M.S. Notice 4 of 2008
|
No. SS/MISC(23)/2007 |
Dated:
15th February,
2008 |
|
Sub: Notice to Shipowners, Ship Operators and Classification Societies on inspection of the outside of the ship’s bottom of Indian Cargo Ships. |
|
|
1. Maritime Safety Committee in its 81st Session had adopted amendments to the Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 through Resolution MSC. 204 (81), which inter-alia clarified the term “any period of five years” as the five year period of validity of the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate or the Cargo Ship Safety Certificate, except where regulation 14(e) or 14(f) of Regulation 10, Chapter 1, Part B of SOLAS, as amended is applicable. This means that any ship, as a minimum, shall carry out two such inspections of the outside of the ship’s bottom during the validity of the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate or the Cargo Ship Safety Certificate and the interval between any two such inspections shall not exceed 36 months.
2. In view of the above amendments adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee, Directorate has decided to implement the amended provisions of the 88 Protocol with immediate effect. Accordingly, all Indian ships should undergo two inspections of the outside of the ship’s bottom during the validity of the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate or the Cargo Ship Construction Certificate or the Cargo Ship Safety Certificate, as the case may be, and the period between any two such inspections shall not exceed 36 months.
3. All those cases where any extension of surveys including inspection of the outside of the ships bottom are granted due to some unavoidable circumstances under the provisions of regulation 14 (e) or 14 (f), Chapter 1, SOLAS 74, as amended, shall be governed by the principles of harmonized system of survey and certification under the provisions of 1988 Protocol to SOLAS 1974 i.e., the dates of validity of certificates and dates of renewal and other surveys shall not change even if extensions have been granted for the same while considering the subsequent dates of said surveys and validity of the certificates etc. except as permitted under the provisions of the 1988 Protocol to SOLAS, 1974.
4. Ship owners / operators are advised that they should plan the inspection of the outside of the ship’s bottom of their vessels well in advance in order to ensure that the periodicity as stipulated above is strictly complied with. Further, Owners / Managers are advised that they should refrain from putting up requests to the Directorate for postponement of such surveys beyond the stipulated period as stated above.
5. This issue with the approval of the Chief Surveyor with the Government of India.
Sd/-
|
|