RINA: guide for the carriage of AFVs on board of ro-ro ships

Classification society RINA has issued a Guide for the Carriage of Alternative Fuelled Vehicle (AFV's) on Board of RoRo Ships.

The document was published on 16 February 2023 and entered into force on 01 February 2023.

The aim of this guide is to provide a technical instrument to support owners, shipyards, and designers in the risk analysis process for the safe carriage of alternative fuelled vehicles (AFVs) on board of ro-ro ships.

The guide applies to:

ro-ro passenger ships, as defined in SOLAS Reg.II-2/3.42, certified to carry a number of passengers either “up to” or “more than” 36;
ro-ro cargo ships or vehicle carriers, as defined in SOLAS Reg.II-2/3.56, including:
a) pure car carriers (PCC ships);
b) pure car truck carrier (PCTC ships).

The guide applies to new and existing ships. On existing ships, the feasibility of the guide application will be evaluated by RINA on a “case-by-case” basis.

Evaluation of risks related to the carriage of AFVs on board of a ship should be carried out by a risk assessment; different hazards arising in the various operations involved in the carriage of AFVs are to be analyzed.

It should be conducted for each ship to ensure that risks arising from the carriage of AFVs and all related operations are addressed.

These risks should be managed within the framework of existing requirements in the ISM code.

In the guide, the application of the IMDG Code in the carriage of vehicles and the conditions required to allow their transport is illustrated.

Also, there are 4 tables listed in this guide:

Table A – Specific events and hazards related to the carriage of AFV’s
Table B – IMO International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (Part 3 –Dangerous Goods List, special provisions and exceptions: Chapter 3.3 –Special Provisions applicable to certain substances, materials, or articles)
Table C – Hazardous Areas definitions
Table D – Data on gases and vapours