Lloyd's Register Alert: Heightened Attention to Specific Survey Items
Lloyd’s Register (LR) is fully committed to maintaining the quality of its classed fleet. Our surveyors have been working closely with owners and operators to help them better prepare ships for inspections by port state control (PSC), with the aim of reducing the number of deficiencies and detentions. This approach has been successful, as demonstrated by the latest Paris MOU figures for classification societies which show LR moving up to 3rd position overall.
LR continues to review detention data and we ensure our surveyors are aware of the most common deficiencies which result in ships being detained by PSC authorities. However, LR is not necessarily advised of the deficiencies found by PSC officers when a ship is not detained.
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. In view of its success, it has been 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 prone to PSC inspection and detention than previously – 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, fire fighting 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. 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.
ILO MLC, 2006
Before the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) came into force in August 2013, PSC authorities were identifying a substantial number of ILO issues, including working and living condition deficiencies. There is a strong possibility of an increase in MLC-related PSC deficiencies following the convention’s implementation. Therefore, the heightened attention initiative will also focus on MLC, 2006 aspects. If surveyors identify potential deficiencies relating to MLC, 2006 they will advise the Master accordingly.