Liberia issued Marine Notice SAF-010, 02/2026 superseding Marine Notice SAF-010, dated 01/23. This Notice provides guidance to vessel owners, operators and managers in the development and approval of Ship Structural Access Manuals (SSAM) to meet the requirements of regulation II-1/3-6 of SOLAS, as amended.
This revision is to include reference to MSC.1/Circ.1572/Rev.2: scope of periodical inspections and maintenance, and inspection records.
The requirement applies to oil tankers of 500 GT and over and bulk carriers (as defined in regulation IX/1 of SOLAS) of 20,000 GT and over, constructed on or after 1 January 2005.
Regulation II-1/3-6 of SOLAS, as amended, requires that each space in the cargo area and forward spaces in oil tankers of 500 GT and over and bulk carriers of 20,000 GT and over constructed on or after 1 January 2005, are to be provided with means of access to enable, throughout the life of the ship, overall and close-up inspections and thickness measurement of the ship’s structures. Where a permanent means of access may be susceptible to damage during normal cargo loading and unloading operations or where it is impracticable to fit permanent means of access, provision of movable or portable means of access may be considered, provided the means of attaching, rigging, suspending or supporting these alternative means of access form a permanent part of the ship’s structure. Such alternative means of access can be used independently or in combination with the provided permanent means of access.
Maritime Sutra will be happy to assist operators for preparation, revision, assistance in flag/RO approval of SSAM. Please get in touch with us @ info@maritimesutra.com.