() The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Circular /Rev.1 represents a significant update to the global standards for marine safety and emergency preparedness. Approved by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its 110th session, these Revised Guidelines for /Operators on Preparing Emergency Towing Procedures supersede the previous 2008 version. The document is designed to assist ship owners and operators in complying with SOLAS regulation /3-4 by creating robust, ship-specific plans for emergency towage. Its fundamental purpose is to remove the need for deliberation during a crisis, ensuring that the crew has an efficient, predetermined course of action ready to execute the moment an emergency—such as a power shortage or imminent grounding—requires assistance from a salvage or towing vessel.
The Revised Guidelines mandate a three-part structured approach to creating effective Emergency Towing Procedures (ETP): Evaluation, Documentation (The ETB), and Development.
A thorough inspection must be carried out by knowledgeable personnel to determine the ship’s “towability.” This involves reviewing:
The ETB is the ship-specific, ready-to-use document containing all vital information. It must be presented clearly and concisely, including:
The final step is establishing the action protocols, which must cover, at a minimum:
The Revised Guidelines are more than a compliance checklist. They are an essential component of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code‘s requirement for emergency preparedness. By standardizing and detailing the preparation of ship-specific procedures, the circular encourages owners and operators not only to document their capacity for emergency towage but also to ensure that procedures are practised beforehand. This proactive approach, coupled with the mandate for clear documentation and knowledge of equipment location, ensures that when minutes matter, the crew is prepared to act swiftly, safely, and efficiently. The issuance of /Rev.1, which formally supersedes its predecessor, signals the IMO’s ongoing commitment to marine safety by adapting procedures to modern operational realities.
Source: IMO
