Historical focussed inspection campaigns

The initial phase of the campaign conducted between 1 December 2000 and 31 March 2001 focussed on collision avoidance issues. During this phase AMSA surveyor's inspected 1057 ships, of which 132 (12 per cent of those inspected) recorded deficiencies in the following areas.

• Bridge visibility, with emphasis on the effect of cargo on visibility, accounted for 4 per cent of the deficiencies recorded
• The operation of radars accounted for 11 per cent of the deficiencies recorded
• Navigation lights, both to ensure their serviceability and the effect posed by cargo on their visibility, accounted for 85 per cent of the deficiencies recorded.

The high proportion of the deficiencies relating to navigation lights, etc were primarily due to a lack of maintenance. All ships with deficiencies had at least one deficiency relating to navigation lights, shapes and whistles. Two ships had deficiencies that warranted a detention.

The second phase of the campaign conducted between 1 April 2001 and 31 July 2001 focussed on SOLAS Chapter IV requirements related to global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS). Problems areas identified during port state control inspections were of concern, along with concerns expressed internationally over the high number of false alerts. During this phase, AMSA surveyors inspected 1114 ships, of which 465 (42 per cent of those inspected) recorded deficiencies in the following areas.

• The ability of members of the crew to use the GMDSS equipment, despite holding valid and appropriate qualifications, accounted for 54 per cent of the deficiencies recorded.
• Appropriate provisions onboard to support the operation of the GMDSS system accounted for 36 per cent.
• The qualifications of the operators accounted for 6 per cent.
• Understanding by the crew of operating procedures, particularly in relation to the actions required when sending or receiving a distress alert accounted for 4 per cent.

Nine ships had deficiencies that warranted a detention, in all cases relating to MF/HF DSC radio equipment.

The third phase of the campaign conducted between 1 August 2001 and 30 November 2001 focussed on crew living conditions and issues concerning the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers as amended in 1995 (STCW 78/95). During this phase, AMSA surveyors inspected 1025 ships, of which 124 ships recorded deficiencies relating to crew living conditions (12 per cent of those inspected) and 78 recorded deficiencies relating to STCW 78/95 issues (8 per cent of those inspected).

We recorded significant crew living condition deficiencies in the following areas:

• sanitary facilities 27 per cent
• galley handling rooms 19 per cent
• lighting 7 per cent
• drainage 4 per cent
• other (miscellaneous) 43 per cent

We recorded significant STCW 78/95 deficiencies in the following areas:

• certificates for masters and officers 34 per cent
• certificates for ratings for watchkeeping 16 per cent
• certificates for radio personnel 5 per cent
• other (miscellaneous) 45 per cent

This part of the campaign was also used as a mechanism to increase awareness of the possible impact of the end of the transitional provisions of STCW95 on 31 January 2002.

Where certification of seafarers did not fully comply with the STCW95 requirements that would be in force from 1 February 2002, a letter of warning was issued to the ship. 313 such letters were issued, indicating that 30 per cent of ships were crewed by seafarers whose certification was not in full compliance with STCW95. This issue was later recognised by IMO which issued a circular (STCW.7/Circ12) recommending that AMSA surveyors issue letters of warning after 1 February 2002 in such cases rather than detain ships for these deficiencies.

No ships warranted a detention resulting from the items inspected under the focussed inspection campaign.

The fourth phase of the campaign conducted between 1 December 2001 and 31 March 2002 focussed on the requirements of SOLAS Chapters VI and VII, the carriage of cargoes and the carriage of dangerous goods.

The AMSA surveyor's inspection checklist was in two parts:

• general cargo and containerised cargo management
• dry bulk cargo management

During this phase, surveyors inspected 799 ships and AMSA surveyors issued deficiencies to 80 ships relating to various cargo issues. This represents 10 per cent of the eligible ships inspected.

The breakdown of ships inspected by ship type was as follows:

The breakdown of deficiencies by type was as follows:

The fifth phase of the foccussed inspection campaign started on 1 April 2002 and finished on 31 July 2002. This phase looked at MARPOL issues:

• oily water separators and disposal of oil resides
• oil record books
• garbage management.

During this phase, AMSA surveyors inspected 1100 ships and detained 12. This represents 1.1 per cent of the eligible ships inspected. The detentions were all for deficiencies involving oil pollution prevention equipment. Of these 1100 ships 262 (24 per cent), surveyors issued 390 deficiencies in the following categories:

MARPOL annex 1

MARPOL annex V

The sixth and last phase of the focussed inspection campaign started on 1 August 2002 and finished on 30 November 2002. This phase looked at STCW 95 issues. AMSA surveyors revisited this area due to the extraordinary grace period recommended by the IMO prior to full enforcement of STCW 95 compliance, which expired on 31 July 2002.

During this phase, surveyors inspected 1043 ships and detained 28. This represents 2.7 per centof the eligible ships inspected. The detentions related primarily related to flag State endorsements for officer's certification.

AMSA surveyors issued a total of 93 deficiencies to 74 ships (7.1 per cent of those inspected) for the following categories.

During this phase, AMSA surveyors inspected 1043 ships and detained 28. This represents 2.7 per cent of the eligible ships inspected.

The seventh phase of the focussed inspection campaign was conducted between 1 April 2003 and 30 June 2003.

During this campaign 670 ships were inspected, of which 325 ships recorded deficiencies in the following areas:

• Aus. Series chart corrections relating to Notices to Mariners 19 per cent
• Suitability of nautical charts or publications 13 per cent
• Reception of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) 12 per cent
• Voyage plan considering environment protection measures 10 per cent
• Other (miscellaneous) 46 per cent

It is significant that a third of all deficiencies recorded in this campaign (32 per cent) resulted from inadequacies in nautical charts or publications in some form.

This table shows a breakdown of ships inspected by type.

Deficiencies by type

The breakdown of deficiencies by type was as follows:

A focussed inspection campaign was conducted by AMSA Surveyors from May to July 2005. These inspections were conducted in conjunction with regular PSC inspections. 

The aim of the campaign was to improve safety of lifeboat operations; particularly associated with on-load release equipment; and to raise awareness of recent IMO Circulars on the subject. 

718 ships were inspected during the campaign and 320 deficiencies related to lifeboats, their operation and maintenance issued. 10 of these deficiencies were detainable resulting in 6 ships being detained.

Read more about detained ships and the compliance issues identified by AMSA surveyors.

A focussed inspection campaign was conducted by AMSA surveyors from 1 March to 31 May 2007. These inspections were conducted in conjunction with regular port State control inspections.

The campaign focus was decided upon due to an increase in accidents, including fatalities, noted by us as having occurred both internationally and in Australia during mooring operations and general deck work.

The aim of the campaign was primarily to raise awareness of safety issues relating to mooring equipment and procedures, although PSC action could still be taken where issues were noted that required immediate attention.

We also endeavoured to encourage operators to critically assess the level of maintenance of mooring equipment in order to ensure its continuing fitness for use. This is particularly relevant when utilising harbour tugs that have varying capacities that may impact upon the ship arrangements.

The inspections referenced MSC.Circ 1175 extensively, which is a document giving guidelines for implementing the new regulations of SOLAS Chapter II-I Regulation 3 created by MSC Resolution 194(80). These new regulations apply only to ships newly constructed after 1 January 2007. But the majority of the provisions are easily implemented by older ships and were presented as best practice during the campaign.

AMSA surveyors inspected 747 ships during the course of the campaign and recorded 62 deficiencies on 36 ships—none of which warranted a ships detention.

Read more about detained ships and compliance issues identified by AMSA surveyors.