MSC.1/Circ.1261

PREVENTION OF MARITIME ACCIDENTS DUE TO DRIFTWOOD AND OTHER FLOATING OBSTACLES

(22 May 2008)

 

 

1. The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), at its eighty-fourth session (7 to 16 May 2008), recognizing the importance of the prevention of accidents due to driftwood and other floating obstacles, approved the guidance prepared by the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation (NAV), at its fifty-third session, as set out in the annex.

 

2. Member Governments are invited to bring the information to the attention of all parties concerned.

 

Annex.

PREVENTION OF MARITIME ACCIDENTS DUE TO DRIFTWOOD AND OTHER FLOATING OBSTACLES

 

1. On April 2006, a collision of a high-speed craft with driftwood occurred off the Japanese coast, which caused over 100 injuries. Accidents due to floating obstacles such as driftwood could happen not only in the vicinity of Japan, but also in other parts of the world.

 

2. SOLAS regulation V/31, "Danger Messages", prescribes that "The master of every ship which meets with dangerous ice, a dangerous derelict, or any other direct danger to navigation, ... is bound to communicate the information by all means at his disposal to ships in the vicinity, and also to the competent authorities". It is obvious that driftwood and other floating obstacles are regarded as "direct danger to the safety of navigation".

 

3. In order to prevent similar accidents, it is important to collect information on driftwood and other floating obstacles and to notify ships in the vicinity of such information. Thus, the Member States are invited to ask ships that detect driftwood and other floating obstacles (including containers, other large cargo items, etc.) which could cause a maritime accident, especially for a high-speed craft, to communicate the information to ships in the vicinity and competent authorities, in accordance with SOLAS regulation V/31.