IMMARBE requires an Occasional Survey Program for vessels trading in the Paris MoU

07 March 2017 |  C17014

All registered vessels regardless of age detained in the Paris MOU in the past 12 months will immediately enter into the Occasional Survey Program for a period of 24 months starting from the date of detention with the intention to minimize the risk of further detentions.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners / Managers / Operators  | Surveyors

An occasional survey will be performed by Dromon, who acts as the vessel’s RO and has issued the statutory certificates. In the case that the vessel is holding statutory certificates issued by a different RO, the occasional survey shall be carried out by the RO that issued the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate, Load Line Certificate, Safety Equipment Certificate, or the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate. After completion of the survey, Dromon shall issue a Statement and shall communicate to IMMARBE’s Technical Department, prior to the vessel’s departure to a port located within a country member of the Paris MoU.

The scope of such occasional survey must cover all conditions as far as practicable relating to construction, security, pollution prevention, maritime safety, maritime labor and compliance with all national and international regulations applicable to the vessel; in other words, the scope will be equivalent to Annual Surveys. If deficiencies are found at the time of the occasional survey, they need to be rectified as soon as possible and prior to entering any Paris MoU port.

This occasional survey will be valid for six (6) months and can be advanced with the purpose to make it concurrent with the annual, intermediate, or renewal survey, but it may not be delayed for these same reasons. This means that, if the vessel is still trading to ports within the Paris MOU, and the occasional survey was carried out more than six months ago, a new occasional shall be carried out.

The operators and owners are under the obligation to request such survey ahead of time to Dromon, which shall notify the operators and owners the need to conduct such survey under the conditions established IMMARBE’s Circular.

In the case that Belize Administration identifies a vessel to be included in the Occasional Survey Program, which are operating within the ports of country members to the Paris MoU, the occasional survey must be performed before the vessel departs the port where it may be on March 01, 2017.

In the case that the Dromon had issued the vessels Statutory Certificates within a thirty (30) days’ time frame, the Technical Department of IMMARBE can accept the submission of a Statement from the RO stating that the vessel is found in compliance with this circular, which will have a validity of six (6) months.

Those vessels subject to the above requirements, which do not perform the obligatory occasional survey or that are detained two (2) times within a six (6) months period by a Maritime Authority member of the Paris MoU, will be fined and cancelled from Belize registry.

Act now

Ship owners / Managers / Operators are recommended to be guided by the above IMMARBE requirements and be noted that all Belizean registered vessels operating within Paris MoU Area or intended to call any Paris MoU Port shall comply with all requirements stated in the Merchant Marine Notice 15-01 regarding PSC Analysis of Detentions and submit relevant PSC Checklist and Crew List within the time frame stated in this Circular to IMMARBE Technical Department.