The PSC record for Bahamian ships shows a general downward trend
The principle role of the Inspections & Surveys Department of The Bahamas Maritime Authority is to ensure that all ships registered with the BMA meet the relevant national and international requirements at all times.
The department reviews all ships that are proposed for registration, with the exception of new buildings, and makes a recommendation to the Registrar on their suitability for registration. Although there is no formal preregistration review for new buildings, the department will frequently be involved in new building projects at an early stage, particularly for complex ship types such as passenger ships and offshore units, and encourages early dialogue.
Ships more than 12 years old are required to undergo a satisfactory pre-registration inspection by a Bahamas Nautical Inspector before a recommendation can be made. Ships over 20 years of age are not normally accepted for registration, but exceptions are made, subject to additional criteria being met. More information is available in the Technical Procedures for Registration, which is available on the BMA website.
The department is responsible for the appointment, management and monitoring of Recognised Organisations and Approved Nautical Inspectors. All Bahamas Recognised Organisations are full members of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) and are listed in BMA Information Bulletin No 3. Approved Nautical Inspectors are inspectors appointed by the BMA and are listed on the BMA website.
The Inspections & Surveys Department also oversees Port State Control (PSC) inspections of Bahamian ships and follows up on PSC inspections and detentions.
Over recent years, the PSC record for Bahamian ships shows a general downward trend. There were 34 PSC detentions of Bahamian ships in 2014, this being the lowest number of detentions ever recorded for The Bahamas.
The department provides interpretations of the various international Conventions and Codes and their application to Bahamian ships to ship owners, ship managers, Recognised Organisations and other stakeholders and provides guidance in various publications, such as Bulletins, Technical Alerts and the Bahamas National Requirements.
Other functions of the department include Long Range Identification & Tracking (LRIT), yachts and providing support to the maritime affairs department at IMO meetings.
Source:BMA News
