This year is a celebration of many notable anniversaries. Not only does 2024 mark the IMRF’s 100th anniversary, alongside the 200th anniversaries of the RNLI and KNRM, this year also marks a major landmark for maritime safety conventions.

In 1974, the current version of the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention was officially implemented. For the past 50 years, this key piece of legislation from the International Maritime Organization has led the way to ensuring the safety of merchant ships worldwide, alongside their crews that are vital to ensuring the world’s vessels can operate smoothly and safely.

This year’s World Maritime Day, celebrated on 26 September, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the current version of the SOLAS Convention as the IMO continues to enhance maritime safety and security worldwide.

The IMRF is pleased to join the IMO in celebrating this vital treaty as we continue to collaborating on ensuring people at sea, be they seafarers on merchant vessels to members of the public, are safe and protected. Crucially, we ensure that the resources and personnel are there to support those that need help at sea the most.

“The SOLAS Convention, not just in its current form but since its inception, has played a crucial role in ensuring safety at sea is a serious matter. This includes vessels of all kinds are able to operate safely and that people on board these vessels are able to have the resources and communication systems they need if the worst were to happen and they need support at sea,” said Roly McKie, the IMRF’s IMO Representative and SAR Advisor.

“The IMRF is proud to continue working closely with the IMO to ensure the SOLAS Convention remains relevant and up-to-date, and ensure that the needs of the maritime SAR community are not forgotten,” he added.

Although 2024 marks the SOLAS Convention’s 50th anniversary, the treaty has actually been around for more than 110 years. Since its inception, the treaty has undergone numerous updates to ensure it remains relevant to the needs of the sector.

•    1914: The first SOLAS Convention was adopted in response to the sinking of the Titanic. However, due to World War I, its implementation was delayed until later years. This initial version laid the groundwork for subsequent safety standards.

•    1929: The second SOLAS Convention came into force in 1933. It continued to enhance safety measures for ships, addressing issues like subdivision and stability, machinery, and electrical installations.

•    1948: The third SOLAS Convention was adopted, and it didn’t enter into force until 1965. This version further refined safety requirements, emphasizing stability and watertight integrity. By then, ships had evolved significantly, with steel hulls, diesel engines, and radio communication

•    1974: The most significant milestone arrived with the adoption of the current version of SOLAS in 1974. This version, often referred to as SOLAS 1974, as amended, introduced the concept of “tacit acceptance.” Essentially, amendments automatically enter into force unless objections are raised by an agreed number of parties. SOLAS 1974 officially took effect on May 25, 1980. It’s like the safety manual for modern ships, covering everything from life-saving appliances to fire safety systems.

•    1998: The International Safety Management System (ISM) was brought into effect by IMO. This required all ships to have a documented safety management system on board and linked to shore support.

•    1999: The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) came into effect. This ensured that all regulated vessels had effective and reliable communications systems to send, and receive distress alerts and for survivors to be more easily and quickly located. This also included the shore system so that distress alerts will always be received ashore as well as at sea.