REPUBLIC OF Marine Guideline

THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

No. 2-11-19
MARITIME ADMINISTRATOR
Jul/2024

TO: ALL SHIPOWNERS, OPERATORS, MASTERS AND OFFICERS OF

MERCHANT SHIPS, AND RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS

SUBJECT: Offshore Wind Farm Installation, Maintenance, and Support Vessels

Reference: (a) SOLAS, International Convention of Life at Sea, Consolidated Edition

2020
(b) IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1455, Guidelines for the approval of
alternatives and equivalents as provided for in various IMO instruments,
issued 24 June 2013
(c) RMI Maritime Act 1990
(d) RMI Maritime Regulations (MI-108)
(e) RMI Marine Notice 2-011-8, National Safety Requirements for
Miscellaneous Vessels
(f) RMI Marine Notice 2-011-34, Special Purpose Ships
(g) RMI Marine Notice 2-011-60, Safety Requirements for Vessels Carrying
Industrial Personnel
(h) RMI Marine Notice 5-034-1, Safety Inspection Program

PURPOSE

This Marine Guideline (MG) provides information from the Republic of the Marshall Islands
(RMI) Maritime Administrator (the “Administrator”) that is necessary for registering certain
vessels supporting offshore wind farm installations.

This revision supersedes that of Mar/2024. The Table in §1.5 has been amended to show that an
Industrial Personnel Safety Certificate is necessary for Wind Turbine Installation Vessels.

DEFINITIONS

Crew means all persons carried on board the ship to provide navigation and maintenance
of the ship, its machinery, systems, and arrangements essential for propulsion and safe
navigation, or to provide services for other persons on board. It does not include those
persons identified as Special Personnel or Industrial Personnel.

Crew Transfer Vessel means a vessel whose primary function is to ferry persons to, from,
or between offshore wind installations or ships and shore. Such transfers may be for
activities such as operations, maintenance visits, and inspections.

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Inquiries concerning the subject of this Marine Guideline should be directed to the Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime
Administrator, 11495 Commerce Park Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1506 USA. The most current version of all Republic of the Marshall
Islands Marine Guidelines may be found at www.register-iri.com.
MI-03, Rev. Apr/2016
 Floating Offshore Wind Turbine means an unmanned floating installation composed of
a wind turbine (tower and rotor-nacelle assembly), a floating support structure, and a
station-keeping system.

Industrial Personnel (IP) means all persons transported or accommodated on board for
the purpose of offshore industrial activities1 performed on board other ships and/or offshore
facilities. (See SOLAS Chapter XV).

Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) a ship which, to a varying degree, can
operate independent of human interaction.

Service Operations Vessel means a vessel that operates as general in-field platform assist
for floating offshore wind turbine servicing and repair. Such vessels will typically be
enabled with dynamic positioning (DP) systems. They may provide accommodations for
workers and be equipped with a means of personnel transfer that includes heave-
compensated ‘walk-to-work’ gangways.

Special Personnel as applicable to and defined in the Code of Safety for Special Purpose
Ships and the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships, 2008.

Submersible means a craft which may, or may not, be capable of carrying personnel or
passengers and which can operate underwater, submerge, surface, and remain afloat.

Wind Farm Support Vessel means a vessel specifically designed for maintaining and
repairing floating offshore wind turbines or towers, as well as for transporting industrial
personnel between the offshore wind farm and a shore-based facility. A wind farm support
vessel may also carry cargo.

Wind Turbine Installation Vessel means a vessel designed to install fixed and floating
wind power equipment and installations. It is typically equipped with a cargo deck
designed to carry: 1) the floating offshore wind turbine component parts (tower, rotor
assembly, nacelle, and other equipment); and 2) a large crane for installing floating
offshore wind turbines. It may have accommodation to house personnel.

1. Offshore industrial activities mean the construction, maintenance, decommissioning, operation or servicing of
offshore facilities related, but not limited, to exploration and exploitation of resources by the renewable or hydrocarbon
energy sectors, aquaculture, ocean mining, or similar activities. (See SOLAS Chapter XV).

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APPLICABILITY

This Marine Guideline applies to vessels where International Maritime Organization (IMO)
instruments may not adequately address their innovative or technically advanced designs, or
operations.

a. crew transfer vessels

b. floating offshore wind turbines

c. service operations vessels

d. wind farm support vessels

e. wind turbine installation vessels

GUIDANCE

1.0 General

To be registered in the RMI, a vessel must be classed and maintain active Class status with
an RMI-Recognized Organization (RO) according to the RMI Maritime Regulations. (Also
see MG 2-11-15)

1.1 The Administrator accepts alternative and/or equivalent solutions to the

prescriptive requirements under applicable IMO instruments, provided that the
solution provides a level of safety, operations, and environmental protection
comparable with the original requirements. This includes fully considering the total
number of persons onboard.

1.2 A structured, well-documented process for submitting and gaining approval of

alternatives, equivalencies and exemptions should be used. MSC.1/Circ.1455 is an
example of this process but due to its complexity it may, or may not, be considered
appropriate, in whole or in part, for a particular project.

1.3 Where innovative or novel technologies or materials (meaning, alternative fuels)

will be used, discussions between the intended owner, classification society,
designated RO, and the Administrator should occur early in the vessel's design.

1.4 For vessels constructed under another flag administration, the Administrator will
review any previously accepted alternative features to determine whether an
equivalence or exemption can be accepted. The Administrator may request an
independent validation to verify whether the original parameters are still valid and
the originally applied criteria remain acceptable.

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 1.5 Any agreed alternative solution should be appropriately reflected in the scope of
statutory surveys, certificates, and other documentation carried onboard. Examples
are in this table.
Alternative Solution Examples
Vessel Type Suggested Statutory Path
Special Purpose Ships Certificate + SOLAS Certificate + +
Wind Turbine Installation Vessel
IP Safety Certificate + MODU Certificate of Compliance
Service Operations Vessel Special Purpose Ships Certificate + SOLAS Certificate
>500 GT: High Speed Craft Certificate or
Special Purpose Ships Certificate
Crew Transfer Vessel
<500 GT: High Speed Craft Certificate, or
Special Purpose Ships Certificate, or National Document of
Compliance (IACS Recommendation No 99)
Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Mobile Offshore Unit Safety Certificate

1.6 The Administrator will submit to the IMO the details of any approved alternative
or equivalent design as required.

2.0 Minimum Safe Manning

2.1 It is the vessel operator’s responsibility to ensure there are sufficient qualified
seafarers on board for it to be operated safely, securely, and with due regard to
protecting the environment per the Maritime Regulations, §7.38.

2.2 The manning requirements and process to obtain, for manned vessels, a Minimum
Safe Manning Certificate (MSMC) from the Administrator are in Marine Notice
(MN) 7-038-2.

2.3 Early consultation with the Administrator is recommended to determine the

appropriate manning level for vessels, particularly those with increasing levels of
autonomy.

3.0 Carriage of Industrial Personnel

Vessels carrying more than 12 persons in addition to the crew must comply with
MN 2-011-60 when accommodating or transporting at least one IP.

4.0 Transferring Persons at Sea

Transferring personnel safely is an operational risk that should be addressed in a structured

and documented system enabling Company personnel to effectively implement the
Company safety and environmental protection policy. Vessels not subject to mandatory
compliance with the ISM Code may do so voluntarily. See MN 2-011-13.

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5.0 Safety Inspections

5.1 According to the Maritime Regulations §5.34, RMI-flagged vessels must undergo
an initial safety inspection:

.1 within 60 days of registration or re-registration (90 days for mobile offshore

units);

.2 after any substantial structural alteration; or

.3 before resuming service at the end of an official lay-up period.

5.2 Additional safety inspections are also required. See MN 5-034-1.

6.0 National Requirements

6.1 The following National standards may already provide the flexibility necessary for
some vessels and should be applied where appropriate.

.1 MN 2-011-34, Special Purpose Ships, which can be applied to vessels

carrying more than 12 Special Personnel that meet the SPS Code applicability
criteria in construction and operation.

.2 MN 2-011-8, National Safety Requirements for Miscellaneous Vessels, which

clarifies RMI national requirements and standardizes procedures for issuing
a “National Cargo Ship Document of Compliance” to certain categories of
vessels.

6.2 Nothing in this MG alters the requirement for the vessel to comply with applicable
requirements, including those in the RMI Maritime Act 1990 and Maritime
Regulations.

6.3 The Administrator requires compliance with applicable port and coastal State
requirements. These mandates may go beyond international convention
requirements or RMI laws and regulations. As a result, it is imperative that the
shipowner or operator fully understand the local regulations applicable to the vessel
before its construction or operation in those waters.

6.4 Compliance with future IMO instruments may be required, where applicable, upon
their entry into force for the RMI.

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