The worldwide treaty for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) is an international body that offers marine treaties with member governments with set minimum standards in the operation, equipment, and construction of merchant ships. The convention sets rules and regulations for signatory flag states to ensure that ships that use their flag comply. Notably, non-compliance of member state merchant ships poses a great threat to the country and to other sea users. However, there are exemptions under the regulation that are considered non-compliance (Kopacz, Morgaś, & Urbański, 2001). For instance, the international marine organization (IMO) may grant a general exemption to ships without mechanical means of propulsion. The administration may also grant individual ships exemptions or equivalents of a conditional or partial nature with regard to distance traveled from the seashore. The administration is required to submit to all member countries as soon as possible from the beginning of January each year giving a report summary of all new exemptions and equivalents granted during the previous year and giving reasons for such exemptions (SOLAS, 2007). Arguably, for the safety of navigation at the sea, member states' ships should comply with all safety of regulation guidelines, rules, and regulations as outlined by IMO. For the purpose of aiding navigation, the contracting government is required to accept and encourage an assortment of meteorological information by ships at sea and for arrangements for their inspection, distribution, and interchange in the manner most suitable for the safest navigation (SOLAS, 2007). The convention encourages memberships to use a high degree of accuracy and can give checkup services on request.
For the safety of navigation, the contracting state is required to provide search and rescue services and give all the information related to the rescue team. Remarkably, the administration requires every passenger's ship to have a prepared plan of rescue service on board for cooperation with SAR authorities. In addition, the SOLAS authority has to provide the contracting government with Northern Atlantic Ice Patrol Services for Ships transiting through the North Atlantic Iceberg to make use of the service during the ice season. It is also their mandate to maintain the service for the safety of navigation in that region (SOLAS, 2007). However, ships and airplanes used in checking for ice can be used for other purposes within the region during seasons when the ice does not accumulate a lot. For ships' routing, the convention requires the contracting government to refer to ships' routing systems for IMO adoption. Ships' routing systems are very important to the protection of life at sea, efficiency, the safety of steering, and the safety of the marine environment. Under the criteria given by the organization for the safety of navigation, all ships should adhere to the guidelines of routing as adopted by the organization (SOLAS, 2007). It is under government concern to ensure the routing initiative of action is established in the development of a routing system for adoption by the organization. Notably, with all the other regulations in place, for the safety of navigation at sea, a ship reporting system is very important. A ship reporting system should be adopted and implemented as part of the guidance given by IMO. The initiation of action for creating a ship reporting system is an obligation of the government concerned. IMO gives guidance on developing reporting systems. The reporting systems are required by the organization to adhere to the measures given (SOLAS, 2007). All member states' ships are also supposed to comply with the requirements of adopted mandatory reporting systems for the safety of navigation.
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To sum up this discussion, for the safety of navigation at the sea, member states of SOLAS are supposed to adhere to the guidelines given by IMO. The guidelines starting from a collection of a meteorological report to rescue services, to Northern Atlantic Ice Patrol services and others, assist in aiding navigation. If the member government ships unless those given exemptions follow the rules and guidance given by the IMO, sea travel for all ships will be safe.
References
SOLAS, (2007). Guidance on chapter V – Safety of navigation. Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Retrieved from http://solasv.mcga.gov.uk/
Kopacz, Z., Morgaś, W., & Urbański, J. (2001). The maritime safety system, its main components and elements. The Journal of Navigation, 54(2), 199-211.
