THE Maritime Authorities of Tokyo and Port State Control inspectors under the UN's the Paris Memorandum of Understanding, have launched a joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Crew Familiarisation for Enclosed Space Entry.
This campaign will be held for three months from September 1 to November 30 during which 10,000 inspections will be done, reports GAC Hot Port News.
The aim is to ensure effective procedures and measures are in place to safeguard seafarers on board ships when entering and working in enclosed spaces and to check compliance with the applicable requirements of the SOLAS Convention.
The ship's procedures and measures that are in place with respect to enclosed spaces will be checked in detail for compliance with the requirements of UN's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) during a regular Port State Control inspection.
Port State control officers will use a list of 10 questions to establish that crew members with enclosed space duties are familiar with relevant equipment and have received training to carry out their duties and identify and understand the hazards associated with entry into enclosed spaces.
Additionally there are questions aimed at gathering information about the existence of measures in place to test the atmosphere of an enclosed space to confirm it is safe to enter and remain.
If deficiencies are found, actions by the port state may vary from recording a deficiency and instructing the master to rectify it within a certain period of time, to detaining the ship until serious deficiencies have been rectified.
In the case of detention, publication in the monthly detention lists of the Tokyo and Paris MoU websites will take place.
The results of the campaign will be analysed and findings will be presented to the governing bodies of the MoUs for submission to the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO).