IMO (International Maritime Organization) Regulations
1 January 2011: Entry into force of June 2009 amendments to Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) and Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm Systems (BNWAS) to be made mandatory under SOLAS Amendments to SOLAS regulation V/19, to make mandatory the carriage of ECDIS and BNWAS, under SOLAS chapter V, Safety of Navigation. The requirements will be mandatory for new ships and phased-in for existing ships.
For vessels build to SOLAS standards, SOLAS regulation V/19 requires the carriage of a BNWAS, complying with IMO performance standards, on ships of 150 gross tonnage and upwards and passenger ships irrespective of size, with a phased carriage requirement for existing ships, as follows:
- ships of 150 gross tonnage and upwards and passenger ships irrespective of size constructed on or after [1 July 2011]
- passenger ships irrespective of size constructed before [1 July 2011], not later than the first survey after [1 July 2012]
- ships of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before [1 July 2011], not later than the first survey after [1 July 2012]
- ships, of 500 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 3,000 gross tonnage, constructed before [1 July 2011], not later than the first survey after [1 July 2013]
- ships, of 150 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 500 gross tonnage constructed before [1 July 2011], not later than the first survey after [1 July 2014]
The International Standard IEC 62616:2010 specifies the minimum performance requirements, technical characteristics and methods of testing, and required test results, for a (BNWAS) as required by Chapter V of the International Convention for the (SOLAS).
