The contracting governments,

desiring to establish the foundations and unified rules for the safety of lives at sea through mutual agreement, taking into account that the best means to achieve this goal is to conclude an Agreement that replaces the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of 1960, in order to encompass the new factors that have arisen regarding the aforementioned convention after its adoption,

have agreed as follows:-

A- The contracting governments undertake to implement the provisions of this Agreement and its annex, which constitute an integral part thereof. Any reference to this Agreement shall also be considered a reference to its annex at the same time.

B- The contracting governments undertake to issue the necessary laws, decrees, orders, and instructions, and to take all other necessary procedures to give this Agreement full and comprehensive effectiveness, ensuring the vessel's suitability from the perspective of safety of life for the service it was prepared for.

This Agreement applies to all vessels entitled to fly the flag of the State, whose governments are considered contracting governments.

The contracting governments undertake to notify the Secretary-General of the Advisory Maritime Organization for Governments, hereinafter referred to as (the Organization), that they will deposit with him:-

• A- A list of the names of non-governmental entities authorized to act on behalf of those governments in implementing the procedures related to the safety of lives at sea, for the purpose of publication and distribution to the other contracting governments for the information of their employees.

• B- The texts of the laws, decrees, orders, and instructions issued to address the various matters falling within the scope of this Agreement.

• C- Sufficient numbers of certificates issued under the provisions of the Agreement, for the purpose of publication and distribution to the contracting governments, which in turn must inform their employees about them.

A- Any vessel not subject to the provisions of this Agreement at the time of its voyage shall not be bound by these provisions if it is forced to change its course due to adverse weather conditions or any other compelling reason.

B- Individuals present on board the vessel due to force majeure or as a result of the captain's obligation to rescue shipwrecked persons or others who are not counted as passengers when it is necessary to ensure the application of any provision of the Agreement.

A- Any contracting government, for the purpose of evacuating individuals and protecting them from threats to their lives, may authorize the transportation of a greater number of individuals on its vessels, exceeding the numbers permitted under this Agreement.

B- This Permission does not prevent other contracting governments from exercising their rights under the current Agreement to monitor such vessels if they enter their ports.

C- A notification regarding such Permission, along with an explanation of the circumstances that led to its issuance, shall be sent to the Secretary-General of the organization by the contracting government that issues such Permission.

A- This Agreement shall replace the International Agreement for the Safety of Life at Sea of 1960 signed in London on June 17, 1960, for the contracting governments - the subject of the Agreement.

B- All treaties, agreements, and procedures related to the safety of life at sea or other related subjects currently in effect between any of the governments that are parties to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and their texts shall remain intact during the prescribed duration concerning:

• 1- Ships to which the provisions of this Agreement do not apply

• 2- Ships to which the provisions of this Agreement apply, with respect to the subjects explicitly stated in this Agreement.

C- In the event of a conflict between any provisions of those agreements, treaties, or procedures and the provisions of this Agreement, the texts of the current Agreement shall prevail.

D- All subjects not explicitly addressed by this Agreement shall remain subject to the local legislations of the contracting governments.

If all or some of the contracting governments agree among themselves to establish specific rules that align with the current Agreement, they must notify the organization of these rules for dissemination to all contracting governments.

A- This Agreement shall remain open for signature at the headquarters of the organization from November 1, 1974, until July 1, 1975, and shall thereafter remain open for accession. States may become parties to this Agreement by any of the following means:

• 1- Signature without reservation as to ratification, acceptance, or approval.

• 2- Signature for the purpose of ratification, acceptance, or approval, followed by ratification, acceptance, or approval.

• 3- Accession.

B- Ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession shall be effected by the deposit of the relevant instrument with the Secretary-General of the organization.

C- The Secretary-General of the organization shall notify the governments of all states that have signed this Agreement or acceded to it of any new signatures or the deposit of any instruments of ratification, acceptance, or approval, along with the date of deposit.