Goal-based ship construction standards for bulk carriers and oil tankers

Introduction

The ship construction file requirement apply to oil tankers of 150 m in length and above and to bulk carriers of 150 m in length and above, constructed with single deck, top-side tanks and hopper side tanks in cargo spaces, excluding ore carriers and combination carriers:

1. for which the building contract is placed on or after 1 July 2016;
2. in the absence of a building contract, the keels of which are laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 July 2017; or
3. the delivery of which is on or after 1 July 2020.

Regarding SOLAS 2010 Amend / Chapter II-1 / Reg. 3-10, ships shall be designed and constructed for a specified design life to be safe and environmentally friendly, when properly operated and maintained under the specified operating and environmental conditions, in intact and specified damage conditions, throughout their life.

Ensuring the ship is safe and environmentally friendly entails that it possesses sufficient strength, integrity, and stability to minimize the risk of ship loss or environmental pollution resulting from structural failure, such as collapse leading to flooding or loss of watertight integrity. In this regards;

1. Environmentally friendly also includes the ship being constructed of materials for environmentally acceptable recycling.
2. Safety also includes the ship's structure, fittings and arrangements providing for safe access, escape, inspection and proper maintenance and facilitating safe operation.
3. Specified operating and environmental conditions are defined by the intended operating area for the ship throughout its life and cover the conditions, including intermediate conditions, arising from cargo and ballast operations in port, waterways and at sea.
4. Specified design life is the nominal period that the ship is assumed to be exposed to operating and/or environmental conditions and/or the corrosive environment and is used for selecting appropriate ship design parameters. However, the ship's actual service life may be longer or shorter depending on the actual operating conditions and maintenance of the ship throughout its life cycle.

Ship Construction File (SCF)

The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-seventh session (12 to 21 May 2010), approved the Guidelines for the information to be included in a Ship Construction File, aiming at providing additional guidance on the application of the requirements in SOLAS regulation II-1/3-10.

SCF with specific information on how the functional requirements of 'the Goal-based Ship Construction Standards for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers' have been applied in the ship design and construction shall be provided. SCF shall be provided upon delivery of a new ship and kept on board the ship and/or ashore and updated as appropriate throughout its service. Contents of SCF shall, at least, conform to the guidelines developed by IMO (Guidelines for the information to be included in a Ship Construction File (MSC.1/Circ.1343)).

The specific details outlining the information to be incorporated into the ship construction file (SCF) are delineated in the attachment.