Ship’s Propulsion and Auxiliary Machinery – a challenge to keep under control

Tokyo MoU CIC from 1 September to 30 November 2013

Defects related to propulsion and auxiliary machinery installations have traditionallybeen one of the top six categories of deficiencies recorded during port State control(PSC) inspections in previous years. An average of 7% of the total number of thedeficiencies identified within the Tokyo MOU region are related to machineryinstallations. For the purpose of verifying compliance with the requirements of SOLASConvention Chapter II-1, member Authorities of the Tokyo MOU undertook aConcentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Propulsion and Auxiliary Machinery from1 September to 30 November 2013.

During the three-month’s period, a total of 8,257 inspections were carried out duringthe CIC by the Tokyo MOU member Authorities, of which 6,367 inspections wereconducted with a CIC questionnaire (77.1%). A total of 282 detentions were recordedduring the CIC inspections, among which 72 or 25.5% of them were detained as adirect result of the CIC. The CIC-topic related detentions rate is 1.13% while theoverall CIC detention rate is 4.4%.

Preliminary results indicated that the most significant deficiencies found during thecampaign were related to:

the emergency source of power and emergency lighting 468(25.4%),
main and auxiliary boilers and boiler feed systems 319 (17.3%),
protectivearrangements for machinery to minimize danger to persons with regard to movingparts, hot surfaces, electrical shock or other hazards 278 (15.1%) and
cleanliness ofthe engine room 276 (15%)

The highest number of CIC inspections relating to ship types were conducted on bulkcarriers (34% of the inspections), followed by general cargo/multipurpose ships (23%)and container ships (16%). In contrast to the above, 35% of the CIC-topic relateddetentions were identified on general cargo/multipurpose ships, 24% on bulk carriersand 18% on container ships.

The highest number of CIC inspections relating to flag were carried out on ships underthe flags of Panama (31% of the inspections), followed by Hong Kong (China) (9.8%),Liberia (7.2%), Singapore (7%), Marshall Island (5.2%) and Republic of Korea (5%)

The flags with the highest CIC-topic related detention rate were Comoros with 100%(1 detention out of 1 inspection), Niue and Spain each 50% (1 detention out of 2inspections), Gibraltar 4.8% (1 out of 21 inspections) and DPR Korea 3.7% (2 out of54 inspections)

Although the overall results of the CIC are generally satisfactory, given the fact that25% of the detentions were CIC-topic related during the campaign period, thepreliminary results highlight that propulsion and auxiliary machinery installations onboard remain a challenge to keep under control.

The Campaign was carried out jointly with the Paris MOU. Other MOUs have followedthe same arrangements during the campaign.A detailed analysis of the results of the campaign will be considered by the Port StateControl Committee in November 2014, after which a full report will be submitted to theInternational Maritime Organization.

Source: Tokyo MoU

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