convention;
.2
fixed fire-extinguishing arrangements in machinery spaces of category A, as
defined in regulation II-2/3.19 of the Convention, complying with the
requirements of regulation II-2/7 of the Convention;
.3
fixed cargo space cooling arrangements, complying with the requirements of
regulation II-2/54.2.1.3 of the Convention; and
.4
a fixed fire-detection and fire alarm system, protecting the machinery spaces,
accommodation and service spaces, complying with the requirements of regulation
II-2/13 of the Convention.
3.3 In a Class INF 3 ship,
accommodation spaces, service spaces, control stations and machinery spaces of
category A shall be fitted either forward or aft of the cargo spaces, due
regard being paid to the overall safety of the ship.
Chapter 4 - Temperature control of cargo spaces
4.1 In Class INF 1, 2 and 3 ships:
.1
adequate ventilation or refrigeration of enclosed cargo spaces shall be
provided so that the average ambient temperature within such spaces does not
exceed 55°C at any time;
.2
ventilation or refrigeration systems serving cargo spaces intended for the
transport of INF cargo shall be independent of those serving other spaces; and
.3
those items essential to operation, such as fans, compressors, heat exchangers,
cooling water supply, shall be provided in duplicate for each cargo space and
spare parts shall be available, to the satisfaction of the Administration.
Chapter 5 - Structural consideration
The structural strength of deck areas and support arrangements shall be
sufficient to withstand the load which is to be sustained.
Chapter 6 - Cargo securing arrangements
6.1 Adequate permanent securing
devices shall be provided to prevent movement of the packages within the cargo
spaces. In designing permanent devices, due consideration shall be given to the
orientation of the packages and the following ship acceleration levels shall be
taken into account:
- 1.5 g
longitudinally;
- 1.5 g
transversely;
- 1.0 g
vertically up;
- 2.0 g
vertically down.
6.2 Alternatively, where packages
are carried on the open deck or a vehicle deck, they shall be secured in
accordance with the principles of safe stowage and securing of heavy unitized
and wheel-based (rolling) cargo approved by the Administration based on the
guidelines developed by the Organization1.
6.3 Collision chocks, where used,
shall be so arranged that they will not interfere or prevent cooling air flow
which may be necessary under the provisions of 4.1.
Chapter 7 - Electrical power supplies
7.1 The electrical power supplies in
a Class INF 1 ship shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration.
7.2 In Class INF 2 and 3 ships:
.1
an alternative source of electrical power, complying with the requirements of
the international standards acceptable to the Organization2, shall
be provided so that damage involving the main supply would not affect the
alternative source; and
.2
the power available from the alternative source shall be sufficient to supply
the following services for at least 36 h:
.2.1
the equipment provided
for the flooding and cooling arrangements referred to in 3.2.3 and 4.1; and
.2.2
all emergency services
required by the Convention.
7.3 In a Class INF 3 ship, the
alternative source referred to in 7.2.1 shall be located outside the extent of
any damage envisaged under chapter 2.
____________________________
1
Refer to:
.1 the Code for the Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing,
adopted by the Organization by resolution A.714(17);
.2 the Guidelines for Securing Arrangements for the Transport of Road
Vehicles on Ro-Ro Ships, adopted by the Organization by resolution A.581(14);
and
.3 MSC/Circ.745 on the Guidelines for the preparation of the Cargo
Securing Manual.
2
Refer to the recommendations published by the International Electrotechnical
Commission and, in particular, to Publication 92 - Electrical Installations in
Ships.
Chapter 8 - Radiological protection
Depending upon the characteristics of the INF cargo to be carried and
upon the design of the ship, additional arrangements or equipment for
radiological protection shall, if necessary, be provided to the satisfaction of
the Administration.
Chapter 9 - Management and training
Management and training for a ship carrying INF cargo shall be to the
satisfaction of the Administration taking into account developments in the
Organization.
Chapter 10 - Shipboard emergency plan
10.1 Every ship carrying INF cargo shall carry
on board a shipboard emergency plan.
10.2 Such a plan shall be approved by the
Administration based on the guidelines developed by the Organization3
and written in a working language or languages understood by the master and
officers. As a minimum, the plan shall consist of:
.1
the procedure to be followed by the master or other persons having charge of
the ship to report an incident involving INF cargo, as required by chapter 11
of this Code;
.2
the list of authorities or persons to be contacted in the event of an incident
involving INF cargo;
.3
a detailed description of the action to be taken immediately by persons on
board to prevent, reduce or control the release, and mitigate the consequences
of the loss, of INF cargo following the incident; and
.4
the procedures and points of contact on the ship for co-ordinating shipboard
action with national and local authorities.