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Person in charge: NAM Kwankyung

No : 2023-IMO-05
Date : 14 November 2023

Subject: Amendments to SOLAS II-1 / Reg.3-8 “Towing and mooring equipment” implemented on 1
January 2024

1. Back ground
New ship designs, and especially the design of large ships, have resulted in optimized performance and
a greater degree of complexity. It is, however, a widely recognized fact that the development and design
of mooring systems has not adequately followed the development of ships. Despite efforts to improve
how safe mooring operations, we still experience a high number of accidents during these operations.

To relieve this issue, amendments to SOLAS II-1/3-8 “Towing and mooring equipment” were adopted by
the Maritime Safety Committee at MSC 102 and will enter into force on or after 1 January 2024. These
amendments introduce new safety requirements for design, selection, inspection, maintenances and
replacement of mooring and towing arrangements in conjunction with MSC.1/Circ.1175/ Rev.1,
MSC.1/Circ.1619 and MSC.1/Circ.1620.

2. Definition for towing and mooring equipment

1) Safe Working Load (SWL) means the safe load limit of shipboard fittings used for mooring operations.
2) Ship Design Minimum Breaking Load (MBLSD) means the minimum breaking load of new, dry
mooring lines for which shipboard fittings and supporting hull structures are designed in order to
meet mooring restraint requirements or the towing requirements of other towing service.
3) Line Design Break Force (LDBF) means the minimum force at which a new, dry, spliced mooring line
will break at. This is for all synthetic cordage material. This value is declared by the manufacturer on
each line's mooring line certificate and data sheet. LDBF of a line should be 100%-105% of the ship
design minimum breaking load (MBLSD).
4) Working Load Limit (WLL): the maximum load that a mooring line should be subjected to in
operational service. The WLL is expressed as a percentage of MBL SD and should be used as a limiting
value in operational mooring analyses. Steel wires have a WLL of 55% of MBL SD and all other cordage
(synthetic) have a WLL of 50% of the MBLSD.
5) Bend radius (D/d ratio) means the diameter (D) of a mooring fitting divided by the diameter (d) of a
mooring line that is led around or through the fitting.

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6) Towing and mooring arrangements plan means the plan as described in section 5 of the annex to
the revised guidance on shipboard towing and mooring equipment (MSC.1/Circ.1175/Rev.1). This plan
presents specific information regarding the towing and mooring fittings aboard the vessel, the
mooring lines, as well as the arrangement of mooring lines and the acceptable environmental
conditions for mooring.

3. New regulation and instruments for towing and mooring equipment (SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8)

New SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8 Related instruments Application

SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.4 MSC.1/Circ.1175 Ships constructed on or after 1 Jan-

Ships shall be provided with Guidance on shipboard uary 2007(K/L) but before 1 January
arrangements, equipment and towing and mooring 2024
fittings of sufficient safe equipment. The expression “constructed before 1
working load to enable the January 2024” should mean ships not
safe conduct of all towing and subject to SOLAS II-1/Reg.1.3.2.
mooring operations associated
with the normal operation of MSC.1/Circ.1175/Rev.1 Ships constructed on or after 1
the ship. Guidance on shipboard January 2024
towing and mooring As per SOLAS II-1/Reg.1.3.2,
SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.5 equipment. the expression “ships constructed on or
Arrangements, equipment and after 1 January 2024” means ships;
fittings provided in accordance .1 for which the building contract is
with Reg.3-8.4 shall meet the placed on or after 1 January 2024; or
appropriate requirements of .2 in the absence of a building contract,
the Administration or RO. the keel of which is laid or which are at
a similar stage of construction on or
after 1 July 2024; or
.3 the delivery of which is on or after 1
January 20281.

1
For the Liberia flag’s vessels, the delivery date is January 1, 2027 in accordance with Marine Notice SAF-012 Rev.07/23. Unless the
flag administration explicitly requests the delivery date, For ships registered with KR, the delivery date is applied as January 1, 2028
as discussed in MSC102. (paragraph 3.4 of MSC 102/24)

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 New SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8 Related instruments Application
SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.7 MSC.1/Circ.1619 As per SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.2
For ships of 3,000 gross tonnage Guidelines on the design of Ship:
and above, the mooring mooring arrangements and the .1 for which the building
arrangement shall be designed, selection of appropriate mooring contract is placed on or after 1
and the mooring equipment equipment and fittings for safe January 2024; or
including lines shall be selected, mooring. .2 in the absence of a building
in order to ensure occupational contract, the keel of which is laid
safety and safe mooring of the or which is at a similar stage of
ship, based on the guidelines construction on or after 1 July
developed by the Organization. 2024; or
Ship-specific information shall .3 the delivery of which is on or
be provided and kept on board. after 1 January 2027.

SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.8
Ships of less than 3,000 gross
tonnage should comply with the
requirement in paragraph 7
above as far as reasonably
practicable, or with applicable
national standards of the
Administration.

SOLAS II-1/3-8.9 MSC.1/Circ.1620 All ships after 1 January 2024

For all ships, mooring Guidelines for inspection and As per SOLAS II-1/Reg.1.3.3, the
equipment, including lines, shall maintenance of mooring expression “all ships” mean ships
be inspected and maintained in equipment including lines. constructed before, on or after 1
a suitable condition for their January 2009.
intended purposes.

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4. Actions to be taken

1) While applying the SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.4, 3-8.5 and 3-8.8, for new ships of less than 3,000 gross
tonnage, the following is prepared on board:
(1) The "Towing and mooring arrangements plan" should provide the following;
- The maximum brake holding load of mooring winches
- Information according to the paragraph 5 of MSC.1/Circ.1175/Rev.1
(2) A mill sheet of the mooring lines;
(3) The properties of mooring lines related to LDBF and bend radius (D/d ratio).
- Including warning that the wear rate of lines may be higher for lower diameter. (paragraph 5.6 of
MSC.1/Circ.1620)
 At initial survey of the ship, the surveyor should confirm that the plan and documents should be
provided on board for the above information.

2) While applying the SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.4, 3-8.5 and 3-8.7, for new ships of 3,000 gross tonnage
and above, the following should be prepared on board in addition to those specific above 1):
(1) A document should be provided for information and as a supplement to the towing and mooring
arrangements plan, confirming that MSC.1/Circ.1619 has been considered;
(2) Justification and suitable safety measures related to the deviations from requirements in
MSC.1/Circ.1620 should be provided included in the supplement to the towing and mooring
arrangements plan if there are deviations (paragraph 6 of MSC.1/Circ.1619);
(3) If deviations are not found necessary, and the supplement is not needed, then this should be
mentioned explicitly in the towing and mooring arrangements plan;
(4) The maximum brake holding load of mooring winches should be less than 100% of the Ship Design
Minimum Breaking Load (MBLSD) (paragraphs 5.2.3.3 and 5.2.4 of MSC.1/Circ.1619); and
(5) The winches should be fitted with brakes that allow for the reliable setting of the brake rendering
load.
 At initial survey of the ship, the surveyor should confirm that the towing and mooring
arrangements plan and the supplement describing deviations and suitable safety measures are
provided on board.

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3) While applying the SOLAS II-1/Reg.3-8.9, for all ships (new / existing ship), the following should be satisfied
and prepared on board from 1 January 2024:
(1) Procedures for mooring operations, inspection and maintenance of mooring equipment, including
mooring lines, should be established and available on board by taking into account industry
practices2 (paragraph 3.1 of MSC.1/Circ.1620);
(2) Procedures to allow the identification and control of mooring lines, tails and associated
attachments should be established and available on board (paragraph 3.3 of MSC.1/Circ.1620);
(3) The periodic inspection of mooring lines, mooring line tails and associated attachments should be
included in the onboard maintenance plan or equivalent maintenance management system
(paragraph 4.1.1 of MSC.1/Circ.1620);
(4) Replacement of mooring lines for use should be decided by manufacturers’ criteria (paragraph 4.3.1
of MSC.1/Circ.1620);
(5) Records of the original design concept, equipment, arrangements and specifications should be
available on board (paragraph 4.4.4 of MSC.1/Circ.1620);
- For ships the keels of which were laid before 1 January 2007 and without appropriate
documentation, owners may establish the MBLSD for mooring based on the safe working load of
mooring equipment provided on board.
- If no safe working load of mooring equipment is specified, owners are advised to check strength
of mooring equipment and their supporting hull structure based on MSC.1/Circ.1175/Rev.1 and
determine MBLSD based on actual capacity of the equipment and their supporting hull structure
on board.
- Manufacturers' test certificates for mooring lines, joining shackles and synthetic tails should be
kept on board (paragraph 6.2 of MSC.1/Circ.1620).
(6) The records of inspection and maintenance of mooring equipment and inspection and replacement
of mooring lines should be kept updated and available on board (paragraphs 4.4.3 and 6.1 of
MSC.1/Circ.1620);
(7) After 1 January 2024, when the mooring lines needs to be replaced, LDBF of the mooring lines
should be in principle selected at 100~105% of MBL SD. However, when using mooring lines with
LDBF exceeding 105% of MBLSD, appropriate reviews shall be made regarding the load limits on the
hull support structures, mooring equipment and accessories and safety during mooring operations.
 The surveyor should confirm that procedure and related records are provided on board at the initial survey
for new ships or at the first periodical survey (annual, intermediate or renewal) of Cargo Ship Safety
construction or Passenger Ship Safety for existing ship on or after 1 January 2024.

2 Refer to the industry practices as below.

- Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), Mooring Equipment Guidelines, 4th Edition 2018, ISBN: 978-1-85609-771-0
- INTERTANKO Guidance on Line Management Plans (MP) - Line-management-plans_web-22-2-2019
- INTERTANKO Guidance on Mooring System Management Plans (MSMP) - Mooring_web_22_2_2019
- Mooring and Anchoring Ships Vol.1, Principle and Practice, ISBN: 9781906915934, 2009
- Mooring and Anchoring Ships Vol.2, Inspection and Maintenance, ISBN: 9781870077941, 2009.

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5. Attachment
1) MSC.1/Circ.1175/Rev.1 Guidance on shipboard towing and mooring equipment
2) MSC.1/Circ.1619 Guidelines on the design of mooring arrangements and the selection of appropriate
mooring equipment and fittings for safe mooring
3) MSC.1/Circ.1620: Guidelines for inspection and maintenance of mooring equipment including lines
4) MSC.1/Circ.1362/Rev.2 UNIFIED INTERPRETATION OF SOLAS CHAPTER II-1

* Distribution : KR surveyors, Ship builder, Ship owner/operators and other relevant parties.

Disclaimer :
Although all possible efforts have been made to ensure correctness and completeness of the contents
contained in this information service, the Korean Register is not responsible for any errors or omissions
made herein, nor held liable for any actions taken by any party as a result of information retrieved from this
information service.

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