Section I – Classification Certificate
From this article on it is the intention to explain more about the certificates of a vessel and what is behind. As the general topic is quite complex, it has been divided into six sub-sections, which will be described step by step in the next upcoming issues of Briese News.
The details are based on a geared Dry-Cargo / Multi-Purpose vessel - example M/V BBC Oregon.
Section I – Classification Certificate
Section II – Statutory Certificates
Section III – Statutory Marpol Certificates
Section IV – Cargo and gear, lifting appliances
Section V – Permanent Certificates, DoC, LoC, SoC
Section VI – Special and Extraordinary
Section I – Classification Certificate
In general ships are built in accordance with the rules and regulations of a classification society. The classification so-ciety approves the relevant drawings and inspects the con-struction.
Section I – Classification Certificate
Section II – Statutory Certificates Section III – Statutory Marpol Certificates Section IV – Cargo and gear, lifting appliances Section V – Permanent Certificates, DoC, LoC, SoC Section VI – Special and Extraordinary
Briese Shipping is working with following classification societies: • DNVGL
- NK
- LR
- BV
- KR
Upon completion of construction the classification society issues a Certificate of Class, which can be seen as the “birth-day” of a vessel, when the first time certificates were issued.
The validity or class period is running for five years; begin-ning with completion date (“birthday”) of the vessel and has to be endorsed every year, on completion of the annual and intermediate or periodical surveys.
During the annual survey it will be confirmed that the hull and equipment, machinery and systems of the ship com-plies with the relevant rule requirements and is in satisfacto-rily maintained condition. The thoroughness and stringency of the survey should depend upon the condition of the ship and its equipment. In addition to the annual survey the in-termediate survey includes visual examinations, measure-ments and testing as applicable, of the hull and equipment, machinery and systems.
The relevant scope of items to be surveyed depends on the vessel specification, age and so on.
Often due dates for class surveys are mixed up; therefore the survey cycle of the class certificates will be explained in more detail as well as the office control mechanism.
The picture on the right shows the class certificate; this cer-tificate shows the main date in respect to classification sur-vey cycle of five years.
In order to calculate and understand the survey cycle it is most important to know when the vessel was delivered; means the “birthday” of the vessel. This information may be found for example in the statutory certificate – cargo ship safety construction. Under normal conditions the significant
factor for a survey is always the expiring date of the class certificate and will be never change under normal condi-tions. Based on the “birthday” of a vessel the lifecycle of the class certificates is quite simple to be calculated.
The below timeline shall give an overview when an annual or intermediate surveys need to be carried out based on the “date of delivery (birthday)” of a vessel.
Attention: The bottom survey has a different time sched-ule as the intermediate survey; but to finish the inter-mediate survey the bottom survey has to be fi nalized.
NOTICE: The dates in the blue and red box are the real dates, when a surveyor actually was on board in order to conduct a survey. But this date is irrelevant for the next class survey and has no influence on the survey cycle of a vessel.
Periodical surveys shall be carried out at suggested intervals and within applicable time windows. A survey may be split in different parts, commenced and progressed within the time window provided all the requirements for the survey are completed by the end of the time window.
Surveys for which survey windows do not apply are:
- boiler survey
- bottom survey.
The bottom survey schedule is two bottom surveys during the five year survey cycle of the classification certificate.
Maximum sailing time without bottom survey is limited to 36 month = three years maximum. A bottom survey can be carried out in drydock or in water by diving survey. But latest to class renewal the vessel must get out of the water for de-tailed inspections like sea-chests and valves, tanks, pressure bodies, measurements etc. Exceptions may be granted, taking into account special circumstances. The decision whether for drydock or in-water survey for the ‘in-between’ bottom survey is made by the Fleetmanagement in conjunc-tion with the responsible Inspection Team.
The following class certificate related surveys may be scheduled in conjunction with one annual, intermediate or renewal survey and is pending on different factors and is negotiated between the technical superintendent and class surveyor.
- Propeller shaft survey
- Propeller connection survey
- Propulsion thruster survey
- Boiler survey (including steam generator survey)
- Thermal oil heater survey
- Survey of additional class notations.
The Inspection Department, mainly the Assistants of each Inspection Group have two control mechanisms to keep track of the expiration dates: One is the on-line database provided by the different classification societies working with regular reminders via email about expiring items.
In order to keep track of all certificates, service dates, tests and checks the internal iBOSS System is in place, which is in-dividually tailored to the individual ship. Extracts of DNVGL and iBOSS database as following:
Many flagstates delegate their tasks to the classification society and therefore on many vessels also the statutory certificates are issued by the class.