The Committee adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex I and the IBC and BCH Codes which will require new and existing oil and chemical tankers to be fitted with an approved stability instrument capable of verifying compliance with the applicable intact and damage stability requirements. Similar revisions for gas tankers have been proposed for the IGC Code and are scheduled for adoption by MSC 93 in May 2014.

These new tankers, constructed on or after 1 January 2016, will need to comply on delivery and existing tankers, constructed before 1 January 2016, will need to comply at the first scheduled renewal survey after 1 January 2016 but not later than 1 January 2021.

The flag Administration may give special dispensation from the provisions of a stability instrument in the following instances:

• tankers where stability is remotely verified by a means approved by the Administration;

• tankers on a dedicated service, with a limited number of permutations of loading such that all anticipated conditions have been approved;

• tankers which are loaded within an approved range of loading conditions; and

• existing tankers provided with approved limiting KG/GM curves covering all applicable intact and damage stability requirements.

Herbert-ABS’s CargoMax loading computer with the Direct Damage Stability (DDS) Module fully meets the new requirements for any type of tank vessel. It can demonstrate compliance with the damage stability requirements for any of the relevant regulations from IMO and national administration for any type of loading or ballast loading. And it can also be used to demonstrate this compliance to Port State inspectors or vetting surveyors.