SOLAS, an International Convention for the Safety of Life at the Sea. It was adopted on 1st November 1974 by an International Conference for the Safety of Life at the Sea, called by an International Maritime Organisation (IMO). It has entered into force on 25th May 1980. Since then, it was modified twice, in 19y78 and 1988. It has replaced the convention from 1960.

The purpose of SOLAS Convention is to increase the level of safety of life at the sea by creating unitary laws and regulations, applying only to the ships on international cruises.  Therefore, the rules of the convention do not apply to:

* war ships and ships used for army transports;

* trade ships with a brutto volume no smaller than 500;

* ships with no mechanical drive;

* primitive wooden ships;

* recreative yachts, not making trade cruises;

* fishing ships.

They also do not apply to the ships sailing only at the Great Lakes of North America and Saint Lawrence River.

To the Convention for the Safety of Life at the Sea belongs also:

* SOLAS-REZ 689 (17) according life belts;

* SOLAS 74 according buoys.