RESOLUTION A.

581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985

GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
A 14/Res.581
INTERNATIONAL MARITI M E 23 January 1986
ORGANIZATION Original: ENGLISH

ASSEMBLY - 14th session

Agenda item lO(b)
IMO

RESOLUTION A.581(14)
Adopted on 20 November 1985

GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE

TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS

THE AS SEMEL Y,

RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime

Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to
regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety,

RECALLING ALSO resolution A.489(XII) on safe stowage and securing of

cargo units and other entities in ships other than cellular containerships and
MSC/Circ.385 of 8 January 1985 containing the provisions to be included in a
cargo securing manual to be carried on board ships,

BEARING IN MIND resolution A.533(13) on elements to be taken into account

when considering the safe stowage and securing of cargo units and vehicles in
ships,

TAKING ACCOUNT of the revised IMO/ILO Guidelines for the Packing of Cargo
in Freight Containers and Vehicles,

RECOGNIZING that the marine transport of road vehicles· on ro-ro ships is

increasing,

RECOGNIZING ALSO that a number of serious accidents have occurred because

of inadequate securing arrangements on ships and road vehicles,

RECOGNIZING FURTHER the need for the Organization to establish guidelines

for securing arrangements on board ro-ro ships and on road vehicles,

For reasons of economy, this document is printed in a limited number. Delegates

are kindly asked to bring their copies to meetings and not to request additional copies.
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
A 14/Res.581 - 2 -

REALIZING that given adequately designed ships and properly equipped road
vehicles, lashings of sufficient strength will be capable of withstanding the
forces imposed on them during the voyage,

REALIZING FURTHER that certain requirements for side guards, particularly

those positioned very low on road vehioles, will obstruct the proper securing
of the road vehicles on bo~rd ro~ro ships and that appfopriate measures will
have to be taken to satisfy both safety aspects,

BELIEVING that application of the guideline~ will enhance safety in the

transport of road vehicles on ro-ro ships and that this can be achieved on an
international basis,

HAVING CONSIDERED the recomm endation made by the Maritime Safety

Comm ittee at its fifty-first ses$ion,

1. ADOPTS the Guidelines for Securing Arrangements for the Transport of Road
Vehicles on Ro-ro Ships set out in the Annex to the present resolution;

2. URGES Member Governments to implement these Guidelines at the earliest

possible opportunity in respect of new ro-ro ships and new vehicles and, as
far as practicable, in respect of existing vehicles which may be transported
on ro-ro ships;

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to bring these Guidelines to the attention

of Member Governments and relevant international organizations responsible for
safety in design and construction of ships and road vehicles for action as
appropriate.
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
- 3 - A 14/Res.581

ANNEX

GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TRANSPORT

OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS

Preamble

In view of experience in the transport of road vehicles on ro-ro ships,

it is recommended that these Guidelines for securing road vehicles on board
such ships should be followed. Shipowners and shipyards, when designing and
building ro-ro ships to which these Guidelines apply, should take sections 4
and 6 particularly into account. Manufacturers, owners and operators of road
vehicles which may be transported on ro-ro ships should take sections 5 and 7
particularly into account.

1 Scope

1.1 These Guidelines for securing and lashing road vehicles on board ro-ro
ships outline in particular the securing arrangements on the ship and on the
vehicles, and the securing methods to be used.

2 Application

2.1 These Guidelines apply to ro-ro ships which regularly carry road vehicles
on either long or short international voyages in unsheltered waters. They
concern:

.1 road vehicles as defined in 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3 and 3.2.5 with an

authorized maximum total mass of vehicles and cargo of between 3.5
and 40 tonnes; and

.2 articulated road trains as defined in 3.2.4 with a maximum total

mass of not more than 45 tonnes, which can be carried on ro-ro ships.

2.2 These Guidelines do not apply to buses.

 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
A 14/Res.581 - 4 -

2.3 For road vehicles having characteristics outside the general parameters
for road vehicles (particularly where the normal height of the centre of
gravity is exceeded), the location and the number of securing points should be
specially considered.

3 Definitions

3.1 "Ro-ro ship" means a ship which has one or more decks either closed or
open, not normally subdivided in any way and generally running the entire
length of the ship, in which goods (packaged or in bulk, in or on road
vehicles (including road tank-vehicles), trailers, containers, pallets,
demountable or portable tanks or in or on similar cargo transport units or
other receptacles) can be loaded or unloaded normally in a horizontal
direction.

3.2 In these Guidelines the term road vehicle!/ includes:

•1 Connnercial vehicle which means a motor vehicle which, on account of

its design and appointments, is used mainly for conveying goods. It
may also be towing a trailer.

•2 Semi-trailer which means a trailer which is designed to be coupled

to a semi-trailer towing vehicle and to impose a substantial part of
its total mass on the towing vehicle •

•3 Road train which means the combination of a motor vehicle with one
or more independent trailers connected by a draw-bar. (For the
purpose of section 5 each element of a road train is considered a
separate vehicle) •

•4 Articulated road train which means the combination of a semi-trailer

towing vehicle with a semi-trailer.

1/ Reference is made to ISO Standard No. 3833 (under revision).

 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
- 5 - A 14/Res.581

.s Combination of vehicles which means a motor vehicle coupled with one

or more towed vehicles. (For the purpose of section 5 each element
of a combination of vehicles is considered a separate vehicle).

4 Securing points on ships' decks

4.1 The snip should carry a Cargo Securing Manual in accordance with
resolution A.489(XII) containing the information listed and recommended in
paragraph 10 of the Annex to that resolution.

4.2 The decks of a ship intended for road vehicles as defined in 3.2 should
be provided with securing points. The arrangement of securing points should
be left to the discretion of the shipowner provided that for each road vehicle
or element of a combination of road vehicles, there is the following minimum
arrangement of securing points:

.1 The distance between securing points in the longitudinal direction

should in general not exceed 2.5 m. However, there may be a need
for the securing points in the forward and after parts of the ship
to be more closely spaced than they are amidships •

•2 The thwartships spacing of securing points should not be less than

2.8 m nor more than 3 m. However, there may be a need for the
securing points in the forward and after parts of the ship to be
more closely spaced than they are amidships •

•3 The minimum strength without permanent deformation of each securing

point should be 120 kN. If the securing point is .designed to
accommodate more than one lashing (y lashings) the corresponding
strength should be not less than y x 120 kN.

4.3 In ro-ro ships which only occasionally carry road vehicles, the spacing
and strength of securing points should be such that the special considerations
which may be necessary to stow and secure road vehicles safely are taken into
account.
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
A 14/Res.581 - 6 -

5 Securing points on road vehicles

5.1 Securing points on road vehicles should be designed for securing the road
vehicles to the ship and should have an aperture capable of accepting only one
lashing. The securing point and aperture should permit varying directions of
the lashing to the ship's deckl/.

5.2 The same number of not less than two or more than six securing points
should be provided on each side of the road vehicle in accordance with the
provisions of 5.3.

5.3 Subject to the provisions of notes 1, 2 and 3 hereunder, the m1n1rnum

number and minimum strength of securing points should be in accordance with
the following table:

Minimum number of Minimum strength without

Gross vehicle securing points permanent deformation
mass on each side of of each securing
(GVM) the road point as fitted
tonnes vehicle (kN)

3. 5 t ~ GVM ~ 20 t 2 GVM x 10 x 1.2

20 t < GVM ~ 30 t 3 n*
30 t < GVM ~ 40 t 4

* Where n is the total number of securing points on each side of the road
vehicle.

1/ If more than one aperture is provided at a securing point, each aperture

should have the strength for the securing point in the table in 5.3.
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
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Note 1: For road trains, the table applies to each component, i.e. to the
motor vehicle and each trailer, respectively.

Note 2: Semi-trailer towing vehicles are excluded from the table above.
They should be provided with two securing points at the front of the
vehicle, the strength of which should be sufficient to prevent
lateral movement of the front of the vehicle. A towing coupling at
the front may replace the two securing points.

Note 3: If the towing coupling is used for securing vehicles other than
semi-trailer towing vehicles, this should not replace or be
substituted for the above-mentioned minimum number and strength of
securing points on each side of the vehicle.

5.4 Each securing point on the vehicle should be marked in a clearly visible
colour.

5.5 Securing points on vehicles should be so located as to ensure effective

restraint of the vehicle by the lashings.

5.6 Securing points should be capable of transferring the forces from the
lashings to the chassis of the road vehicle and should never be fitted to
bumpers or axles unless these are specially constructed and the forces are
transmitted directly to the chassis.

5.7 Securing points should be so located that lashings can be readily and
safely attached, particularly where side-guards are fitted to the vehicle.

5.8 The internal free passage of each securing point's aperture should be not
less than 80 mm but the aperture need not be circular in shape.

5.9 Equivalent or superior securing arrangements may be considered for

vehicles for which the provisions of table 5.3 are unsuitable.

6 Lashings

6.1 Lashings should consist of chain or any other device and be made of
material having strength and elongation characteristics at least equivalent to
those of steel chain. The strength of the lashings, without permanent
deformation, should be not less than 120 kN.
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
A 14/Res.581 - 8 -

6.2 Lashings should be so designed and attached that, provided there is safe
access, it is possible to tighten them if they become slack. Where
practicable and necessary, the lashings should be examined at regular
intervals during the voyage and tightened as necessary.

6.3 Lashings should be attached to the securing points with hooks or other
devices so designed that they canno~ di.sengage from the aperture of the
securing point if the lashing slackens 9uring the voyage.

6.4 Only one lashing §hould be a~tac~~d ~o any one aperture of the $ecuring
point on the vehicle.

6.5 Lashings should only be attache4 to the securing points provided for that
purpose.

6.6 Lashings should be attached to the securing P?ints on the vehicle in such
a way that the angle between the lashipg and the horizontal and vertical
planes lies preferably between 30° and 60°.

6.7 Bearing in mind the characteristics of the ship and the weather
conditions expected on the intended voyage, the master ~hould decide on the
number of securing points and lashings to be used for each voyage.

6.8 Where there is doubt that a road vehicle complies with the provisions of
table 5.3, the master may, at his discretion, load t~e vehicle on board,
taking into account the apparent condition of the vehicle, the weather and sea
conditions expected on the intended voyage and all other circumstances.

7 Stowage

7.1 Depending on the area of operation, the predominant weather conditions

and the characteristics of the ship, road vehicles should be stowed so that
the chassis are kept as static as possible by not allowing free play in the
suspension of the vehicles. This can be done, for example, by compressing the
springs by tightly securing the vehicle to the deck, by jacking up the chassis
prior to securing the vehicle or by releasing the air pressure on compressed
air suspension systems.
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES
- 9 - ON RO-RO SHIPS A 14/Res.581

7.2 Taking into accoµnt the conditions referred to in 7.1 and the fact that
compressed air suspension systems may loose air, the air pressure should be
released on every vehicle fitted with such a system if the voyage is of more
than 24 hours duration. If practicable, the air pressure should be released
also on voyages of a shorter duration. If the air pressure is not released,
the vehicle should be jacked up to prevent any slackening of the lashings
resulting from any air leakage from the system during the voyage.

7.3 Where jacks are used on a vehicle, the chassis should be strengthened in
way of the jacking-up points and the position of the jacking-up points should
be clearly marked.

7.4 Special consideration should be given to the securing of road vehicles

stowed in positions where they may be exposed to additional forces. Where
vehicles are stowed athwartship, special consideration should be given to the
forces which may arise from such stowage.

7.5 Wheels should be chocked to provide additional security in adverse

conditions.

7.6 Vehicles with diesel engines should not be left in gear during the voyage.

7.7 Vehicles designed to transport loads likely to have an adverse effect on

their stability, such as hanging meat, should have integrated in their design
a means of neutralizing the suspension system.

7.8 Stowage should be arranged in accordance with the following:

.1 The parking brakes of each vehicle or of each element of a

combination of vehicles should be applied and locked •

•2 Semi-trailers, by the nature of their design, should not be

supported on their landing legs during sea transport unless the
landing legs are specially designed for that purpose and so marked.
An uncoupled semi-~railer should be supported by a trestle or
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS
A 14/Res.581 - 10 -

similar device placed in the imm ediate area of the drawplate so that the
connection of the fifth-wheel to the kingpin is not restricted.
Semi-trailer designers should consider the space and the reinforcements
required and the selected areas should be clearly marked.

W/1259E
 RESOLUTION A.581(14) Adopted on 20 November 1985
GUIDELINES FOR SECURING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
TRANSPORT OF ROAD VEHICLES ON RO-RO SHIPS