Application: All ship-owners, operators, masters and officers of merchant ships and authorised Classification Societies

SUMMARY

New amendments to SOLAS Chapter III included in Res. MSC. 404(96) came into force.on

1^st January 2020.

In the amended Regulations III/3, the requirements for periodic servicing and maintenance of lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear contained in the Guidelines MSC.1/Circ.1206, “Measurer to prevent accidents with lifeboats”, were replaced by Res. MSC.402(96), “Requirements for maintenance, through examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboat and rescue boats, launching appliance and release gear” (The Requirements), setting it as mandatory (see new Reg. III/20.11.5).

Res. MSC. 402(96) set down as mandatory that personnel carrying out maintenance, through examination, operational testing, overhaul and testing and repair of the following items should be certified by an authorised service provider:

• Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and fast rescue boats.
• Launching appliances as well as on load and off load release gear for lifeboats, rescue boats, fast rescue boat, and davit-launched life rafts.

The following inspection intervals are described:

Weekly and monthly inspections are to be conducted by authorised service providers, or by shipboard personnel under the direction of a senior ship’s officer in accordance with the maintenance manual(s).

Annual thorough examinations and operational tests are to be conducted by certified personnel of either the manufacturer or an authorised provider. The service provider may be the ship operator, provided they are authorised.

Five-year thorough examination, any overhaul, overload operational tests and repairs are to be conducted by certified personnel of either the manufacturer or an authorised service provider. This shall be done in the presence of vessel’s Classification surveyor.

The scope for each inspection, maintenance, through examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair interval is detailed in the Res. MSC.402(96), Section 6.

In

general, an authorised service provider is an entity authorised by flag administrations in accordance with the requirements given in the Res. MSC.402(96). The certification programme requires authorisation for each make and type of equipment to be provided. It is important to note that the authorisation as service provider equally applies to manufacturer needs to obtain authorisation. The authorised service provider will certify their personnel for each make and type of equipment.

Barbados Maritime Ship Registry will accept only service providers authorised by other administrations or by their Recognised Organisation, specifically for each make and type of equipment on board of the vessel. Evidence of such authorisations shall be made available on board to FSI surveyors, attached to service reports.

In cases where a manufacturer is no longer in business or no longer provides technical support, Barbados Maritime Ship Registry may authorize other service providers for the equipment based on prior authorisation for the equipment and/or long-term experience and demonstrated expertise as an authorised service provider. Documented evidence is to be provided to the Technical Department in order to get such authorisation.

18/3/2020

18 March 2020

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http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/05-women-in-maritime-photo-share.aspx7th March 20203:04 am

IMO postpones meetings due to COVID-19

http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/04-Covid-19-IMO-meetings-.aspx7th March 20203:04 am

IMO 2020 sulphur limit implementation – carriage ban enters into force

http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/03-1-March-carriage-ban-.aspx3rd March 20203:04 am

New IMO department will tackle key global issues through innovative partnerships

http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/02-department-for-partnerships-and-projects-.aspx29th February 20203:04 am

GUIDANCE IN THE EVENT OF UNSEAWORTHINESS

Application: all ship-owners, operators, masters and officers of merchant ships and authorised classification societies and approved inspectors

When undertaking inspection of ships and yachts on behalf of Barbados Maritime, an inspector may find deficiencies that pose a grave risk to the safety, security and environmental operation of the ship and seafarers.

In these circumstances and when it is seen that the Master and/or Owners are not taking any steps

to deal with the deficiencies, the ship should not be allowed to put to sea.

The matter should be brought to the attention of BMSR immediately on the Emergency 24hr phone: +44 (0)7939 312822 or landline to +44 (0) 207636 5739. BMSR will then take further action to protect the ship, seafarers and environment.

2020-02-07

IMO Secretary-General assesses progress on sulphur limit implementation

http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/01_IMO-Secretary-General-assesses-progress-on-sulphur-limit-implementation.aspx22nd January 20203:04 am

Flag inspections

Application: All shipowners, operators, masters and flag inspectors

The Barbados Maritime Ship Registry is committed to support ship operators and to avoid disruption to their business. Therefore it is be ensured that ships are properly prepared for a flag state inspection to avoid delays in carrying out the survey.

In 2019 some common factors have been noted at flag state inspections and port state detentions. Therefore our inspectors are hereby advised of the frequently noted deficiencies as mentioned below:

Fire doors –closing mechanisms found ineffective
Fire drills – lack of familiarity
Fire pumps – failure to establish pressure
Emergency generator – failure to start
IMO symbols – found to be missing
Publications – old editions found onboard or publications not found onboard
Gangway ladders – steps to be replaced

14 January 2020

Application: All ship-owners, operators, masters and officers of merchant ships and authorised Classification Societies

1. The Administration may grant general exemptions from the requirements of regulations 15, 17, 18, 19 (except 19.2.1.7), 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 to ships without mechanical means of propulsion.
   

2. The Administration may grant to individual ships exemptions or equivalents of a partial or conditional nature, when any such ship is engaged on a voyage where the maximum distance of the ship from the shore, the length and nature of the voyage, the absence of general navigational hazards, and other conditions affecting safety are such as to render the full application of this chapter unreasonable or unnecessary, provided that the Administration has taken into account the effect such exemptions and equivalents may have upon the safety of all other ships.

3. Each Administration shall submit to the Organization, as soon as possible after 1 January in each year, a report summarising all new exemptions and equivalents granted under paragraph 2 of this regulation during the previous calendar year and giving the reasons for granting such exemptions and equivalents. The Organization shall circulate such particulars to other Contracting Governments for information.

BMSR Guidance

1. Paragraph 1 allows Administrations to grant general exemptions to vessels with no means of propulsion (e.g. certain types of vessel used in the offshore industry such as jack-up rigs, storage or offloading units etc.) from the specified Regulations. BMSR will grant exemptions to such Barbados-flagged ships.
2. Paragraph 2 allows Administrations to grant exemptions or equivalences of a partial or conditional nature to other vessels where it can be shown that full application of the Regulations is unnecessary or unreasonable. In such cases, safety must not be compromised.
3. Paragraph 3 requires Administrations to provide IMO with annual summaries of all exemptions or equivalences so granted.
4. Owners of Barbados-registered vessels wishing to apply for an exemption or an equivalence should apply to BMSR. This will only be granted where compliance with the regulations is shown to be unreasonable and BMSR is satisfied that alternative steps are taken to achieve an equivalent level of safety.
5. Equivalences may be granted where BMSR deems that the substitution of a particular fitting, material, appliance, apparatus or operational procedure is at least as effective as that required by the regulation.
6. Exemptions and equivalences are granted for a specified period. They will not be granted indefinitely.
7. Owners seeking an exemption or equivalency for navigational equipment should contact BMSR at:

Barbados Ships’ Registry

Barbados High Commission
1 Great Russell St,
London WC1B 3ND
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7636 5739
Email: ops@barbadosmaritime.com

Application: All ship-owners, operators, masters and officers of merchant ships and authorised Classification Societies

1.0 Definitions:

1.1 Casualties

These are occurrences where there is:

• the death of a person, or major injury to a person; or
• serious harm to the environment; or
• loss of a ship or the abandonment of a ship; or
• material damage to a ship; or
• the grounding of a ship or any collision, or a ship is disabled; or
• material damage caused by, or in connection with the operation of a ship.

An occurrence classified as a casualty is the most serious type of event. Any major injury occurring to any person automatically classifies the event as a casualty and a major injury is defined as –

• any fracture (other than to fingers or toes); or
• any loss of a limb or part of a limb; or
• dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine; or
• loss of sight (temporary or permanent); or
• penetrating eye injuries; or
• other injuries leading to hypothermia or unconsciousness, requiring resuscitation, or admission to hospital or an offshore sick bay for more than 72 hours.

Reports of casualties are required to be sent to the Barbados Maritime Ship Registry as soon as possible by the quickest means available. In general the quickest means available will be in the form of an e-mail to ops@barbadosmaritime.com with any attachments giving the basic facts and sent as soon as possible, followed up by the sending in of the accident report form by the quickest means available as soon as it is completed.

“Material Damage”, like a major injury, automatically classifies the event as a casualty and material damage is defined as damage to the structure, equipment or fittings of the ship which;

• requires immediate repair before the ship is able to continue in service, or
• which involves a breach of the hull or cracking etc. which affects the ship’s structural integrity, or
• which involves damage to machinery or other equipment which is safety equipment or which is essential to the operation of the ship and thus prevents the ship from operating as designed.

1.2 Accidents

These are defined as an event of less seriousness than a casualty and include;

• falls overboard;
• fires and explosions;
• the collapsing or bursting of any pressure vessel, pipeline or valve or the accidental ignition of anything in a pipeline;
• the collapse or failure of any lifting equipment, access equipment, hatchcover, staging or bosun’s chair or any associated load-bearing parts;
• the uncontrolled release of any harmful substance or agent;
• any collapse of cargo, unintentional movement of cargo sufficient to cause a list, or loss of cargo overboard;
• snagging of fishing gear resulting in the vessel heeling to a dangerous angle.
• any contact by a person with loose asbestos fibre without wearing the appropriate protective clothing.

Any of the above are classified as accidents, however if any of these actually result in a major injury then the classification is upgraded to casualty. Similarly, while a fire is classed as an accident, if it causes material damage to the ship, then (because material damage classifies the event as a casualty) the event is upgraded to a casualty.

Accidents are required to be reported to Barbados Maritime Ship Registry as soon a possible and by the quickest means available.

1.3 Incidents

These are the least serious types of event and include all other events which do not classify as casualties or accidents and “incident” also includes “near misses” or events which could have led to accidents or casualties. Incidents are required to be reported to Barbados Maritime Ship Registry on the accident report form as soon as practicable.

2.0 Actions required

2.1 Owners and managers are asked to ensure that a copy of this information bulletin is readily available on board all registered vessels and that masters are aware of its contents and their responsibilities for reporting certain incidents on board.

2.2 Should there be any conflict between the contents of this information bulletin and the reporting requirements contained in the safety management system or other internal documents and policies, companies are asked to make relevant amendments to those documents to ensure compatibility with this information bulletin.

The Accident/Incident Report Form 45 should be downloaded from the FORMS section on this website.

This information bulletin replaces No. 290 which has been withdrawn.