Campaign starts Sept. 2012 to inspect general safety conditions of Chinese container carriers (<3000 gt) plying Guandong & Hong Kong waters.
The Hong Kong Marine Department will join Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration (GDMSA) and Shenzhen Maritime Safety Administration (SZMSA)
to carry out the Concentrated Inspection Campaign from 1 to 30 September 2012.
Mainland coastal container carriers trading to Hong Kong will be selected for inspection by the Hong Kong Marine Department (HKMD). The preliminary
inspection will focus on Automatic Identification System relating to its installation, maintenance and the crew's familiarization with the operation of the equipment, and maritime radio licence, etc.
Detailed inspection may be conducted if there are grounds to believe the conditions of a vessel are not up to standards during the preliminary inspection. Vessels with serious defects detected may be detained until such defects are rectified. A report Note 1 will be issued by HKMD to record the information after inspections. The inspection reports should be kept onboard vessels for possible checking by inspectors of the other ports.
Shipowners, masters, agents and operators are invited to note the Concentrated Inspection Campaign and to take extra precautions to ensure their vessels fully meet the requirements at all times.
GDMSA and SZMSA will also issue inspection reports after inspection carried out at their ports.