Lloyd's Register Extends Heightened Attention Surveys
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has a longstanding ‘heightened attention’ initiative where surveyors attending on board LR classed ships give increased attention to areas where the most common PSC deficiencies are identified. LR announced it has decided to continue this heightened attention initiative for a further year. LR’s analysis of PSC detentions shows that ships less than five years old are now more likely to be inspected and detained than before – therefore, the initiative will now apply to ships of all ages.
Surveyors will place heightened attention on the following items to confirm they are being maintained and remain in an effective condition:
- fire safety, fire detection, firefighting equipment and appliances (e.g. fire dampers, self-closing doors, fire pumps, emergency fire pumps, means of control)
- ventilation, quick-closing devices and their means of control
- lifeboats, liferafts, launching appliances and lifebuoys
- oil filtering equipment
- ventilators and air pipes
- weather decks, hatch covers and closing appliances
- nautical publications and charts, navigation lights and shapes
- cleanliness of the engine room along with oil leaks and failure of associated alarms
- corrosion and wastage on weather decks, hatch covers and closing appliances
- cleanliness of accommodation/galley.
Ensuring the above items are suitably maintained and remain in a fit and effective condition reduces the potential for a ship being detained by PSC authorities, LR said. In addition, it is imperative that ships are properly prepared for survey to avoid delays in carrying out examinations. Surveyors will also carry out a review of the PSC reports of inspections held on board the ship, to identify any deficiencies reported during the previous six month period.
Heightened surveys will only be carried out whenever surveyors attend the ship for any survey requested between the classification Annual Surveys. There will be a maximum of two heightened surveys carried out between Annual Surveys and these will be held at intervals of at least three months apart.
Owners and operators are reminded that PSC officers are increasingly linking deficiencies in maintenance of a vessel to the management of that vessel. Detention may not only require the attendance of a class surveyor to aid the release a vessel from detention but may also require an additional verification audit by the flag state or the recognized organization on behalf of the flag state.
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