The SOLAS Convention in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all

international convention concerning the safety of merchant ships. The first version was adopted in 1914, in
response to the Titanic disaster. The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum
standards for the construction, equipment and operation of ships.

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

contains 15 chapters covering the following topics:

Chapter I Chapter IX
Chapter V
Certification, Safety management
Casualty Investigation, Safety of (International Safety
Port State Control
navigation Management (ISM) Code)

Chapter VI Chapter X Chapter XIII

Chapter II
1. Ship design and Carriage of cargoes Safety of IMO Member State
construction (Loading and securing cargoes, high-speed craft
including containers) Audit Scheme
2. Fire protection,
detection & extinction
Chapter XI
Chapter VII
Carriage of Special measures for: Chapter XIV
Chapter III 1) Safety (including IMO
dangerous goods Ships in
Life-saving (International Maritime
number scheme)
polar waters
2) Maritime security for
Dangerous Goods Code) ships and ports

Chapter IV Chapter XII Chapter XV

Chapter VIII
Distress and safety Additional Safety of ships
Safety of nuclear-
communications safety measures carrying offshore
(Radio and satellite)
fuelled ships for bulk carriers workers
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

CERTIFICATION,
CASUALTY INVESTIGATION,
PORT STATE CONTROL
SOLAS chapter I covers the survey of various
ship types and the issuing of documents
signifying that a ship meets the requirements
of the Convention. The chapter includes
provisions for casualty investigation and the
control of ships in ports of other Contracting
Governments - called Port State Control.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

SHIP DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

Design and construction standards for ships are
covered in SOLAS chapter II-1. These include
regulations that ensure a ship does not sink should
a compartment get flooded (e.g. on watertight
integrity and bilge pumping arrangements for
passenger ships). The chapter includes stability
requirements for both passenger and cargo ships
and requirements covering machinery and electrical
installations, which ensure that services essential
to the safety of the ship, passengers and crew are
maintained under various emergency conditions.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

FIRE PROTECTION, DETECTION

& EXTINCTION
SOLAS chapter II-2 covers detailed re
safety provisions for all ships and speci c
measures for passenger ships, cargo
ships and tankers. It includes provisions
on division of a ship into zones by thermal
and structural boundaries; restricted
use of com usti le materials and re
detection, containment and extinction.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT & DRILLS

Under SOLAS chapter III, all ships must
carry su cient life oats (or life rafts
and life ac ets for everyone on oard.
rills must e carried out. uipment
must e tested regularly and meet
performance standards.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

DISTRESS AND SAFETY

COMMUNICATIONS
SOLAS chapter IV sets out the requirements
for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System (GMDSS), which enables distress,
urgency and safety communications at sea. The
chapter determines the number and type of radio
installations and equipment required on board, the
provisions for their operation and maintenance,
and the responsibilities of SOLAS Contracting
Governments to provide the necessary shore-
based infrastructure for the GMDSS.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

NAVIGATING SAFELY
SOLAS chapter V enhances the safety of
navigation by establishing minimum requirements
for navigational systems and equipment on ships.
The chapter outlines the responsibilities of States to
o er essential services that support safe navigation.
These include navigational warnings, meteorological
and hydrographic information, vessel tra c services
(VTS), aids to navigation, and search and rescue
operations. Ships’ routeing measures are covered
under the chapter to improve tra c management
and reduce the risk of collisions
and groundings.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

CARRIAGE OF CARGOES

SOLAS chapter VI covers the loading and

securing of cargoes, including containers
(but not liquids and gases in bulk) which,
owing to their particular hazards to ships
or persons on board, may require special
precautions.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

CARRIAGE OF DANGEROUS CARGOES

SOLAS chapter VII contains regulations on:
• carriage of dangerous goods in packaged form
• carriage of dangerous goods in solid form in bulk
• construction and equipment of ships carrying
dangerous liquid chemicals in bulk
• construction and equipment of ships carrying
li ue ed gases in ul and gas carriers
• special requirements for the carriage of packaged
irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high-level
radioactive wastes
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

SAFETY OF NUCLEAR-FUELLED SHIPS

SOLAS chapter VIII contains basic

requirements for nuclear-powered
ships and is particularly concerned with
radiation hazards. It refers to the detailed
and comprehensive Code of Safety for
Nuclear Merchant Ships.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SOLAS chapter IX makes mandatory
the International Safety Management
(ISM) Code, which requires a safety
management system to be established
by the shipowner or any person who has
assumed responsibility for the ship.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

SAFETY OF HIGH-SPEED CRAFT

SOLAS chapter X makes mandatory
the International Code of Safety for
High-Speed Craft (HSC Code). These
craft include high-speed ferries, air-
cushion vehicles and hydrofoil boats.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

SPECIAL MEASURES FOR SAFETY

SOLAS chapter XI-1 covers requirements
for authorization of recognized
organizations (responsible for carrying
out surveys and inspections on behalf of
Administrations); enhanced surveys; the
ship identi cation num er scheme
and port State control.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

MARITIME SECURITY
Under SOLAS chapter XI-2, the
International Ship and Port Facility
Security (ISPS) Code requires ships and
ports to assess all maritime security risks
and put security plans in place, based on
the security threat level set y the flag and
port State. Ships must have a dedicated
ship security alarm system.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES

FOR BULK CARRIERS
SOLAS chapter XII includes structural
requirements for bulk carriers over 150
metres in length.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

IMO MEMBER STATE AUDIT SCHEME

SOLAS chapter XIII makes the IMO
Member State Audit Scheme mandatory.
The Scheme promotes the consistent and
e ective implementation of applica le
instruments and assists Member States to
improve their capa ilities.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

SHIPS IN POLAR WATERS

SOLAS chapter XIV covers additional safety
measures for ships operating in polar waters.
It makes mandatory the safety measures
contained in the Polar Code. The Code
covers the full range of design, construction,
equipment, operational, training, search
and rescue and environmental protection
matters relevant to ships operating in waters
surrounding the two poles.
 How does IMO’s Safety Of Life At Sea
(SOLAS) treaty make a difference?

SAFETY OF SHIPS CARRYING

OFFSHORE WORKERS
SOLAS chapter XV provides minimum
safety standards for ships that carry
industrial personnel and the personnel
themselves.