S.I. No. 148/2026 - Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances) (Amendment) Rules 2026

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 17th April, 2026.

I, SEÁN CANNEY, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 82 of the Merchant Shipping Act 2010 (No. 14 of 2010) (as adapted by the Transport, Tourism and Sport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 ( S.I. No. 351 of 2020 )), and the Transport (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2025 ( S.I. No. 144 of 2025 ), and for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of Chapter III of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974, hereby make the following rules:

1. These Rules may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances) (Amendment) Rules 2026.

2. The Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances) Rules 2018 ( S.I. No. 438 of 2018 ) are amended—

(a) in Rule 7, by deleting paragraphs (1) and (2), and

(b) in Rule 34, by substituting for paragraph (2) the following:

“(2) On cargo ships of 20,000 gross tonnage and upwards, davit-launched lifeboats shall be capable of being launched, utilizing painters where necessary, with the ship making headway at speeds up to 5 knots in calm water.”.

GIVEN under my hand,

14 April, 2026.

SEÁN CANNEY,

Minister of State at the Department of Transport.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

These Rules amend the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances) Rules 2018 ( S.I. No. 438 of 2018 ) to give effect to amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 insofar as they relate to Chapter III, which deals with life-saving appliances and arrangements.

The Rules address amendments up to and including those adopted at the 105th session of the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization in April 2022 relating to such matters as requirements for davit-launched lifeboats and the relocation of certain communication-related provisions to Chapter IV.