Dated: 22^nd March 2011
 

Subject: Conversion of designated passenger spaces on offshore 
            Supply / support vessels for accommodating Trainee
            Marine Officers.

          WHEREAS there is a considerable shortage of training slots for accommodating trainee officers on various ships thereby affecting the availability of Indian seafarers in the world market; 

            WHEREAS many of the offshore supply vessels, support vessels and special purpose ships have some spaces designated for carriage of persons other than crew (as passengers or special personnel); 

             WHEREAS ship-owners have brought to the notice of the Directorate that some of these vessels carry very few passengers, if any, and therefore such unutilised spaces could be made use of to accommodate trainee officers as the present certified accommodation available on board is inadequate for this purpose; 

            WHEREAS these passenger spaces are not fitted out with all the facilities required for crew in compliance with the MS (Crew Accommodation) Rules,1960 (as amended) / ILO requirements; and 

            REALISING the strong need to create more training berths for officers and crew in the maritime sector; the following guidelines are issued in order to enable the ship-owners to make use of the unutilized passenger spaces on offshore supply and support vessels (OSVs) below 3000 GT, to accommodate Trainee Officers: 

(i)         Maximum number of persons that can be accommodated in a cabin shall not exceed three (3). 

(ii)        The minimum floor area provided for each person in a cabin shall be atleast 2.75 sq.m. per person. 

(iii)       At lest one wardrobe-cum-locker and a bunk shall be provided for each person. 

(iv)       Each cabin shall be provided with adequate number of tables and chairs for  the use of trainee officers. 

(v)        Washing accommodation and toilet facilities should be adequate for the entire complement as per the prescribed scale. 

(vi)       In case the cabin is not provided with natural lighting, uninterrupted electric lighting with suitable back-up arrangements shall be provided. 

(vii)      Mess room and galley shall be adequate for the full complement. 

(viii)      Life saving appliances shall be provided as per the approved plan for the full complement. 

(ix)       The total number of trainees accommodated in the passenger      spaces on an OSV shall not exceed four (4). 

2.         Owners may make use of the unutilized passenger cabins on OSVs to accommodate Trainee Officers, after ensuring full compliance with the above requirements and informing the Directorate along with a copy of the revised crew accommodation lay-out plan. 

3.        The above guidelines are subject to review and modification by the Directorate from time to time. 

4.         In case the owner desires to convert the spare / passenger accommodation spaces permanently in to 'certified crew accommodation', a revised crew accommodation plan duly incorporating the proposed modifications shall be submitted to IRS for approval.  Owners shall then put up the vessel for an inspection by IRS for the purpose of verification of the modified crew accommodation arrangement as per the approved plan.  On satisfactory completion of the same, owners may approach the concerned Registrar for making necessary changes in the Certificate of Registry and Register Book. 

5.         This issues with the approval of the Director General of Shipping & ex-officio Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

Sd/-

(Suresh Kumar)
Chief Ship Surveyor-cum-Jt.DG (Tech)

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