Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC)

In 1988, the International Conference on the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification, 1988 (1988 HSSC Conference), adopted the Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (1988 SOLAS Protocol), and the Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (1988 Load Line Protocol) which introduce, inter alia, the harmonized system of survey and certification under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (1974 SOLAS Convention) and the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (1966 Load Line Convention). By the resolutions or international conference given below, the harmonized system of survey and certification was also introduced in the following instruments:

1.        resolution MEPC.39(29) of amendments to introduce the harmonized system of survey and certification into the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL);

2.        resolution MEPC.132(53) of amendments to introduce the harmonized system of survey and certification into MARPOL Annex VI;

3.      the International Conference on Ballast Water Management for Ships of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004, which included the harmonized system of survey and certification; and

4.      resolutions MEPC.40(29) and MSC.16(58)) of amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code);

5.        resolution MSC.17(58) of amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code); and

6.        resolutions MEPC.41(29) and MSC.18(58) of amendments to the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code).

To facilitate the harmonized, consistent and timely global implementation of the above instruments and provide guidance to the work in relation to the Survey and certification, the Organization adopted the Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), 2019 (A.1140(31)), following successive revocation of resolutions A.1120(30, A.1104(29), A.1076(28), A.1052(27), A.1020(26), A.997(25), A.948(23) and A.746(18), replacing the guidelines adopted by resolutions  A.560(14), MEPC.11(18) and MEPC.25(23). As the updating of Survey Guidelines under the HSSC is usually tasked to a continuous correspondence/working/drafting group under the III Sub-Committee, taking into account the amendments to the mandatory IMO instruments referred to above, an updated version of the Survey Guidelines under the HSSC is adopted, as appropriate, by the Assembly every two years .

For more details about the progress in this regard, please refer to the relevant agenda and documents submitted under the III Sub-Committee on the IMO IMODOCS website.