Emergency Towing Procedures
From 1 January 2012 it becomes compulsory for all ships above 500 gt in commercial use to have a documented ship specific Emergency Towing Procedure as per SOLAS regulation II-1/3-4.
This includes:
- All passenger ships, not later than 1 January 2010
- Cargo ships constructed on or after 1 January 2010
- Cargo ships constructed before 1 January 2010, not later than 1 January 2012
The IMO does not require that the Emergency Towing Procedure and the Emergency Towing Booklet to be approved by Flag or Class, however they will be part of the ship's SMS and so an ISM auditor may examine them as part of an ISM audit and to ensure that they comply with the IMO's requirements.
It is the responsibility of the Owner or operator, not the ship builder, to meet these requirements.
Very few large yachts in commercial usage are prepared for the introduction of these regulations with less than four months to go.
Maritime Services International can provide the following service for a fixed price package:
- Travel to/from the yacht for one surveyor
- Initial evaluation and preliminary risk assessments
- Structural calculations and plans
- Preparation of the Emergency Towing Booklet
- Presentation to crew and crew training
For a fixed price quotation please contact our International Operations Manager, Christine Biddle on christine(at)maritime.uk.com or call +44 (0)23 9252 4490.
