The shipping industry’s guide to ensure and go beyond compliance with proper documentation
IMO member states are welcoming the concept of moving from paper to electronic record. This shift allows shipping companies not only to ensure compliance but to improve business performance.
We can all agree that it is important to enhance maritime safety and prevent pollution, but it also takes a lot of hard work! To achieve compliance, shipping companies are seeking to invest in digital tools and by doing so, they also have the opportunity to go beyond compliance.
The workload to achieve compliance onboard vessels is becoming time consuming, and this is something shipping companies must deal with in a smart and efficient way to stay competitive.
Several digital tools have already seen the light of day, and you need to prepare your setup now, so you are ready to face tomorrow’s challenges and demands for documentation and compliance.
So let’s dive into it and see how you by digitalizing your records for Port State Control Inspections can improve your business (without heavy investments).
1. Prepare your documents for PSC Inspections
A Port State Control (PSC) survey not only includes inspection of machinery and equipment such as the deck and engine. It also involves verifying of several ship certificates, documents, technical details, and structural elements of the ship.
The Port State Control Officer starts out by checking relevant PSC Documentation and certificates during the initial inspection. If your documents are well prepared, available and not falsely maintained, you can avoid a more detailed inspection.
Examples of documents which are typically checked:
- Trading certificates (validity, overdue, timeframe and well arranged)
- Test certificates
- Previous PSC reports
- Safety Management Certificate
- International Tonnage Certificate
- Documentation abt. Order for spares or services
- Work plan and rest hour documentation
- Crew certificates
- Flag endorsements
During initial inspection, your official logbooks are checked to see if they are correct and up-to date. The Oil Record Book is a key document, and it is important to make correct entries every time. Signatures and format such as date, operational code and item number are always checked.
Any errors will cause unnecessary problems with Port State Control and the most frequent Port State Control detention deficiency is actually the result of anomalies with the Oil Record Book.
The PSC officer may inspect the Oil Record Book onboard and compare the entries with the tank sounding log to understand the correctness of the records. He may also make a copy of any entry in the book and require the master of the ship to certify that the copy is a true copy. This copy is admissible in any juridical proceedings as evidence of the facts stated in the entry.
