SPECIFICATIONS ON THE SURVEY AND CERTIFICATION FUNCTIONS OF RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS ACTING
ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION
This document contains minimum specifications for organizations recognized as capable of
performing statutory work on behalf of a flag State Administration in terms of certification
and survey functions connected with the issuance of international certificates. The principle
of the system described below is to divide the specifications required into different
elementary modules with a view to selecting the relevant modules for each function of
certification and survey.
Areas of interest covered by elementary modules
- Management
- Technical appraisal
- Surveys
- Qualifications and training
1 Management
Module 1A: Management functions
The management of the Recognized Organization (RO) should have the competence, capability
and capacity to organize, manage and control the performance of survey and certification
functions in order to verify compliance with requirements relevant to the tasks delegated and
should, inter alia:
possess an adequate number of competent supervisory, technical appraisal and survey
personnel; provide for the development and maintenance of appropriate procedures and
instructions; provide for the maintenance of up-to-date documentation on interpretation of
the relevant instruments; give technical and administrative support to field staff; provide
for the review of survey reports and provision of experience feedback.
2 Technical appraisal
Module 2A: Hull structure
The RO should have the
appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform the following technical
evaluations and/or calculations pertaining to:
- longitudinal strenght;
- local scantlings such as plates and stiffeners;
- structural stress, fatigue and buckling analyses;
- materials, welding and onther pertinent methods of material-joining,
for compliance with relevant rules and convention requirements pertaining to design,
construction and safety.
Module 2B: Machinery systems
The RO should have the
appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical evaluations and/or
calculations pertaining to:
- propulsion and auxiliary machinery and steering gear;
- piping;
- electrical and automation systems,
for compliance with relevant rules and convention requirements pertaining to design,
construction and safety.
Module 2C: Subdivision and stability
The RO should have
the appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical evaluations and/or
calculations pertaining to:
- intact and damage stability;
- inclining test assessment;
- grain loading stability;
- watertight and weathertight integrity.
Module 2D: Load line
The RO should have the appropriate
competence, capability and capacity to perform the following technical evaluations and/or
calculations pertaining to: freeboard calculation; conditions of assignment of freeboard.
Module 2E: Tonnage
The RO should have the appropriate
competence, capability and capacity to perform technical evaluations and/or calculations
pertaining to: tonnage computation.
Module 2F: Structural fire protection
The RO should have
the appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical evaluations and/or
calculations pertaining to:
- structural fire protection and fire isolation;
- use of combustible materials;
- means of escape;
- ventilation systems.
Module 2G: Safety equipment
The RO should have the
appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical evaluations and/or
calculations pertaining to:
- life-saving appliances and arrangements;
- navigation equipment;
- fire detection and fire alarm systems and equipment;
- fire-extinguishing system and equipment;
- fire control plans;
- pilot ladders and pilot hoists;
- lights, shapes ans sound signals
- inert gas systems.
Module 2H: Oil pollution prevention
The RO should have
the appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical evaluations and/or
calculations pertaining to:
- monitoring and control of oil discharge;
- segregation of oil and ballast water;
- crude oil washing;
- protective location of segregated ballast spaces;
- pumping, piping and discharge arrangements;
- shipboard oil pollution emergency plans (SOPEP's)
Module 2I: NLS pollution prevention
The RO should have the appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical
evaluations and/or calculations pertaining to:
- list of substances the ship may carry;
- pumping system;
- stripping system;
- tank-washing system and equipment;
- underwater discharge arrangements.
Module 2J: Radio
The RO should have the appropriate
competence, capability and capacity to perform technical evaluations pertaining to:
- radiotelephony;
- radiotelegraphy;
- GMDSS.
Alternatively, these services may be performed by a professional radio installation
inspection service company approved and monitored by the RO according to an established and
documented programme. This programme is to include the definition of the specific
requirements the company and its radio technicians are to satisfy.
Module 2K: Carriage of dangerous chemicals in bulk
The
RO should have the appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical
evaluations and/or calculations pertaining to:
- ship arrangement and ship survival capacity;
- cargo containment and material of construction;
- cargo temperature control and cargo transfer;
- cargo tank vent systems and environmental control;
- personnel protection;
- operational requirements;
- list of chemicals the ship may carry.
Module 2L: Carriage of liquified gases in bulk
The RO
should have the appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform technical
evaluations and/or calculations pertaining to:
- ship arrangement and ship survival capacity;
- cargo containment and material of construction;
- process pressure vessels and liquid, vapour and pressure piping systems;
- personnel protection;
- use of cargo as fuel;
- operational requirements.
3 Surveys
Module 3A: Survey functions
The RO should have the
appropriate competence, capability and capacity to perform the required surveys under
controlled conditions as per the RO's internal quality system and representing an adequate
geographical coverage and local representation as required. The work to be covered by the
staff is described in the relevant sections of the appropriate survey guidelines developed by
the Organization.
4 Qualifications and training
Module 4A: General qualifications
RO personnel
performing, and responsible for, statutory work should have as a minimum the following formal
education:
- qualifications from a tertiary institution recognized by the RO within a relevant field
of engineering or physical science (minimum two years' programme); or
- qualifications from a marine or nautical institution and relevant sea-giong experiance as
a certificate ship officer, and should have proficiency in the English language commensurate
with the work.
Other personnel assisting in the performance of statutory work should have education,
training and supervision commensurate with the tasks they are authorized to perform.
The RO should have implemented a documented system for qualification of personnel and
continuous updating of their knowledge as appropriate to the tasks they are authorized to
undertake. This system should comprise appropriate training courses, including, inter alia,
international instruments and appropriate procedures related to the certification process, as
well as practical tutored training. It should provide documented evidence of satisfactory
completion of the training.
Module 4B: Radio survey qualifications
Surveys may be
done by a professional radio installation inspection service company approved and monitored
by the RO according to an established and documented programme. This programme is to include
the definition of the specific requirements the company and its radio technicians are to
satisfy, including, inter alia, requirements for internal tutored training covering at least:
- radiotelephony;
- radiotelegraphy;
- GMDSS;
- initial and renewal surveys.
Radio technicians carrying out surveys should have successfully completed, as a minimum, at
least one year of relevant technical school training, the internal tutored training programme
of his/her employer and at least one year of experience as an assistant radio technician. For
exclusive radio surveyors to the RO, equivalent requirements as above apply.