SOLAS

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SOLAS — the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea — is the most important treaty governing the safety of merchant ships. First adopted in 1914 in response to the Titanic disaster, the current 1974 convention (as continuously amended) covers construction and subdivision, fire protection, life-saving appliances, radio communications, navigation safety, cargo carriage, and security.

Its chapters include some of the industry’s best-known regimes: Chapter V (safety of navigation, including AIS carriage requirements), Chapter IX (which makes the ISM Code mandatory), and Chapter XI-2 (which implements the ISPS Code on ship and port security). The verified gross mass (VGM) requirement for packed containers, introduced in 2016, is a SOLAS amendment.

SOLAS is adopted through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and enforced by flag states, with port state control providing the practical check on foreign ships. The “tacit acceptance” amendment procedure lets updates enter into force on a set date unless a sufficient number of parties object — which is why SOLAS evolves continuously rather than through new conventions.