New Zealand maritime safety authorities said Tuesday that they are celebrating a significant international victory that will improve safety on shipboard lifting devices, such as cranes and winches, around the world.

Maritime New Zealand said officials had persuaded other member states of the International Maritime Organization of a need to amend the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, after eight years of lobbying.

At a meeting of the organization's Maritime Safety Committee in London this month, a majority of member states voted to amend the convention to include requirements for lifting equipment.

A SOLAS regulation would be developed around the design, construction and installation of onboard lifting appliances, said a statement from Maritime New Zealand.

It would require such equipment to be maintained in accordance with guidelines that would also be developed to cover design, fabrication and construction.

It would also set down procedures for routine inspections, maintenance and operations of lifting appliances and winches.

The changes would lift standards internationally, Maritime New Zealand director Keith Manch said in the statement.

Maritime New Zealand staff began to work for the changes after recording 334 incidents at New Zealand ports on foreign-flagged vessels between 2000 and 2007, of which 64 involved ships' lifting appliances, including 18 involving serious injuries.

"The work will not be complete until an amendment to the SOLAS convention that covers lifting equipment is adopted, but this is a significant milestone. I am confident this work will make the industry safer at ports all over the world," said Manch. Endi

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