ACS, EAS, HSSC & Surveys Flashcards
Alternative Compliance Scheme (ACS), Enhanced Authorisation Scheme (EAS) & Harmonised System for Surveys & Certification (HSSC)
What MGN contains information about ACS?
MGN 568
What MGN contains information about EAS?
MGN 561
What MSN contains information about HSSC?
MSN 1751
Under normal circumstances, what certificates and documents are issued by flag state (MCA)?
- Certificate of Registry
- Safety Equipment Certificate
- Certificate of Fitness (Chemical or Gas)
- MLC & DMLC
- SMC & DOC
- ISSC
- Safe Manning Document
- DOC (IMDG P)
- Passenger Ship Safety Certificate
What is the objective of ACS?
Streamline the survey and certification process whilst maintaining standards and minimising duplication of effort with Recognised Organisations
What are the certificates that Class can issue on behalf of the MCA, if an owner is in the ACS?
- Safety Equipment Certificate
- Document of Compliance (for IMDG or Bulk)
- Certificate of Fitness (Chemical or Gas)
What are the requirements the owner needs to meet to be eligible for the ACS?
- Vessels not detained for 36 months
- Over the last 12 months of Port State Control inspections, have less than 5 deficiencies
- Be part of one of the MCA’s Recognised Orangisations (Classes)
- MCA to have full access to records of the vessel
- MCA to be notified 1 month before Dry Dock of a vessel
How would you know if your vessel is ACS compliant?
Certificate of Inspection for ACS Compliance
What is a Recognised Organisation (RO)?
They are classification societies that the MCA authorise to carry out inspections and surveys on behalf of the MCA
Name the 6 MCA Recognised Organisations…
- Lloyd’s Register (LR)
- American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
- Bureau Veritas SA (BV)
- Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK)
- DNV
- RINA Services (RINA)
Does the ACS & EAS work hand-in-hand together?
No, they are separate schemes. You can only be part of one
What are the additional certificates that Class can issue on behalf of the MCA, if an owner is in the EAS?
- Safety Management Certificate (SMC)
- International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC)
- Maritime Labour Certificate (MLC)
Which type of ships are allowed to be part of the EAS?
Any ships on an international voyage that are either low or standard risk EXCLUDING passenger ships
How does the MCA determine the risk of a vessel, to see if they are eligible for the EAS?
- Type of vessel
- Age of vessel
- Flag of vessel
- Performance of the recognised organisation
- Number of deficiencies
- Number of detentions
What criteria should a company meet to be recognised as an Eligible Company for the EAS?
- Company already part of the UK Shipping Register - list is maintained by MCA
- Based on the past track record of previous port state control inspections
- New builds after 6 months, subject to MCA inspection
- Vessel’s flagged into the UK, subject to MCA inspection
How can the company be revoked from the EAS?
- Accident / Incident / Casualty
- Failure to rectify Condition of Class
- Document of Compliance’s expired
- Detentions
- Repeated failure in rectifying deficiencies
What is the objective of the HSSC?
Seeks to standardise the period
of validity and the intervals between surveys
Why was the HSSC created?
Initially, certificates were valid for 2 years and when expired, the ship needed to be taken out of service to be surveyed. To ensure owners can still trade, HSSC was created
How long are certificates valid under the HSSC?
5 years, EXCEPT for the PSSC (Passenger Ship Safety Certificate) which is valid for 1 year
What are the types of survey are there in the HSSC?
- Initial Survey
- Annual Survey
- Intermediate Survey
- Periodic Survey
- Renewal Survey
- Additional Survey
- Outside Inspection of Ship’s bottom (OISB)
What does an Initial Survey include?
A detailed and thorough inspection
What does an Annual Survey include?
General inspection of all aspects, but not as detailed
What does an Intermediate Survey include?
A survey that looks at specific items / aspects covering that certificate
What does a Periodic Survey include?
A survey that looks at all items / aspects covering that certificate
What does a Renewal Survey include?
A detailed and thorough inspection covering all items of the certificate
What does an Additional Survey include?
A survey carried out when repairs, alterations or modifications are made to the ship that affects that certificate
When does the Intermediate Survey or Periodic Survey happen?
2nd or 3rd year of the anniversary of the certificate - it simply replaces an annual survey
It is up to the shipowner what year to conduct this type of survey
How often should an outside inspection of the ship’s bottom (OISB) be carried out?
CARGO (less than 15yrs old)
- 2 Dry Docks every 5 years
- Spacing between Dry Docks max 3 years
- 1 dry dock can be replaced with an in-water survey
CARGO (more than 15yrs old)
- 2 Dry Docks every 5 years
PASSENGER
- Dry Dock every year
- If not possible, MUST 2 dry docks every 5 years, the rest in-water surveys
- Spacing between Dry Docks max 3 years
When can the surveys be carried out?
Within a 6 month window of the anniversary date (+ & - 3 months)
Only exceptions:
- PSSC = 3 month window (-3 month)
- Renewal surveys = 3 month window (-3 month) - can be extended as long as you give flag or class an explanation, evidence of equipment / aspects working fine, and when the next available date to carry out the survey will be
You join a vessel as Chief Officer and you found out that some of your certificates have expired? Can you takeover?
Yes, you can take over the role as Chief Officer
HOWEVER, you can’t sail because you are an unseaworthy vessel
What is the purpose of the Loadline Convention inspection?
To inspect the watertight and weathertight integrity of the ship
What documents would be inspected during a Loadline Survey?
- Certificate
- Conditions of Assignment
- Cargo Securing Manual
- Stability Data Booklet
What will you do to prepare for your Loadline Survey?
- Check Loadline certificate (validity, endorsement, records of condition of assignment)
- Inspect marks (deck line, loadlines, mark of class)
- Inspect watertight / weathertighness of vessel (hatches, openings, sounding pipes, watertight doors)
- Other areas to inspect (protection for crew - rails, lifelines, bulwarks, gangways; loadicator, means of escape in engine space)
During the Loadline inspection, what will be checked?
- Documentation (in date)
- Physical Inspection (WTD, hatch covers, tank lids, bulwarks, manholes, air pipes, scuppers, sea chests)
- Stability (check loadicator, test condition)
- Any findings, Master will create a Corrective Action Plan
MSN for the Loadline Convention…
MSN 1752
What areas would be covered within a MLC Audit?
- Certificates (MLC & DMLC)
- SEA & Wages
- Hours of Work & Rest
- Leave & Repatriation
- Accommodation & Recreational Facilities
- Food & Water
- Seafarer’s Complaints
- Seafarer Documents and Safe Manning
- Medical Certification & Care on Board
What areas would be covered within an ISM Audit?
- Certificates & Documentation
- Resources & Personnel
- Inspection & Maintenance (PMS)
- Emergency Preparedness
- Shipboard Operations
- System Management
What areas would be covered within an ISPS Audit?
Ensures procedures in place to implement security measures in the following areas:
* Acces to the vessel
* Restricted Areas
* Handling of Cargo
* Delivery of ship stores
* Handling unaccompanied baggage
* Monitoring the security of the ship
How would you prepare for a Safety Radio Telephony (SRT) Survey?
- Certificate validity
- Form R
- GMDSS Logbook (persons can operate, checks)
Equipment depending on your trading area: - Primary (VHF, MF / HF, Inmarsat)
- MSI (NAVTEX, EGC, Printers)
- EPIRB
- SART
- Batteries (main & emergency)
Maintenance contracts: - Mostly shore based
List some of the contents of Form R for the Safety Radio Telephony Certificate…
- VHF (RT & DSC methods)
- MF (RT & DSC methods)
- HF (RT & DSC methods)
- Printer
- Recognised mobile satellite service ship earth station
- Secondary means of alerting
- MSI receivers (NAVTEX, EGC from SAT-C, HF printer)
- EPRIB (COSPAT-SARSAT or VHF)
- SART (Radar or AIS)
How would you prepare for a Safety Equipment (SEQ) Survey?
- Look at previous deficiencies, certificates, form E
- Logbook entries (drills & trainings, maintenance, inspections)
- New equipment filled in on Form E
- Training manuals
- Operational Instructions
- Surveys been carried out
- Table of life saving signals
- Nav equipment (compass, ECDIS, charts, publications, radar, ARPA, manuals, echo sounder)
- Comms equipment (VHF two way comms, EPIRB, SART)
- Pilot Ladder
- Muster Lists
- Signage to muster stations, FFE, LSA etc
- LSA (lifeboats, liferafts, MES, davits, rescue boats, personal, equipment)
- FFA (fixed, ship-shore connection, fire suits, fire lockers, extinguishers, service, fire plans, fire pumps)
- Emergency generator
List some of the contents of Form E for the Safety Equipment Certificate…
- LSA (lifeboats - davit or freefall, liferafts, rescue boats, MES, personal appliances - lifejackets, lifebuoys, immersion suits)
- SART
- EPIRB
- Nav Equipment (Compass - magnetic & gyro + repeaters, radar, ARPA, ARPA, charts - primary & secondary, publications, VDR (VDR or S-VDR), BNWAS, echo sounder, ROT indicator, day signalling lamp, comms to steering gear)
How would you prepare for a Safety Construction (SAFCON) Survey?
- Look at certificate (validity)
- Previous deficiencies
STRUCTURE: - Structural strength (tanks, holds etc)
- W/T bulkhead
- Decks (W/T, tunnels, bottoms)
- W/T doors
- Ballast, bilge, pumping & drainage
MACHINERY: - UMS
- Main machinery
- Propulsion
- Boilers
- Lube oil installations (purifiers)
- Control of machinery
- Steering gear, ventilation, escapes
- Comms between bridge & ECR
EQUIPMENT: - Electrical installations (switchboard, lighting)
- Anchors
- Emergency towing arrangements (ETA)
- Pump room, ventilation, cargo tanks
- IG system
- Gas measurement devices
- Access to cargo spaces
