The Paris and Tokyo MOUs on Port State Control announced they will launch a joint concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) on crew familiarization with enclosed space entry. The CIC will run from September 1 to November 30, 2015.
The purpose of the campaign is to ensure ships have effective procedures and measures in place to safeguard seafarers when entering and working in enclosed spaces on board ship, and to check compliance with the applicable SOLAS Convention requirements.
During port state inspections, officers will check in detail the enclosed space entry procedures and measures that are in place. Port State Control Officers will use a questionnaire to establish that crew members are familiar with the relevant equipment and have received training to identify and understand the hazards associated with enclosed space entry.
If a deficiency is found, actions by the port state may vary from recording a deficiency and instructing the master to rectify it within a certain period, to detaining the ship until the deficiency has been rectified. Any detention will be published in the Paris and Tokyo MOU monthly detention lists.
It is expected that approximately 10,000 inspections will be carried out during the CIC.
The results of the campaign will be analyzed, and the findings will be presented to the governing bodies of both MOUs for submission to the IMO.