IMO realistic change to proposed PMA regulation

The Ship Design & Equipment Subcommittee of IMO recently held its 47th session (DE47) in London, and amended the proposed revision to IMO’s regulations on Permanent Means of Access (PMA or fixed scaffoldings for inspection) to be fitted on tankers and bulk carriers. The latest amendment was made in a manner that reflects PMA’s safety performance and effectiveness with the subcommittee having approved a proposal to provide some mobile scaffolding on board vessels involved in lieu of PMAs.

Accordingly, the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) is expected to deliberate the proposed revision as amended this time during its 78th session (MSC78) scheduled for May this year, and adopt a resolution on an effective date for such revision in advance. It is now anticipated that the new PMA regulation will apply to those newbuildings to have their keels laid on or after Jan. 1, 2005.

Under the proposed revision, a tanker newbuilding is required, among other things, to be equipped with PMAs at locations 1.6 to 3.0 meters below deck in the vicinity of its transverse bulkheads. It was also admitted that these PMAs could be partly substituted by portable access means such as gondola-type scaffoldings. In addition, an idea requiring a VLCC to install as many as almost 45 access means of 55-meter long each at every deck transverse was totally deleted from the proposed revision. As for bulker newbuildings, PMAs that are required to be fitted at locations under cross deck will be exempted when upper stools are provided instead.