Caribbean MoU to launch CIC on fire safety systems

From 1 September to 30 November 2014

The Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding (CMOU) on port state control will launch its second concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) on 1 September, 2014. This will focus onensuring compliance with SOLAS Chapter II-2 and the International Code for Fire Safety Systems on board ships. The CIC will last three months, ending on 30 November, 2014.

The CIC is designed to raise awareness of fire safety-related issues and to ensure that:

ships are complying with the requirements of the SOLAS Convention Chapter II-2 and the International Code for Fire Safety Systems
fire-fighting equipment is readily available and maintained at all times
the Master, Officers and Crew are familiar with the equipment and have received training in carrying out their duties.

In practice, the CIC will mean that during a regular port state control inspection conducted under the targeting matrix criteria within the CMOU region, the fire safety plan, fire control measures, drills, crew awareness and other applicable documentation will be verified in more detail for compliance with SOLAS Chapter II-2 and the International Code for Fire Safety Systems.

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Port state control officers will use a questionnaire listing a number of items to be covered during the CIC.When 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 to detaining the ship until serious deficiencies have been rectified.

List of the selected item for questioning during CIC

Is the Fire Control Plan present, permanently exhibited and upto date ?
Do the fire fighters’ outfits including personal equipment complywith the requirements?
Do the Emergency Escape Breathing Devices (EEBD) complywith the requirements?
Are the portable extinguishers ready for use in locations as perthe fire control plan?
Does the automatic audible alarm sound prior to the release of afixed gas fire-extinguishing medium into spaces in whichpersonnel normally work?
Are the fire protection systems, firefighting-systems andappliances maintained / ready for use?
Is there a maintenance plan onboard, to show that fireprotection systems and fire- fighting systems and appliances (asappropriate) have been properly tested and inspected?
Does the activation of any detector or manually operated callpoint initiate a visual and audible fire signal at the control panelon the bridge or control station?
Is the emergency fire pump, capable of producing at least twojets of water?
Are the isolating valves of the fire main marked, maintained andeasily operable?
Where a fire drill was witnessed was it found to be satisfactory?
Was the ship detained as a result of the CIC?

Any detentions will be published in the monthly detention lists of the CMOU website. It is expected that the CMOU will carry out approximately 200 inspections during the CIC.The results of the campaign will be analysed and findings will be presented to the governing body of the CMOU for submission to the relevant IMO sub-committees.

Further information may be found on CMOU’s website