Harmonised System of Certification & Survey

Objective- To Generate a Simple, Flexible System

HARMONISED SURVEY & CERTIFICATION SYSTEM

The shipping industry has been concerned about the revenue lost when ships are taken out of service for surveys to take place.

BENEFITS OF THE HARMONISED SYSTEM

The main advantage of the system is to bring commercial benefits in terms of the flexibility of the survey schedule in allowing surveys to fit-in with the working life of the vessel. Other benefits include a reduction in the number of surveyors, survey time and paper work, thus cutting costs & increasing profits.

PROVISIONS OF THE HSSC

A one year standard renewal between surveys. Renewal surveys may be completed within 3 months of the expiry date of the certificate without affecting its period of validity. If an extension is granted then the new certificate will be dated from the date of expiry of the previous one. Certificates for cargo ships will be valid for 5 years.

 Surveys required to keep certificates valid may be held with +/- 3 months of the survey date. There is some flexibility as regards to surveys. The maximum validity of a Passenger Ship Safety certificate is one year.

CHANGES UNDER THE HARMONISED SYSTEM

No more unscheduled inspections. Mandatory annual inspections instead. Ships bottom to be expected at least twice in 5 years. Interval between inspections not more than 3 years. There is a provision for a combined Cargo Ship Certificate.

ALL CERTIFICATES ARE VALIDATED AS FOLLOWS

RENEWAL Checks that everything covered by a certificate is in a satisfactory condition. PERIODICAL (Radio) Checks that the items covered in the Renewal Survey are still satisfactory. INTERMEDIATE Looks at special items in depth to ensure that they remain satisfactory.

 ANNUAL General inspection to ensure that items remain in a satisfactory condition. ADDITIONAL An inspection made after major repairs.

Commercial Advantages
Commercial Advantages
Increased Profits

Cost Reduction

Revenue Increase
At Sea for Longer Earning Freight

Administration

Easier Planning

Less Paperwork Lower Taxes

Harmonised System of Certification & Survey

SOLAS / MARPOL / LOADLINE

Certificates Under HSSC

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Passenger Ship Safety Certificate; Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate; Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate; Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate; International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate; International sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate International Noxious Liquid Substances Prevention Certificate; 8. International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate 9. International Load Line Certificate; 10. International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk; and 11. International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk.

A maximum period of validity of 5 years for all certificates for cargo ships. A maximum period of validity of 12 months for the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate. there is a time window of 6 months, from 3 months before to 3 months after the anniversary date of the certificate for annual, intermediate and periodical surveys.

The principal changes to the survey and certification requirements of SOLAS 74/88 resulting from implementation of the HSSC are as follows:
1. Unscheduled inspections are no longer included and annual surveys are mandatory for cargo ships. 2. Intervals between periodical surveys of equipment covered by the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate are alternatively at intervals of two and three years instead of two years. 3. Intermediate surveys are required for all ships under the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate. 4. Inspections of the outside of the ships bottom are required for all cargo ships. 5. Intermediate surveys for the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate are held within 3 months of either the second or third anniversary date. 6. All cargo ship certificates may be issued for any period of validity up to 5 years. 7. There is a provision for a Cargo Ship Safety Certificate. 8. The extension provisions have been reduced from 5 months to 3 months to enable a ship to complete its voyage and the extension for one month for a period of grace is limited to ships engaged on short voyages.

Under the HSSC, there are seven types of survey:

a) Initial Survey. b) Renewal Survey. c) Periodical Survey. d) Intermediate Survey. e) Annual Survey. f) Inspection of the Outside of the Ships Bottom. g) Additional Survey.

Types of Survey- Page 105

Decreased Rigor

Additional

Annual

Intermediate

Periodical Renewal

surveys under the HSSC as follows:

An initial survey is a complete inspection before a ship is put into service of all the items relating to a particular certificate to ensure that the relevant requirements are complied with and that these items are satisfactory for the service for which the ship is intended. A periodical survey is an inspection of (all) the items relating to the particular certificate to ensure that they are in a satisfactory condition and fit for the service for which the ship is intended. A renewal survey is the same as a periodical survey but also leads to the issue of a new certificate.

 An intermediate survey is an inspection of specified items relevant to the particular certificate to ensure that they are in a satisfactory condition and fit for the service for which the ship is intended. An annual survey is a general inspection of the items relating to the particular certificate to ensure that they have been maintained and remain satisfactory for the service for which the ship is intended. An inspection of the outside of the ships bottom is an inspection of the underwater part of the ship and related items to ensure that they are in a satisfactory condition and fit for the service for which the ship is intended. An additional survey is an inspection, either general or partial according to the circumstances, to be made after a repair resulting from investigations or whenever any important repairs or renewals are made. * The scope of each of these surveys (i.e. the particular items surveyed, inspected and/or tested) depends on whether the ship is a passenger ship or a cargo ship, and is described in MSN 1751

Years

0
0

1
9 12 15

2
21 24 27

3
33 36 39

4
45 48 51

5
57 60 63

Month
Pass Radio
SAFCON
SAFEQUI P

Ren. Per

Ren. Per

Ren. Per

Ren. Per

Ren Ren

An
An An An An An An

An/Int
An/Per

Int/An
Per/An

An
An An An An An An

Ren
Ren Ren Ren Ren Ren Ren

IGC/GC
IBC/BCH
LOAD LINE

An/Int An/Int An An/Int An/int

Int/An Int/An An Int/An Int/An

Annex1 Annex 2

INTERNATIONAL AIR POLLUTION PREVENTION CERTIFICATE

Initial surveys Annual surveys Intermediate surveys Renewal surveys

INTERNATIONAL SEWAGE POLLUTION PREVENTION CERTIFICATE

Initial surveys Renewal survey

Summary of Main Points

No Unscheduled PSSC Inspections Survey Renewal Flexibility 1 Yr Ships Bottom Inspected Twice In 5 years

Surveys 1 Yr +/- 3m

Harmonised System

Validity Of CS Certs 5 Yrs

3 Month Extension

Combined CS Safety Cert