CMOU Launches Enclosed Space Inspection Campaign

 

The aims of the campaign are to ensure compliance with the applicable requirements of the SOLAS, STCW, MLC and ILO Conventions; ensure that masters, officers and crew members are familiar with relevant equipment and have received training in carrying out their duties; raise safety awareness among crew serving on board; and ensure that ships have effective procedures and measures in place to safeguard seafarers when entering and working in enclosed spaces on board ship.

 

During port state inspections, officers will check in detail the procedures and measures that are in place for enclosed space entry. 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. A copy of the questionnaire is not publicly available but CMOU advise they “will not depart from standard inspections practices when it comes to SOLAS regulations with respect to 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 detention of the ship until the deficiency has been rectified. Any detention will be published in the monthly detention lists of the Caribbean MOU.

 

The results of the campaign will be analysed and the findings will be presented to the governing body of the CMOU for submission to the IMO.