The St. Vincent And The Grenadines Maritime Administration issued a circular to provide managing companies and ships’ officers guidance on how to keep their ships ready for Port State Control Inspections and avoid an eventual detention. The analysis of the evolution of detentions of ships flying St Vincent and The Grenadines Flag inside the Paris MoU Region has shown an improving situation from 2005.
This Administration drew the attention of the Managing Companies, Superintendents and ship’s Officers on the below “Instructions for use” of the Pre-arrival checklist and Self-Verification
checklist.
“Instructions for use” of the Pre-Arrival Checklist
- The onboard personnel should fill in the pre-arrival checklist prior the arrival in port.
- Any unsatisfactory item should be immediately rectified by the onboard personnel.
- If the onboard personnel are unable to rectify an unsatisfactory item, the relevant “N” box in the check list should be crossed.
- All Pre-arrival checklists and their results should be recorded in the ship’s Log Book.
- If an item is found defective due to voyage damage, it should be explicitly indicated in the checklist. The Managers should be immediately informed in writing. The correspondence to the Managers and their written instructions relating to the deficiencies should be attached to the checklist.
“Instructions for use” of the Self-Verification Checklist
- The onboard personnel should fill in the Self-verification Checklist on a monthly basis.
- All Self-verification checklists and their results should be recorded in the ship’s Log Book.
- Any unsatisfactory item should be immediately rectified.
- If the onboard personnel are unable to rectify an unsatisfactory item, the relevant “N” box in the check list should be crossed.
- For each “N” box crossed, a comment on the relevant action taken should be included in Section 11 of the checklist.
- If an item is found defective due to voyage damage, it should be explicitly indicated in the checklist. The Managers should be immediately informed in writing. The correspondence to the Managers and their written instructions relating to the deficiencies should be attached to the checklist.
- If a vessel is detained by a Port State Control, this Administration will request a copy of the last Self-verification checklist, a copy of the pre-arrival checklist items rectified and, if applicable, the entry in the ship’s logbook.
In addition:
- During the Annual Flag State Inspection, Flag State Inspectors, are required to check the implementation of this Circular onboard and to mention it in their Inspection Report.
- ROs are required to verify the implementation of this Circular during the ISM audits (DOC and SMC).
- Copies of the Pre-arrival checklist and Self-Verification checklists should be kept onboard for eighteen (18) months.
