Date : 22.06.2007
 

Subject : Instruction to Recognized Organization / Surveyors - Procedure for accepting approved
               equipment / material / appliances / machinery on board Indian ships

Reference:  M.S. Notice 5 of 2007

CONTENTS

 1.          Introduction:

With the rapidly rising globalization and economic activity by Indian industry in general and shipping in particular, there is need for facilitating process of accepting approved equipment /machinery / appliances / material for use on Indian ships. The Directorate by way of MS Notice 5 of 2007 has taken one such positive step. 

2.         Purpose:

 .1       Whereas International Conventions require flag States to ensure that the equipment   carried on board ships complies with certain safety requirements and to issue   relevant certificates.

 .2      Testing standards for certain types of marine equipment have been developed by   the International standardization bodies and by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and  the National  testing standards

.3         The purpose of these instructions is to elaborate on the requirements of the subject      matter as envisaged in the MS Act 1958 as amended and Rules made there under.   

 4      In particular the MS notice follows guiding principles of IMO with respect to  approval of equipment / material / appliances / machinery.   

Annexure 1 to these instructions will be under annual review, jointly by Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The list is not exhaustive and where guidance is not available, recourse should be  to acceptable national standards  such as  BIS, etc.

3.           Responsibility

.1      Acceptance of approved equipment is primarily of ship owner, manager as per the   prescribed applicable Rules on the subject matter. 

.2        Indian Register of Shipping are responsible as per these instructions to facilitate  approval of equipment for use on board Indian ships. 

.3      At first installation of Safety and Communication Equipments, inspection will be     done by  IRS surveyors at Indian shipyards. 

.4      In case it is noticed by the Class surveyor that the equipments fitted are not complying with the required standard, same shall be brought to the notice of the shipyard/owner, Principal Officer, MMD and to this Directorate. 

.5    DGS will continue to monitor functioning of IRS and other ROs as appropriate.  Separate instructions as regards the audit by DGS will be issued.   

4.         Process

.1   In general, current practice of case by case approval of the equipment has been done away with.

.2   Equipment / material / appliances / machinery manufactured in India continues to be   approved by DGS.

.3  Equipment / material / appliances / machinery manufactured out side India and identified for use on board Indian ship should be approved by that Maritime Administration or by one of the Recognised Organisation on behalf of that Maritime Administration.

.4    End users should be reminded that choice of fitting equipment/ material / appliances / machinery is of the end user and that delay to the vessel if any by use of non approved equipment etc. is that of the end user provided Class surveyor has given in writing deficiency in this regard.  

.5   ‘Letter of Acceptance’ issued so far by the Directorate remains valid till the validity of the  letter. (Annexure – II).  However, end users are no longer bound to purchase equipment/material/ appliances only from the agents carrying Letter of Acceptance.  DGS has stopped the practice of issue of letters of acceptance.  

.6   IRS is required to examine the technical documentation and verify that the equipment/ material / appliances / machinery has been manufactured in accordance with the technical specification as required.

.7   IRS is also required to perform the appropriate examinations and necessary tests to confirm whether the requirements of the relevant international instruments have been actually met for the equipments which require performance tests after installation on board ship.

.8    If the shipbuilder reports that the manufacturer refuses to give test reports, same shall be brought to the notice of the Directorate.  In general, the shipbuilder should be advised to return the equipment/material/appliances and source it from where the certification is forthcoming. 

.9    IRS  shall maintain a list of equipments/ material / appliances / machinery which have undergone satisfactory verification of tests reports, performance tests as applicable.

.10  List of equipments/ material / appliances / machinery which have undergone the details stated in para 5.9 will assist the shipyards/ship-owners/ ship repairers in identifying the approved equipments/ material / appliances / machinery.

.11  Shipyards/ship-owners/ ship repairers should be urged, in their own interest to submit details required with respect to equipments/ material / appliances / machinery well in advance to IRS. 

5.        Document control

.1     Annexure I and II to these instructions should be reviewed jointly by DGS and  IRS  annually.

6.  List of Equipments

.1    An indicative list of the material and equipment is included in Annexure I as under:

       Part I :     Where detailed testing standards for Type and Product approval exist in    IMO and other International instruments

Part II :  Equipment for which no detailed testing standards exist in IMO   instruments and will be decided by the Directorate in each case

Part III :  Machinery and Equipment which require individual inspection and certification of products under individual Product Approval scheme.

.2.    List of Equipments approved by the Directorate General of Shipping Annexure II as  under:.

       Part I:          List of DGS approved equipment (Life Saving Appliances)  

       Part II:         List of  approved vendors for Life Saving Appliances

       Part III:        List of approved vendors for Navigation/Communication equipments issued with Letter of Acceptance (LOA)

       Part  IV:       List of  approved vendors for Life Saving Appliances

       Part V:         List of Structural Material issued with the Directorate’s approval

                    Part VI:        List of approved FFA equipments issued with  Letter of  

                                         Acceptance (LOA)

       Part VII:       List of DGS approved product (FFA)  

            The above documents are available on DGS website; 

            www.dgshipping.com  → Shipping Notices  → Merchant Shipping Notices  →      M.S. Notice No. 5 of 2007

Sd/
(D. Mehrotra)
Dy. Chief Surveyor cum
Sr. Dy. Director General of Shipping (Tech.)

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