Guidance

MSN 1919 (M) - Code of safety for special purpose ships, 2008

Published 5 December 2025

Summary

The purpose of this Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) is to publish the content of the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships, 2008 (the “2008 SPS Code”), which is given legal effect by the Merchant Shipping (Safety Measures for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel and Special Personnel) Regulations 2025 (“the 2025 Regulations”).

1. Introduction/background

1.1 Section 85(5)(a) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 contains a power for the Secretary of State to incorporate into safety regulations requirements contained in another document which are considered to be relevant to the safety objectives contained in the regulations.  The requirements contained in the document can be updated in the future if the Secretary of State considers such updates to be relevant, consults upon them and publishes the updated document.  This procedure is distinct from the power in the Merchant Shipping Act (section 306A) to make references to mandatory international instruments ambulatory.  Although the 2008 SPS Code was developed in the International Maritime Organization, and has been strongly recommended to Member States for implementation into national law, it is not part of SOLAS and is not a mandatory international instrument.  As such, the powers contained in section 306A do not extend to it. Therefore, in order to make the 2008 SPS Code mandatory in the United Kingdom, it is necessary to incorporate its requirements by way of reference in the 2025 Regulations and, following consultation, publish the Code in a Merchant Shipping Notice (which is referenced in the 2025 Regulations).

1.2 Part 3 of the legislation contains the provision which makes the 2008 SPS Code mandatory in UK law.

1.3 The text of the 2008 SPS Code in the attached Annex incorporates all amendments since the original version published in resolution MSC.266(84), up to and including resolution MSC.503(105).

1.4 This MSN will be updated when changes are introduced in the International Maritime Organization, and following consultation.

More information

UK Technical Services Ships Standards
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Bay 2/23
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG

Telephone: +44 (0)203 817 2000

Email: VesselStandards@mcga.gov.uk

Website: www.gov.uk/mca

Annex

Code of safety for special purpose ships, 2008

Contents

Chapter 1              General

Chapter 2              Stability and subdivision

Chapter 3              Machinery installations

Chapter 4              Electrical installations

Chapter 5              Periodically unattended machinery spaces

Chapter 6              Fire protection

Chapter 7              Dangerous goods

Chapter 8              Life-saving appliances

Chapter 9              Radiocommunications

Chapter 10           Safety of navigation

Chapter 11            Security

Annex                    Form of Safety Certificate for Special Purpose Ships

Preamble

1. 1. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-fourth session, revised the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships (SPS Code) adopted by resolution A.534(13) to bring it up to date with amendments to SOLAS and to extend the voluntary application of the revised Code to include training ships, whether or not covered by the application requirements of SOLAS.

2. 2. The Code has been developed to provide an international standard of safety for special purpose ships of new construction, the application of which will facilitate operation of such ships and result in a level of safety for the ships and their personnel equivalent to that required by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974.

3. 3. For the purposes of this Code, a special purpose ship is a ship of not less than 500 gross tonnage which carries more than 12 special personnel, i.e. persons who are specially needed for the particular operational duties of the ship and are carried in addition to those persons required for the normal navigation, engineering and maintenance of the ship or engaged to provide services for the persons carried on board.

4. 4. Because special personnel are expected to be able bodied with a fair knowledge of the layout of the ship and have received some training in safety procedures and the handling of the ship’s safety equipment, the special purpose ships on which they are carried need not be considered or treated as passenger ships.

5. 5. In developing the safety standards for this Code it has been necessary to consider:
   1. .1 the number of special personnel being carried; and
   2. .2 the design and size of the ship in question.

6. 6. While the Code has been developed for new ships of 500 gross tonnage and above, Administrations may also consider the application of provisions of the Code to ships of lesser tonnage. The term “new ship” has not been defined in order to give any Administration discretion to decide the effective date of entry into force.

7. 7. For facilitating the operation of special purpose ships, this Code provides for a certificate, called a Special Purpose Ship Safety Certificate, which should be issued to every special purpose ship. Where a special purpose ship is normally engaged on international voyages as defined in SOLAS it should, in addition, also carry SOLAS safety certificates, either:
   1. .1 for a passenger ships with a SOLAS Exemption Certificate; or
   2. .2 for a cargo ship with a SOLAS Exemption Certificate, where necessary, as the Administration deems appropriate.
8. 8. Noting that the Code may be readily applied to some ships that carry special personnel on board to which SOLAS does not apply, the Maritime Safety Committee invites Administrations to apply the standards of the Code to such ships to the extent deemed reasonable and practicable.

Chapter 1 - General

1.1 The purpose of the Code is to recommend design criteria, construction standards and other safety measures for special purpose ships.

1.2 Application

1.2.1 Except as provided in 8.3, the Code applies to every special purpose ship of not less than 500 gross tonnage certified on or after 13 May 2008. The Administration may also apply these provisions as far as reasonable and practicable to special purpose ships of less than 500 gross tonnage and to special purpose ships constructed before 13 May 2008.

1.2.2 This Code does not apply to ships meeting the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU Code).

1.2.3 The Code is not intended for ships used to transport and accommodate industrial personnel that are not working on board.

1.3 Definitions

1.3.1 For the purpose of this Code, the definitions given hereunder apply. For terms used, but not defined in this Code, the definitions as given in SOLAS apply.

1.3.2 “Breadth (B)” means the maximum breadth of the ship, measured amidships to the moulded line of the frame in a ship with a metal shell and to the outer surface of the hull in a ship with a shell of any other material. The breadth (B) should be measured in metres.

1.3.3 “Crew” means all persons carried on board the ship to provide navigation and maintenance of the ship, its machinery, systems and arrangements essential for propulsion and safe navigation or to provide services for other persons on board.

1.3.4 “IMDG Code” means the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee by resolution MSC.122(75), as amended.

1.3.5 “Length (L)” means 96% of the total length on a waterline of 85% at the least moulded depth measured from the top of the keel, or the length from the foreside of the stem to the axis of the rudder stock on that waterline, if that be greater. In ships designed with a rake of keel, the waterline on which this length is measured should be parallel to the designed waterline. The length (L) should be measured in metres.

1.3.6 “LSA Code” means the International Life-Saving Appliance Code, adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee by resolution MSC.48(66), as amended.

1.3.7 “Organization” means the International Maritime Organization.

1. 1.3.8 “Passenger” means every person other than:
   1. .1 the master and the members of the crew or other persons employed or engaged in any capacity on board a ship on the business of that ship; and
   2. .2 a child under one year of age.

1.3.9 “Permeability” in relation to a space is the ratio of the volume within that space which is assumed to be occupied by water to the total volume of that space.

1.3.10 “SOLAS” means the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.

1.3.11 “Special personnel” means all persons who are not passengers or members of the crew or children under one year of age and who are carried on board in connection with the special purpose of that ship or because of special work being carried out aboard that ship. Wherever in this Code the number of special personnel appears as a parameter, it should include the number of passengers carried on board which may not exceed 12.

1. Special personnel are expected to be able bodied with a fair knowledge of the layout of the ship and to have received some training in safety procedures and the handling of the ship’s safety equipment before leaving port and include the following:

   1. .1  Scientists, technicians and expeditionaries on ships engaged in research, non-commercial expeditions and survey;

   2. .2 personnel engaging in training and practical marine experience to develop seafaring skills suitable for a professional career at sea. Such training should be in accordance with a training programme approved by the Administration;

   3. .3 personnel who process the catch of fish, whales or other living resources of the sea on factory ships not engaged in catching;

   4. .4 salvage personnel on salvage ships, cable-laying personnel on cable-laying ships, seismic personnel on seismic survey ships; diving personnel on diving support ships; pipe-laying personnel on pipe-layers and crane operating personnel on floating cranes; and

   5. .5 other personnel similar to those referred to in .1 to .4 who, in the opinion of the Administration, may be referred to this group.

1.3.12     “Special purpose ship”^{[footnote 1]} means a mechanically self-propelled ship which by reason of its function carries on board more than 12 special personnel^{[footnote 2]}

1.3.13     “Training programme” means a defined course of instruction and practical experience in all aspects of ship operations, similar to the basic safety training as offered by the maritime institutions in the country of the Administration.

1.4 Exemptions

A ship which is not normally engaged as a special purpose ship and which undertakes an exceptional single voyage as a special purpose ship may be exempted by the Administration from the provisions of this Code, provided that it complies with safety requirements which in the opinion of the Administration are adequate for the voyage which is to be undertaken by the ship.

1.5 Equivalents

1.5.1 Where the Code requires that a particular fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof should be fitted or carried in a unit, or that any particular provision should be made, or any procedure or arrangement should be complied with, the Administration may allow any other fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof to be fitted or carried, or any other provision, procedure or arrangement to be made in that unit, if it is satisfied by trial thereof or otherwise that such fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof or that any particular provision , procedure or arrangement is at least as effective as that required by the Code.  

1.5.2 When an Administration so allows any fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof, or provision, procedure or arrangement, novel design or application to be substituted hereafter, it should communicate to the Organization the particulars thereof, together with a report on the evidence submitted, so that the Organization may circulate the same to other Governments for the information of their officers.

1.6 Surveys

Every special purpose ship should be subject to the surveys specified for cargo ships, other than tankers, in SOLAS, which should cover the provisions of this Code.

1.7 Certification

1.7.1 A certificate may be issued after survey in accordance with 1.6 either by the Administration or by any other person or organization duly authorised by it. In every case the Administration assumes full responsibility for the certificate.

1.7.2 The certificate should be drawn up in the official language of the issuing country in a form corresponding to the model given in the Annex to this Code. If the language used is neither English nor French, the text should include a translation into one of those languages.

1.7.3 The duration and validity of the certificate should be governed by the respective provisions for cargo ships in SOLAS.

1.7.4 If a certificate is issued for a special purpose ship of less than 500 gross tonnage, this certificate should indicate to what extent relaxations in accordance with 1.2 were accepted.

Chapter 2 - Stability and subdivision

1. 2.1 The intact stability of special purpose ships shall comply with section 2.5 of Part B of the 2007 Intact Stability Code.

2. 2.2 The subdivision and damage stability of special purpose ships should in general be in accordance with SOLAS chapter II-1 where the ship is considered a passenger ship, and special personnel are considered passengers, with an R-value calculated as follows:

   1. .1 where the ship is certified to carry 240 persons or more, the R-value is assigned as R;

   2. .2 where the ship is certified to carry not more than 60 persons, the R-value is assigned as 0.8R; and

   3. .3 for more than 60 (but not more than 240) persons, the R-value should be determined by linear    interpolation between the R-values given in .1 and .2 above.

Where:

N = N1 + 2N2

N1 = number of persons for whom lifeboats provided

N2 = number of persons (including officers and crew) the ship is permitted to carry in excess of N1

2.3 Where the conditions of service are such that compliance with paragraph 2.2 above on the basis of N = N1 + 2N2 is impracticable and where the Administration considers that a suitably reduced degree of hazard exists, a lesser vale of N may be taken but in no case less than N = N1 + N2.

2.4 For special purpose ships to which 2.2.1 applies, the requirements of SOLAS regulations II-1/8 and II-1/8-1 and of SOLAS II-1 parts B2, B-3 and B-4 should be applied as though the ship is a passenger ship and the special personnel are passengers. However, SOLAS II-1/14 and II-1/18 are not applicable.

2.5 For special purpose ships to which 2.2.2 or 2.2.3 applies, except as provided in 2.6, the provisions of SOLAS chapter II-1, parts B-2, B-3 and B-4 should be applied as though the ships is a cargo ship and the special personnel are crew. However, SOLAS regulations II-1/8 and II-1/8-1 need not be applied and SOLAS regulations II-1/14 and II-1/18 are not applicable.

2.6 All special purpose ships should comply with SOLAS regulations II-1/9, II-1/13, II-1/19, II-1/20, II-1/21, and II-1/35-1, as though the ship is a passenger ship.

Chapter 3 - Machinery installations

3.1 Subject to 3.2, the requirements of part C of chapter II-1 of SOLAS should be met.

3.2 Steering gear

All installations should be in accordance with regulation 29 of part C of chapter II-1 of SOLAS, except that installations in ships carrying not more than 240 persons on board should, when applicable, be in accordance with regulation 29.6.1.2 and installations in special purpose ships carrying more than 240 persons on board should, when applicable, be in accordance with regulation 29.6.1.1.

Chapter 4 - Electrical installations

4.1 Subject to 4.2 and 4.3, the requirements of part D of chapter II-1 of SOLAS should be met.

4.2 Emergency source of power

4.2.1 Installations in special purpose ships carrying not more than 60 persons on board should be in accordance with regulation 43 of part D of chapter II-1 of SOLAS and in addition special purpose ships of more than 50m in length should meet the requirements of regulation 42.2.6.1 of that part.

4.2.2 Installations in special purpose ships carrying more than 60 persons on board should be in accordance with regulation 42 of part D of chapter II-1 of SOLAS.

4.3 Precautions against shock, fire and other hazards of electrical origin

4.3.1  All installations should be in accordance with regulations 45.1 to 45.10 inclusive of part D of chapter II-1 of SOLAS.

4.3.2 Installations on special purpose ships carrying more than 60 persons on board should also be in accordance with regulation 45.12 of part D of chapter II-1 of SOLAS.

Chapter 5 - Periodically unattended machinery spaces

5.1 Special purpose ships carrying not more than 240 persons on board should comply with regulations 46 to 53 of chapter II-1 of SOLAS, as amended. 

5.2 Special purpose ships carrying more than 240 persons on board

Special purpose ships carrying more than 240 persons on board should be specially considered by the Administration as to whether or not their machinery spaces may be periodically unattended, and, if so, whether additional requirements to those stipulated in this chapter are necessary to achieve equivalent safety to that of normally attended machinery spaces.

Chapter 6 - Fire Protection

6.1 For ships carrying more than 240 persons on board, the requirements of chapter II-2 of SOLAS for passenger ships carrying more than 36 passengers should be applied.

6.2 For ships carrying more than 60 (but not more than 240) persons on board, the requirements of Chapter II-2 of SOLAS for passenger ships carrying not more than 36 passengers should be applied.

6.3 For ships carrying not more than 60 persons on board, the requirements of Chapter II-2 of SOLAS for cargo ships should be applied.

Chapter 7 - Dangerous goods

7.1 Special purpose ships sometimes carry a wide range of dangerous goods classified in accordance with the IMDG Code for use in scientific or survey work or a variety of other applications. These dangerous goods are often carried as ships’ stores and are used on board and, therefore, they are not subject to the provisions of the IMDG Code. However, dangerous goods that are carried on board for shipment as cargo and are not used on board, are clearly subject to the provisions of the IMDG Code.

7.2 Notwithstanding the fact that the IMDG Code does not apply to dangerous goods carried as ships’ stores, it contains provisions relevant to their safe stowage, handling and carriage on special purpose ships. The IMDG Code also contains requirements for electrical equipment, wiring, fire-fighting equipment, ventilation, smoking provisions and requirements for any special equipment. Some provisions are general and apply to all classes of dangerous goods, whilst others are specific, e.g., Class I Explosives.

7.3 Therefore, it is important to take into account the appropriate provisions of the IMDG Code when carrying dangerous goods, so that the relevant provisions can be taken into account to ensure appropriate construction, loading, stowage, segregation and carriage provisions are put in place.

7.4 Although the IMDG Code does not apply to ships’ stores, the master and persons on board responsible for the use of ships’ stores should be aware of the provisions of the IMDG Code and should apply them as best practice whenever possible.

7.5 The issues of stowage, personal protection and emergency procedures when dangerous goods are in use, and the subsequent stowage of opened dangerous goods, should be addressed through a formal safety assessment. In addition to the IMDG Code, to carry out such formal safety assessment, suppliers and safety data sheets for dangerous goods should also be consulted.

7.6 The provisions of the IMDG Code are based on intact and unopened packaging and the removal of explosive articles or substances from a complete package may invalidate its IMDG Code classification. This aspect should be taken into account when carrying out the formal safety assessment to ensure an equivalent level of safety is maintained when dangerous goods remain after use.

Chapter 8 - Life saving appliances

8.1 The requirements of chapter III of SOLAS should be applied with the specifications given hereunder.

8.2 A special purpose ship carrying more than 60 persons on board should comply with the requirements contained in chapter III of SOLAS for passenger ships engaged oi international voyages which are not short international voyages.

8.3 Notwithstanding the provisions of 8.2, a sail training ship carrying more than 60 persons on board may in lieu of meeting the requirements of  regulations 21.1.1 of chapter III of SOLAS, including the provision of at least two rescue boat(s) in accordance with regulation 21.2.1 of chapter III.

8.4 A special purpose ship carrying not more than 60 persons on board should comply with the requirements contained in chapter III of SOLAS for cargo ships other than tankers. Such ships may, however, carry life-saving appliances in accordance with 8.2, if they comply with the subdivision requirements for ships carrying more than 60 persons.

8.5 Regulations 2, 19.2.3, 21.1.2, 21.1.3, 31.1.6 and 31.1.7 of chapter III of SOLAS Chapter III and the requirements of paragraphs 4.8 and 4.9 of the LSA Code are not applicable to special purpose ships.

8.6 Where in chapter III of SOLAS the term “passenger” is used, it should read to mean “special personnel” for the purpose of this Code.

Chapter 9 - Radiocommunications

Notwithstanding the right of the Administration to impose requirements higher than those specified herein, special purpose ships should comply with the requirements for cargo ships of chapter IV of SOLAS.

Chapter 10 - Safety of navigation

All special purpose ships should comply with the requirements of chapter V of SOLAS.

Chapter 11 - Security

All special purpose ships should comply with the requirements of chapter XI-2 of SOLAS.

Annex Form of Safety Certificate for Special Purpose Ships

Link to form of safety certificate for special purpose ships

1. Some sail training ships may be classified by the Administration as “not propelled by mechanical means” if fitted with mechanical propulsion for auxiliary and emergency purposes. ↩

2. Where a ship carries more than 12 passengers, as defined in SOLAS, the ship should not be considered a special purpose ship as it is a passenger ship as defined by SOLAS. ↩