Previous IMO Martitime Safety Committees decided to amend the LSA Code and the Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances. The Hong Kong Marine Department has issued a notice to inform about these amendments which will enter into force on 1 January 2026.
In particular, Chapter II of the international Life-Saving Appliance Code (LSA Code) is amended to improve the minimum in-water performance standards for SOLAS lifejackets. Chapter IV of the LSA Code is amended to ensure adequate safety standards for lifeboats and rescue boats fitted with single fall and hook systems. The amendments to Chapter VI of the LSA Code address the issue on the lowering speed of fully loaded survival craft and rescue boats.
In view of the above-mentioned change in Chapter II and VI of the amended LSA Code, the Revised Recommendation with regard to the test of SOLAS lifejackets and fully loaded survival craft and rescue boats, is therefore modified by Resolution MSC.563(108) accordingly.
The relevant provisions under paragraphs 2.8 of Part 1 and 6.1 of Part 2 of the annex to Resolution MSC.81(70) are amended to align with the associated amendments to the LSA Code as specified in the aforesaid Resolution MSC.554(108).
The amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2026 and are to be applied to lifesaving appliances installed on or after 1 January 2026, where the expression “installed on or after 1 January 2026”, means:
- for ships for which the building contract is placed on or after 1 January 2026, or in the absence of the contract, the keels of which are laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2026, all installations of the specified type on board those ships; or
- for ships other than those ships specified in (a) above, all installations of the specified type, having a contractual delivery date for the equipment or, in the absence of a contractual delivery date to the ship, actually delivered to the ship on or after 1 January 2026.
Shipowners, ship managers, ship operators, ship masters, classification societies and shipbuilders of Hong Kong registered ships are reminded to apply the above amendments when installation of life-saving appliances
