The Cayman Islands requirements in relation to a yacht’s compliance with the Large Commercial Yacht Code and other relevant legislation are determined by the yacht’s mode of operation. As a result, a commercially operated yacht in excess of 24 m in length must comply with the requirements of the Code while a similar sized privately operated yacht that poses the same risks to safety of life at sea and the environment does not.
No action taken.
The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry has advised that the Large Commercial Yacht Code is an equivalent arrangement under the SOLAS and Load Line Conventions in accordance with SOLAS 1/5 and Load Line Article 8 respectively. This equivalence has been notified to the IMO by the United Kingdom and circulated by IMO Circulars SLS.14/Circ.253 and LL.3/Circ.228 of 16 September 2013. As such, the application of this Code is broadly similar to that of the International Conventions to which it is considered an equivalent arrangement. None of these Conventions are fully applied to pleasure yachts not engaged in trade.
While the ATSB acknowledges the comments provided by the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry, no safety action has been taken by the Registry to address this safety issue.
The ATSB recommends that the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry should take action to address this safety issue. Such action could include raising awareness of this safety issue and the need for regulatory change amongst the members of the International Maritime Organization.
