RS highlights outcomes of the recent ADN Safety Committee session

The session, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, resulted in:

• the adoption of amendments to the catalog of questions under sections General questions, Chemical substances and Gases in light of the updated provisions in the 2025 edition of ADN;
• the preliminarily approval of amendments to the Administrative Committee's directive, allowing candidates over the age of 17 years to take the ADN expert training and examination;
• the identification of interpretations of ADN rules that have lost relevance and require revision.

Delegates noted that scientific and technological progress outpaces the development of requirements for new equipment in ADN rules, necessitating the use of special authorizations, procedure that has now become widespread and needs urgent optimization and clarification.

Thus, the Committee decided to draft Guidelines for obtaining special authorizations, derogations and equivalents. The document aims to assist competent authorities and shipowners in completing administrative formalities for making special requests to the ADN Administrative Committee.

Reports of industry representatives also highlighted the current breakthrough of mobile tank degassing systems, delivered to berths or temporarily installed on board ships. A specialized working group will be formed, tasked with evaluating the safety and efficiency of technologies offered on the market and make recommendations on the development of appropriate requirements for mobile decontamination systems.

The 46th session of the Committee will be held in August 25-29, 2025.

Additional information:

Founded in 1913, Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) is a world-renowned classification society that operates within all spheres of the maritime industry with the goal of improving the operational and environmental safety of marine transportation. RS reviews technical documentation, surveys ships and offshore facilities under construction and in service, certifies vessels and companies for compliance with international conventions, recognizes and certifies industrial products and manufacturers, certifies quality management systems for compliance with international and national standards.

Today, RS is actively implementing the concept "More than class" by expanding its scope of services in the field of engineering and consulting, the development of technical documentation for vessels in service, marine warranty surveys and certification. In addition, RS surveys all container types, including tank containers and offshore containers, confirms compliance of packaging for dangerous goods, as well as renders services on the declaration and certification of dangerous goods and bulk cargoes.