The introduction of the special purpose ships safety code

Abstract

The International Maritime Organization adopted the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships 2008 (SPS Code) that sets the standards of ship construction and equipment for ships operating for special purposes other than those to which the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea can be applied. However, the Republic of Korea does not have sufficient national laws for the SPS Code, only providing the form of Special Purpose Ship Safety Certificate under the Ship Safety Act. Thus, if the SPS Code is applied to specialized ships, such as training ships, the ships are inspected on the basis of international regulations under the SPS Code and the certificate is issued in accordance with Article 23 of the Enforcement Ordinance of the Ship Safety Act. This can be regarded as a legal insufficiency in national law, even if the application of the SPS Code is not mandatory. Therefore, it is necessary to stipulate the SPS Code as a national law in order to resolve this legal insufficiency and promote the safe operation of special purpose ships. This study will look at the cases of major countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, and propose the best way to enact the SPS Code as a national law.