The China Maritime Safety Administration (China MSA) announced the launch of a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) focusing on large bulk carriers of more than 10,000 gross tonnage (GT). The campaign will be held during the second semester of 2017, starting from 15 June 2017 through 31 December 2017.
The bulk carriers above 15 years of age, engaged in international voyages will be the priority targets of inspection. China MSA expects bulk carriers that were converted from tankers to undergo port State control (PSC) inspection at the first port of call after 15 June 2017, and then be subsequently inspected per the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Operators are advised to notice the following elements for which the inspectors shall focus during the campaign:
- Loading / unloading plan agreed by the ship and terminal (IMO ResA.862(20))
- Approved cargo / ballast operation manual
- ESP documents of bulk carrier (IMO Res. A744(18))
- Thickness measurement reports
- Weathertightness of hatch covers
- Hatch corners and hatch coamings
- Frames/plating of Cargo Spaces
- Bulkhead structures of Cargo Spaces
- Ballast tanks structures
