Emergency systems and procedures will receive special attention during port state control (PSC) inspections this autumn as part of a Concentrated Inspection Campaign. Classification society DNV GL has published recommendations to help crew prepare for these inspections.

The Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) is to ensure compliance with the requirements for the preparation of emergency equipment and the crew’s ability to respond to emergency situations. The CIC will run from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and will be included in the routine PSC inspections. 

The Tokyo and Paris Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), responsible for monitoring the technical condition of seagoing vessels calling at ports in their respective regions, have developed the CIC. The Tokyo MoU covers ports in the Asia-Pacific region, while the Paris MoU roughly covers Europe and Canada. In addition to these two, the MoUs of the Black Sea, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Riyadh and Viña del Mar will also participate in the campaign.

Questionnaire Based on Previous Deficiencies

PSC officers will conduct the CIC by means of a tailored questionnaire. This questionnaire focuses on the main deficiencies within this deficiency group found during inspections over previous years. The questionnaire is available on the Paris MoU website.

DNV GL published an overview of deficiencies found related to main group “04 – Emergency Systems”, see below. Deficiencies related to emergency generators and fire pumps are still at the top of the list of detainable items, according to the classification society.

Considering the above deficiencies, DNV GL assumes the questionnaire items will mainly relate to operational issues and the maintenance of emergency systems like the generator, fire pump and lighting. Furthermore, PSC officers will most likely ask the master to perform a drill during the CIC.

Recommendations for Ship Owners and Masters

DNV GL has published a number of recommendations to help ship owners and masters prepare for the CIC. These include:

  • Review if emergency installations are installed as per the ship’s plans.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of maintenance of emergency systems (for example emergency fire pumps) and update accordingly.
  • Check documentation of drills and service reports on emergency systems.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of emergency drills and perform additional trainings in case of the need for improvements.

Picture: PSC inspection of a lifeboat (by United States Coast Guard).