GovWire

The proposed Regulations will implement a new chapter in the Annex to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS) on safety measures for the safe carriage of industrial personnel, together with the International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code), which contains the technical requirements for such safe carriage.

The types of ships to which this legislation is intended to apply to (i.e., ships operating in the offshore sector oil and gas, and windfarm industries), provide a pivotal role in ensuring UK energy security against a global background of energy insecurity. There is now a greater focus towards energy generation from renewable sources against a background of the need to reduce reliance on energy generation from non-renewable (e.g. oil and gas) sources in the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Recognising that vessels operating in the offshore sector undertake largely domestic voyages and may be less than 500GT, the proposal is to implement SOLAS XV, the IP Code and the SPS Codes to UK vessels, irrespective of area of operation and tonnage. For high-speed craft less than 500GT undertaking non-international voyages, the proposal allows a choice to continue to comply with the High-Speed Offshore Service Craft Code (HSOSC) which is already in UK law, or to comply with the IP Code as it applies to high-speed vessels.

The proposed Regulations also include an ambulatory reference provision to ensure that future mandatory updates to the IP Code can come into force automatically in UK law without further need to amend the Regulations.