- Unless expressly provided otherwise, SOLAS shall apply to all ships on all voyages, except:
- warships, naval auxiliaries and other ships owned or operated by a Contracting Government and used only on government non-commercial service; and
- ships solely navigating the Great Lakes of North America and their connecting and tributary waters as far east as the lower exit of the St. Lambert Lock at Montreal in the Province of Quebec, Canada.
- However, warships, naval auxiliaries or other ships owned or operated by a Contracting Government and used only on government non-commercial service are encouraged to act in a manner consistent, so far as reasonable and practicable, with this chapter.
- The Administration may decide to what extent this chapter shall apply to ships operating solely in waters landward of the baselines which are established in accordance with international law.
- A rigidly connected composite unit of a pushing vessel and associated pushed vessel, when designed as a dedicated and integrated tug and barge combination, shall be regarded as a single ship for the purpose ..
- The Administration shall determine to what extent the provisions of chapter V, regulations 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 do not apply to the following categories of ships:
- ships below 150 gross tonnage engaged on any voyage;
- ships below 500 gross tonnage not engaged on international voyages; and
- fishing vessels.
