RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention of the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Marine Environment
Protection Committee (the Committee) conferred upon it by international
conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution,
RECALLING ALSO resolution MEPC.20(22) by which the Committee
adopted the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying
Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code),
NOTING that article 16(2)(f)(iii) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships, 1973 (the 1973 Convention) provides that the aforesaid
amendments to the BCH Code shall be deemed to have been accepted on
1 February 2007, unless, prior to that date, not less than one third
of the Parties to MARPOL 73/78 or Parties the combined merchant fleets
of which constitute not less than 50 per cent of the gross tonnage
of the world’s merchant fleet, have communicated to the Organization
their objections to the amendments,
NOTING ALSO that in accordance with article 16(2)(g)(ii) of the 1973 Convention,
the aforesaid amendments to the BCH Code, shall enter into force on
1 August 2007 upon their deemed acceptance in accordance with article 16(2)(f)(iii) of the 1973 Convention,
NOTING IN PARTICULAR that the purpose of the BCH Code is
to recommend suitable design criteria, construction standards and
other safety measures for ships transporting dangerous and noxious
chemical substances in bulk to minimize the risk to the ship, its
crew and the environment,
1 INVITES Parties to MARPOL 73/78 to consider
the application of the aforesaid amendments to the BCH Code, as soon
as practically possible to ships entitled to fly their flag, taking
into account that the revised Annex II of
MARPOL 73/78 and the amended International Code for the Construction
and Equipment of Ships carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code) are expected to enter into force on 1 January
2007;
2 INVITES ALSO the maritime industry to implement
the aforesaid amendments to the BCH Code, as soon as possible taking
note of the expected entry into force date of the instruments referred
to in paragraph 1 above; and
3 INVITES FURTHER the Maritime Safety Committee
to note this resolution and take action as appropriate.