CONVENTIONS
The Union of Comoros, being a member to the IMO, is a signatory state to a number of IMO Conventions including:
- IMO Convention `48 and its amendments `91 & `93
- International Convention for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS 1974)
- Convention on the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea (COLREG 1972)
- International Convention on tonnage measurements of ships (ITC`69)
- International Convention on load lines (LL 1966)
- International Convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage (CLC 1969 & its protocol `92)
- STCW `78 as amended 1995
- INMARSAT 1976
- International Convention on Oil Pollution Prevention, response and co-operation 1990
INTERNATIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT CODE (ISM CODE)
All Comorian vessels’ of 500 GT and above and their managing companies must be fully complied with the requirements of the ISM Code.
In the above respect the Union of Comoros Flag Administration has authorized the Classifications Societies to perform the necessary audit on its behalf and to issue the relative ISM certificates (DOC and SMC)
The ISM Certificates (DOC and SMC) may also be issued by the Union of Comoros Flag Administration directly subject to the satisfactory completion of the necessary audits by the authorized Flag auditors.
INTERNATIONAL SHIP AND PORT FACILITY SECURITY CODE (ISPS CODE)
The Diplomatic Conference on Maritime Security held in London in December 2002 adopted new provisions in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, and the International Code for the Security of Ships and of Port Facilities (ISPS Code) to enhance maritime security. The ISPS Code is entering into effect internationally on the 1st of July 2004.
The ISPS is applicable to the following types of Union of Comoros vessels engaged on international voyages as per Regulation 3 of Chapter I of SOLAS.
The following types of ships engaged on international voyages:
- Passenger Ships, including high-speed passenger craft
- Cargo Ships, including high-speed craft, of 500 gross tonnage and upwards
- Mobile offshore drilling units
- Port facilities serving such ships engaged on international voyages
Compliance with the Code will become mandatory on 1 July 2004. By this date every ship to which the Code applies must have:
- Company Security Officer
- Ship Security Officer
- implement an approved Security Plan
- be equipped with a Security alert System
- installed for the installation of AIS
- IMO Number marked on the vessel for marking the vessel
- available a Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR)