Resolution MEPC.94(46)

CONDITION ASSESSMENT SCHEME THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE

(Adopted on 27 April 2001)

 

RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention on the Inter­national Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (the Committee) conferred upon it by international conventions for the preven­tion and control of marine pollution,

 

RECALLING ALSO that, by resolution MEPC.52(32), the Committee adopted regulations 13F and 13G of Annex I to the Protocol of 1978 relating to the international Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as amended (MARPOL 73/78), with a view to improving the requirements for the design and construction of oil tankers to prevent oil pol­lution in the event of collision or stranding,

 

HAVING ADOPTED, at its forty-sixth session, amendments to regulation 13G of Annex I to MARPOL 73/78 by resolution MEPC.95(46) to accelerate the phase-out of single hull tankers in an effort to further enhance the protection of the marine en­vironment,

 

NOTING that, in accordance with the revised regulation 13G of Annex I to MARPOL 73/78, an Administration may al­low a Category 1 tanker to continue operating beyond the anni­versary of the date of delivery of the ship in 2005 and a Category 2 tanker beyond the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship in 20101 provided that the requirements of a Condition As­sessment Scheme adopted by the Committee are complied with,

 

RECOGNISING the need to provide the required Condition Assessment Scheme for the purposes of application of the revised to regulation 13G of Annex I to MARPOL 73/78,

 

HAVING CONSIDERED the draft Condition Assessment Scheme which was prepared by the MEPC Intercessional Working Group and further amended by the Committee at its forty-sixth session,

 

1. ADOPTS the Condition Assessment Scheme, the text of which is set out at annex to the present resolution, with the understand­ing that the Model Survey will be developed at MEPC 47 and will be mandatory;

 

2. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit certified copies of the present resolution and the text of the Condition Assessment Scheme contained in the annex to all Parties to MARPOL 73/78;

 

3. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit copies of the present resolution and its annex to Members of the Organization, which are not Parties to MARPOL 73/78;

 

4. INVITES the Maritime Safety Committee to note the Condi­tion Assessment Scheme;

 

5. URGES the Maritime Safety Committee to consider introduc­ing and incorporating relevant elements and provisions of the Condition Assessment Scheme in the Guidelines on the Enhanced Programme of Inspections During Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers adopted resolution A.744(18) as amended by the reso­lution 2 of the 1997 SOLAS Conference, by resolution MSC.49(66) and by resolution MSC.105(73)) when reviewing the Guidelines; and

 

6. FURTHER URGES Parties to MARPOL 73/78 to:

 

.1 transmit when a ship flying their flag is transferred un­der the flag of another Party to MARPOL 73/78, if they are requested by the latter Party to MARPOL 73/78 and for the purpose of ensuring the uniform and consistent implementation of the provisions of the Condition As­sessment Scheme, copies of all documents and records relating to the assessment of the ship in question for compliance with the requirements of the Condition As­sessment Scheme; and

 

.2 accept, in the light of the fact that certain Category 1 oil tankers have to carry out the required CAS survey prior to 1 September 2002, valid Statements of Compli­ance issued pursuant to the provisions of the Condition Assessment Scheme following satisfactory completion of CAS surveys commenced prior to 1 September 2002.

 

  Annex.

CONDITION ASSESSMENT SCHEME

 1. PREAMBLE.

 

1.1 The Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS) is intended to complement the requirements of Annex B of the Guidelines on the enhanced programme of inspections during surveys of bulk carriers and oil tankers (hereinafter called Enhanced Survey Programme of Inspections), adopted by the Assembly of the International Mari­time Organization by resolution A.744(18), as amended. The CAS is to verify that the structural condition of single hull oil tankers at the time of survey is acceptable and, provided subsequent periodi­cal surveys are satisfactorily completed and effective maintenance is carried out by the ship's operator, will continue to be acceptable for a continued period of operation, as indicated in the Statement of Compliance.

 

1.2 The requirements of the CAS include enhanced and trans­parent verification of the reported structural condition and of the ship and verification that the documentary and survey procedures have been properly carried out and completed.

 

1.3 The Scheme requires that compliance with the CAS is as­sessed during the Enhanced Survey Programme of Inspections concurrent with intermediate or renewal surveys currently re­quired by resolution A.744(18) as amended.

 

1.4 The CAS does not specify structural standards in excess of the provisions of other International Maritime Organization con­ventions, codes and recommendations.

 

1.5 The CAS has been developed on the basis of the require­ments of resolution A.744(18), as amended, which were known* at the time of the adoption of the CAS. It is the intention to update the CAS as and when the need arises following amendments to res­olution A.744(18), as amended.

_______________

* Assembly resolution A.744(18) as amended by resolution 2 of the 1997 SOLAS Conference. By resolution MSC.49(66) and by resolution MSC.105(73).

 

 2. PURPOSE.

 

The purpose of the Condition Assessment Scheme is to provide an international standard to meet the requirements of regulation 13G(7) of Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, as amended by resolution MEPC 95(46).

 

 3. DEFINITIONS.

 

For the purpose of the CAS, unless expressly provided other­wise:

 

.1 "MARPOL 73/78" means the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as amended.

 

.2 "Regulation" means the regulations contained in An­nex I of MARPOL 73/78.

 

.3 "Resolution A.744(18), as amended" means the Guide­lines on the Enhanced Programme of inspections dur­ing Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil tankers adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organiza­tion by resolution A.744(18), as amended by Resolution 2 of the 1997 SOLAS Conference and by resolutions MSC.49(66) and MSC.105(73).

 

.4 "Recognised Organization (RO)" means an organization recognized by the Administration to perform the sur­veys in accordance with the provisions of regulation 4(3) of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78.

 

.5 "Administration" means the Government of the State as defined in Article 2(5) of MARPOL 73/78.

 

.6 "Category 1 oil tanker" means an oil tanker of 20,000 tons deadweight and above carrying crude oil, fuel oil, heavy diesel oil or lubricating oil as cargo, and of 30,000 tons deadweight and above carrying oil other than the above, which does not comply with the re­quirements for new oil tankers as defined in regula­tion 1(26) of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78.

 

.7 "Category 2 oil tanker" means an oil tanker of 20,000 tons deadweight and above carrying crude oil, fuel oil, heavy diesel oil or lubricating oil as cargo, and of 30,000 tons deadweight and above carrying oil other than the above, which complies with the requirements for new oil tankers as defined in regulation 1(26) of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78.

 

.8 "Company" means the owner of the ship or any other organization or person such as the manager or the bareboat charterer, who has assumed the responsibility for the operation of the ship from the owner of the ship and who, on assuming such responsibility, has agreed to take over all duties and responsibilities im­posed by the International Safety Management (ISM) Code.

 

.9 "Substantial corrosion" means an extent of corrosion such that the assessment of the corrosion pattern indi­cates wastage in excess of 7596 of the allowable mar­gins, but within acceptable limits.

 

.10 "GOOD condition" means a coating condition with only minor spot rusting.

 

.11 "Thickness Measurement (TM) Firm" means a qualified company certified by a RO in accordance with the principles stipulated in annex 7 to Annex В to resolu­tion A.744(18), as amended.

 

.12 "Critical Structural Areas" are locations which have been identified from calculations to require monitoring or from the service history of the subject ship or from similar or sister ships to be sensitive to cracking, buck­ling or corrosion which would impair the structural in­tegrity of the ship.

 

.13 "Suspect Areas" are locations showing substantial cor­rosion and/or are considered by the attending surveyor to be prone to rapid wastage.

 

.14 "Organization" means the International Maritime Orga­nization.

 

 4. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

 

4.1 The Administration shall issue, or cause to be issued, de­tailed instructions to the RO which shall ensure that the CAS sur­veys are carried out in accordance with the provisions of sections 5 through 10 of this Scheme.

 

4.2 Nothing in this Scheme shall prevent an Administration from carrying out the CAS surveys itself, provided that such sur­veys are at least as effective as those prescribed in sections 5 through 10 in this Scheme.

 

4.3 The Administration shall require Category 1 and 2 oil tankers flying its flag to remain out of service during the periods referred to in paragraphs 51.1 and 51.2 respectively, until these oil tankers are issued with a valid Statement of Compliance.

 

 5. APPLICATION, SCOPE AND TIMING.

 

 5.1 Application.

 

The requirements of the CAS apply to:

 

.1 Category 1 oil tankers, as defined in section 3, where authorization is requested for continued service beyond the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship in 2005 through to the date as specified in the schedule indicated for compliance with the double hull require­ments of regulation 13F, detailed in regulation 13G.

 

.2 Category 2 oil tankers, as defined in section 3, where authorization is requested for continued service beyond the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship in 2010, through to the date as specified in schedule indi­cated for compliance with the double hull requirements of regulation 13F, detailed in regulation 13G.

 

 5.2 Scope of the CAS.

 

The CAS shall apply to surveys of the hull structure in way of cargo tanks, pump rooms, cofferdams, pipe tunnels, void spaces within the cargo area and all ballast tanks.

 

 5.3 Timing

 

5.3.1 The first CAS survey shall be aligned to the Enhanced Sur­vey Programme of Inspection and shall be carried out concurrent with the scheduled intermediate or renewal survey due prior to the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship In 2005 for Cate­gory 1 tankers and prior to the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship to 2010 for Category 2 tankers.

 

5.3.2 Any subsequent CAS surveys, required for the renewal of the Statement of Compliance shall be carried out concurrently with the intermediate or renewal survey which has to be completed by the date of expiry of the Statement of Compliance.

 

5.3.3 Notwithstanding the above, the Company may, with the agreement of the Administration, opt to carry out the first CAS survey at a different time from that of the due survey referred to above, provided that all the requirements of the CAS are complied with.

 

 6. SURVEY PLANNING REQUIREMENTS.

 

 6.1 Preparations for the CAS survey.

 

 6.1.1 General procedures.

 

6.1.1.1 Early and detailed planning to identify areas of potential risk is a prerequisite for the successful and timely completion of the CAS. The following sequence of events shall be observed.

 

6.1.1.2 Notification from the Company to the Administration and to the RO of its intention to proceed with the CAS shall be submit­ted not less than 8 months prior to the planned commencement of the CAS survey.

 

6.1.1.3 Upon receipt of such notification the RO shall:

 

.1 issue to the Company the Survey Banning Ques­tionnaire (see Appendix 2) not later than 7 months prior to the planned commencement of the CAS survey; and

 

.2 advise the Company whether there have been any changes to the maximum acceptable structural cor­rosion diminution levels applicable to the ship.

 

6.1.1.4 The Company shall complete and return the Survey planning Questionnaire to the RO not less man 5 months prior to the planned commencement of the CAS survey. A copy of the completed questionnaire shall be forwarded by the Company to the Administration.

 

6.1.1.5 The Survey Plan for the CAS shall be completed and sub­mitted in signed order by the Company to the RO not less than 2 months prior to the planned commencement of the CAS survey. A copy of the Survey Plan for the CAS shall be forwarded by the Company to the Administration.

 

6.1.1.6 In special circumstances, such as re-activation from lay-up or unexpected events such as an extended stoppage period for hull or machinery damage, the Administration may, on a case by case basis, relax the time frame, outlined in 6.1.1.2 to 6.1.1.5 for com­mencement of CAS procedures.

 

6.1.1.7 Such relaxation shall, at all times, be subject to the RO having sufficient time to complete the CAS survey and for the Ad­ministration to review the CAS Final Report and issue the State­ment of Compliance prior to the dates referred to 5.1.

 

 6.1.2 Survey Plan for the CAS.

 

6.1.2.1 The Survey Plan for the CAS shall be developed by the Company in cooperation with the RO. The Administration may participate in the development of the Survey Plan, if it deems nec­essary. The RO shall be fully satisfied that the Survey Plan com­plies with the requirements of 6.2.2 prior to the CAS survey being commenced. The CAS survey shall not commence unless and until the Survey Plan has been agreed.

 

6.1.2.2 The Survey Banning Questionnaire shall be drawn up based on the format set out in Appendix 2.

 

 6.2 Survey Plan documentation.

 

6.2.1 In developing the Survey Plan, the following documenta­tion shall be collected and reviewed with a view to identifying tanks, areas and structural elements to be examined:

 

.1 basic ship information and survey status;

 

.2 main structural plans of cargo and ballast tanks (scantling drawings), including information regard­ing use of high tensile steels (HTS);

 

.3 Condition Evaluation Report, according to Annex 9 of Annex В of resolution A.744(18). as amended, and, where relevant, any previous CAS Final Re­ports;

 

.4 thickness measurement reports;

 

.5 relevant previous damage and repair history;

 

.6 relevant previous survey and inspection reports from both the RO and the Company;

 

.7 cargo and ballast history for the last 3 years, in­cluding carriage of cargo under heated conditions;

 

.8 details of the inert gas plant and tank cleaning pro­cedures as indicated in the Survey Planning Ques­tionnaire;

 

.9 information and other relevant data regarding con­version or modification of the ship's cargo and bal­last tanks since the time of construction;

 

.10 description and history of the coating and corrosion protection system (including anodes and previous class notations). If any;

 

.11 inspections by the Company's personnel during the test 3 years with reference to:

 

.1 structural deterioration in general;

.2 leakages in tank boundaries and piping;

.3 condition of the coating and corrosion protec­tion system (including anodes), if any;

 

.12 information regarding the relevant maintenance level during operation including:

 

.1 port State control reports of inspection con­taining hull related deficiencies;

.2 Safety Management System non-conformities relating to hull maintenance, including the as­sociated corrective action(s); and

 

.13 any other information that will help identify Sus­pect Areas and Critical Structural Areas.

 

6.2.2 The Survey Plan shall include relevant information so as to enable the successful and efficient execution of the CAS survey and shall set out the requirements with respect to close-up surveys and thickness measurements. The Survey Plan shall include:

 

.1 basic ship information and particulars;

 

.2 main structural plans of cargo and ballast tanks (scantling drawings), including information regard­ing use of high tensile steels (HTS);

 

.3 arrangement of tanks;

 

.4 list of tanks with information on their use, extent of coatings and corrosion protection systems;

 

.5 conditions for survey (e.g. information regarding tank cleaning, gas freeing, ventilation, lighting, etc.);

 

.6 provisions and methods for access to structures;

 

.7 equipment for surveys;

 

.8 identification of tanks and areas for the close-up survey;

 

.9 identification of tanks for tank testing, as per An­nex 3 of Annex В of resolution A.744(18), as amended;

 

.10 identification of areas and sections for thickness measurement;

 

.11 identification of the Thickness Measurement (TM) firm;

 

.12 damage experience related to the ship in question; and

 

.13 Critical Structural Areas and Suspect Areas, where relevant.

 

 6.3 Documentation on board.

 

6.3.1 The Company shall ensure that, in addition to the agreed Survey Plan, all other documents used in the development of the Survey Plan referred to in 6.2.1 are available on board at the time of the CAS survey.

 

6.3.2 Prior to the commencement of any part of the CAS survey, the attending surveyor(s) shall examine and ascertain the com­pleteness of the on board documentation and shall review its con­tents with a view to ensuring that the Survey Plan remains rele­vant.

 

 7. CAS SURVEY REQUIREMENTS.

 7.1 General.

 

7.1.1 Prior to the commencement of any part of the CAS survey a meeting shall be held between the attending surveyor(s), the Company's representative(s) in attendance, the TM Firm Opera­tor (as applicable) and the master of the ship for the purpose of as­certaining that all the arrangements envisaged in the Survey Plan are in place, so as to ensure the safe and efficient execution of the survey work to be carried out.

 

7.1.2 The CAS survey shall be carried out by not less than two qualified exclusive surveyors of the RO. A qualified surveyor of the RO shall attend on board during the taking of the thickness mea­surements for the purpose of controlling the process.

 

7.1.3 The RO shall designate the surveyor(s) and any other per­sonnel who will be engaged in the CAS of each vessel and shall keep records to this end. A qualified surveyor(s) shall have docu­mented experience in carrying out intermediate or renewal surveys in accordance with the Enhanced Survey Programme of Inspec­tion for tankers, addition, all RO personnel to be assigned duties in connection with the CAS shall complete, prior to the assign­ment of such duties, an appropriate training and familiarization programme to enable the RO to ensure the consistent and uniform application of the CAS. The Administration shall require the RO to keep records of the qualifications and experience of the survey­ors and of other personnel assigned to carry out work for the CAS. The Administration shall require the RO to monitor the perfor­mance of the personnel who have carried out or have been engaged in any CAS work and to keep records to this end.

 

7.1.4 When the CAS survey is split between survey stations, a list of the items examined and an indication of whether the CAS survey has been completed shall be made available to the attending surveyors at the next survey station prior to continuing the CAS survey.

 

7.1.5 Whenever the attending surveyors are of the opinion that repairs are required, each item to be repaired shall be identified to a numbered list Whenever repairs are carried out, details of the re­pairs effected shall be reported by making specific reference to rel­evant items in the numbered list.

 

7.1.6 Whenever the attending surveyors are of the opinion that it is acceptable to defer hull repairs beyond the due date previously assigned, such a decision shall not be left to the sole discretion of the attending surveyors. The RO Headquarters shall be consulted in such circumstances and shall give specific approval to the rec­ommended action.

 

7.1.7 The CAS survey is not complete unless all recommenda­tions/conditions of class which relate to hull structures under re­view by the CAS survey have been rectified to the satisfaction of the RO.

 

 7.2 Extent of overall and close-up surveys.

 

 7.2.1 Overall survey.

 

An overall survey of all spaces set out in 5.2 shall be carried out at the CAS survey.

 

 7.2.2 Close-up survey.

 

The requirements for close-up surveys at the CAS survey are set out in the table below.

Table 7.2.2

 

Notes:

1. Complete transversely frame ring including adjacent structural members.

2. Complete transverse bulkhead, including girder and stiffener systems and adja­cent members.

 

7.2.3 The attending surveyors may extend the scope of the close-up survey as considered necessary, taking into account the Survey Ban, the condition of the spaces under survey, the condi­tion of the corrosion prevention system and also the following:

 

.1 any information that may be available on Critical Structural Areas;

 

.2 tanks which have structures with reduced scantlings in association with a corrosion prevention system approved by the RO.

 

7.2.4 For areas in tanks where coatings are found to be in GOOD condition, the extent of close-up surveys according to 7.2.2 may be specially considered by the RO. However, sufficient close-up surveys shall be carried out, in all cases, to confirm the actual average condition of the structure and to note the maximum observed diminution of the structure.

 

 7.3 Extent of thickness measurements.

 

7.3.1 The thickness measurements shall be recorded using the tables contained in Appendix 2 of Annex 10 of Annex B of resolu­tion A.744(18), as amended. It is recommended that these records be kept in an electronic medium.

 

7.3.2 The thickness measurements shall be carried out either prior to or, to the maximum extent possible, concurrently with the close-up survey.

 

7.3.3 The minimum requirements for thickness measurements for the CAS surveys shall be those set out in the table below:

 

Table 7.3.3

 

7.3.4 Where substantial corrosion is found, the extent of the thickness measurements shall be increased in accordance with Annex 4 of Annex В of resolution A.744(18), as amended.

 

7.3.5 In addition, the thickness measurements may be extended as considered necessary by the attending surveyors.

 

7.3.6 For areas in tanks where coatings are found to be in GOOD condition, the extent of thickness measurements, accord­ing to paragraph 7.3.3, may be specially considered by the RO. However, sufficient thickness measurements shall be taken, in all cases, to confirm the actual average condition and the maximum observed diminution of the structure.

 

7.3.7 The thickness measurement to be taken shall be sufficient to enable the reserve strength calculations in accordance with An­nex 12 of Annex В of resolution A.744(18), as amended.

 

7.3.8 Transverse sections shall be chosen where the maximum diminutions are expected to occur or are revealed from deck plat­ing thickness measurements. At least one transverse section shall include a ballast tank within 0.5L amidships.