EQUIVALENT ARRANGEMENT FOR SHIP IDENTIFICATION NUMBER Authority SOLAS Chapter 1 Regulation 5 allows Administrations to substitute “any other fitting, material, appliance or apparatus, or type thereof, to be fitted or carried, or any other provision to be made in that ship, if it is satisfied by trial thereof or otherwise that such material, appliance or apparatus, or type thereof, or provision, is at least as effective as that required by the present regulations.” Ship Identification Number Requirement SOLAS Chapter XI-1 Regulation 3/4.1 requires that “the ship’s identification number shall be permanently marked in a visible place either on the stern of the ship or on either side of the hull, amidships port and starboard, above the deepest assigned load line or either side of the superstructure, port and starboard or on front of the superstructure or, in the case of passenger ships, on a horizontal surface from the air. Equivalent Arrangement A general equivalent arrangement for ‘large commercial yachts’ is authorised in that they be allowed the option of choosing to mark the ship identification number in accordance with SOLAS Chapter X1 -1 Regulation 3/4.1 on a ‘horizontal surface visible from the air’. Justification for Equivalent Arrangement The construction methods for large commercial yachts differ from those generally accepted in commercially trading ships. Extensive use is made of glass reinforced plastic and there are not the large flat surfaces that occur on commercially trading ships. The additional hull markings distract from the ship’s physical appearance which is a major selling factor. These arguments were presented to IMO when the additional marking option was allowed for passenger ships. Large commercial yachts earn revenue from carrying 12 or fewer passengers and their trading habits more closely follow those of passenger ships than other ships officially defined as cargo ships. The relative expense of permanently marking the ship identification number on large commercial yachts is greater than that for other cargo ships. Effective 3 March 2004 |