Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code) 2021
The Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code) provides an international standard for the safe stowage and securing of cargoes to promote the safety of life both at sea, and during loading and discharge. The 2021 edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 2020.
Preface
Upon instructions by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), the Sub-Committee on Containers and Cargoes (which was later superseded by the Sub-Committee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers) developed the Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing. The Code was approved by the Committee at its fifty-eighth session (May 1990) and was adopted by the Assembly at its seventeenth regular session (November 1991) by resolution A.714(17).
The Assembly recommended that Governments implement the Code at the earliest possible opportunity and requested the MSC to keep it under review and amend it as necessary.
This edition of the Code includes the following amendments approved by the Committee at its one hundred and second session (4 to 11 November 2020): MSC.1/Circ.1623, which replaces the previous content of annex 13 on Methods to assess the efficiency of securing arrangements for semi-standardized and non-standardized cargo; MSC.1/Circ.1353/Rev.2 on Revised guidelines for the preparation of the Cargo Securing Manual, which supersedes MSC.1/Circ.1353/Rev.1 and is given in appendix 2; and resolution MSC.479(102) – Revised guidelines for securing arrangements for the transport of road vehicles on ro-ro ships, as set out in appendix 4, which supersedes resolution A.581(14), as amended.
Also included in this 2021 edition of the Code are amendments to annex 14, Guidance on providing safe working conditions for securing of containers on deck. These amendments were adopted on 15 December 2014 by MSC.1/Circ.1352/Rev.1 which revokes MSC.1/Circ.1352 and apply for containerships, the keels of which were laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2015. Sections 4.4 (Training and familiarization), 7.1 (Introduction), 7.3 (Maintenance) and section 8 (Specialized container safety design) apply to existing containerships, the keels of which were laid or which are at a similar stage of construction before 1 January 2015. Sections 6 (Design) and 7.2 (Operational procedures) apply to existing containerships, as far as practical by the flag State Administration, with the understanding that existing ships would not be required to be enlarged or undergo other major structural modifications as determined.
The Code includes, as appendices, various texts which have been issued by the Organization and are considered relevant to cargo stowage and securing. Any amendments or revisions, which may be made in the future, will be included in subsequent editions of this Code.