Ro-ro passenger ships: stability requirements

The European Parliament adopted by 624 votes to 1, with 3 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/25/EC as regards the inclusion of improved stability requirements and its alignment with stability requirements defined by the International Maritime Organisation.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading. It supported the proposal for a directive aimed at amending the existing rules on the safety of ro-ro passenger ships in damaged condition by aligning the Union rules with the international rules established by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The amended text introduces a derogation for Member States which have no seaports and which have no ships flying their flag that fall within the scope of this Directive, in order to avoid a disproportionate administrative burden for those Member States. In case these conditions change, respective Member State will be obliged to transpose this Directive. Any Member State that intends to avail itself of such derogation should notify the Commission at the latest on the date of transposition of the Directive. Such a Member State may not allow ro-ro passenger ships that fall within the scope of the Directive to fly its flag or may not open its national ship register to that ship until that ship has transposed and implemented this Directive.

The amendments also specify that:

- Port States should cooperate to the fullest extent possible in order to establish the list of sea areas referred to in the Directive, taking into account the sovereignty of States over the sea areas under their jurisdiction and the general principles of the law of the sea;

- the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) will assist the Commission in the effective implementation of Directive 2003/25/EC and should endeavour to continue this assistance in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

In order to enable the Commission to evaluate and report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of this Directive, Member States should provide data on every new ro-ro passenger ship that is certified to carry 1 350 or fewer persons on board for regular service in compliance with the stability requirements contained in this Directive. This data should be provided in accordance with the structure set out in Annex II. This data should be available for all new ro-ro passenger ships, as they are required to comply with the probabilistic stability requirements set out in SOLAS 2020.