What is SOLAS and how is it relevant to security?
The Safety of Life at Sea Convention 1974 is one of the Conventions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Around 120 Governments world-wide have signed up to this Convention and these Governments are referred to as ‘Contracting Governments’. As a result of the heightened threat to transport sectors following the terrorist attacks of September 11, IMO members agreed that the introduction of international maritime security requirements would be beneficial and that amending SOLAS would be the most efficient way of introducing such requirements. A series of meetings was held throughout 2002 to draft new SOLAS Regulations, which were formally adopted in December 2002. As a Contracting Government, the UK must now implement the requirements of the Regulations by 1st July 2004.
