Amendments to the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (BCH code) to Annex II of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (Special, operational and minimum requirements)
https://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/msin1925anx1.pdf
ANNEX 8
RESOLUTION MEPC.319(74)
(adopted on 17 May 2019)
AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF SHIPS CARRYING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN BULK (BCH CODE) (Special, operational and minimum requirements)
THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,
RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee conferred upon it by international conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,
RECALLING ALSO resolution MEPC.20 (22) by which it adopted The Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk ("the BCH Code"), and resolution MEPC.16(22) by which the BCH Code has become mandatory under Annex II of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL),
RECALLING FURTHER article 16 of MARPOL and regulation 1.4 of MARPOL Annex II concerning the procedure for amending the BCH Code,
HAVING CONSIDERED, at its seventy-fourth session, proposed amendments to the BCH Code concerning special, operational and minimum requirements,
1 ADOPTS, in accordance with article 16(2)(d) of MARPOL, amendments to the BCH Code, the text of which is set out in the annex to the present resolution;
2 DETERMINES, in accordance with article 16(2)(f)(iii) of MARPOL, that the amendments to the BCH Code shall be deemed to have been accepted on 1 July 2020 unless, prior to that date, not less than one third of the Parties or Parties, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than 50% of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant fleet, have communicated to the Organization their objection to the amendments;
3 INVITES the Parties to note that, in accordance with article 16(2)(g)(ii) of MARPOL, the amendments to the BCH Code shall enter into force on 1 January 2021 upon their acceptance in accordance with paragraph 2 above;
4 INVITES ALSO the Maritime Safety Committee to note this resolution and take action as appropriate;
5 REQUESTS the Secretary-General, for the purposes of article 16(2)(e) of MARPOL, to transmit certified copies of the present resolution and the text of the amendments to the BCH Code contained in the annex, to all Parties to MARPOL;
6 REQUESTS ALSO the Secretary-General to transmit copies of the present resolution and its annex to the Members of the Organization which are not Parties to MARPOL.
ANNEX
AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF SHIPS CARRYING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN BULK (BCH CODE)
Chapter IV
Special requirements
1 A new section 4.24 is inserted after existing section 4.23 as follows:
"4.24 Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) detection equipment for bulk liquids Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) detection equipment shall be provided on board ships carrying bulk liquids prone to H2S formation. It should be noted that scavengers and biocides, when used, may not be 100% effective in controlling the formation of H2S. Toxic vapour detection instruments complying with the requirement in 3.11.1 of the Code for testing for H2S may be used to satisfy this requirement."
Chapter V
Operational requirements
2 Paragraph 5.2.7 is replaced by the following:
"5.2.7 Where column m in the table of chapter VI of this Code refers to this paragraph, the cargo is subject to the prewash requirements in regulation 13.7.1.4 of Annex II of MARPOL."
Chapter VI
Summary of minimum requirements
IBC/BCH Codes cross-references to the requirements
3 The following cross-references are added under section Special requirements (column o):
"15.15 4.24 16.2.7 5.2.7"
