SWEDEN: RO-RO PASSENGER SHIPS The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. G/TBT/Notif.96.371. 1. Member to Agreement notifying: Sweden. If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2): 2. Agency responsible: National Maritime Administration. Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification can be indicated if different from above: 3. Notified under Article 2.9.2. 4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Swedish ro-ro passenger ships and foreign ro-ro passenger ships operating regular scheduled voyages to Swedish territorial water. 5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified documents: The Decree by the National Maritime Administration with Regulations Concerning Specific Stability Requirements for Ro-Ro Passenger Ships, 9 pages. 6. Description of content: The rule originates from the so-called Stockholm Agreement (Agreement concerning specific stability requirements for ro-ro passenger ships undertaking regular scheduled international voyages between or to or from designated ports in North-West Europe and the Baltic Sea). This Agreement derives from a decision of 29 November 1995 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which makes regional agreements concerning stability requirements possible (Conference of Contracting Governments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 held in London on 20, 27, 28 and 29 November 1995). The rule implies more stringent requirements concerning stability on ro-ro passenger ships. The rule in brief implies that the ships shall be able to comply with up to 50 cm water on ro-ro deck and that the implementation of the so-called SOLAS 90 standard is brought forward. The regulations might be subject to changes when the Council Directive on safety rules and standards for passenger ships and/or the directive on a licensing regime for ro-ro passenger ferries have been adopted. 7. Objective and rationale: To increase the safety on ro-ro passenger ships with the establishment of more stringent stability requirements. 8. Relevant documents: 9. Proposed date of adoption: Proposed date of entry into force: 1 April 1997. 10. Final date for comments: 20 December 1996. (298)

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