Part 1 – Inspection of IOPP Certificate, Ship and Equipment

  1.1 On boarding and introduction to the master or responsible ship's officer, the PSCO should examine the IOPP Certificate, including the attached Record of Construction and Equipment, and the Oil Record Book.

  1.2 The certificate carries the information on the type of ship and the dates of surveys and inspections. As a preliminary check it should be confirmed that the dates of surveys and inspections are still valid. Furthermore it should be established if the ship carries an oil cargo and whether the carriage of such oil cargo is in conformity with the certificate (see also paragraph 1.11 of the Record of Construction and Equipment for Oil Tankers).

  1.3 Through examining the Record of Construction and Equipment, the PSCO may establish how the ship is equipped for the prevention of marine pollution.

  1.4 If the certificate is valid and the general impression and visual observations on board confirm a good standard of maintenance, the PSCO should generally confine the inspection to reported deficiencies, if any.

  1.5 If, however, the PSCO from general impressions or observations on board has clear grounds for believing that the condition of the ship or its equipment does not correspond substantially with the particulars of the certificate, a more detailed inspection should be initiated.

  1.6 The inspection of the engine-room should begin with forming a general impression of the state of the engine-room, the presence of traces of oil in the engine-room bilges and the ship's routine for disposing of oil contaminated water from the engine-room spaces.

  1.7 Next a closer examination of the ship's equipment as listed in the IOPP Certificate may take place. This examination should also confirm that no unapproved modifications have been made to the ship and its equipment.

  1.8 Should any doubt arise as to the maintenance or the condition of the ship or its equipment, then further examination and testing may be conducted as considered necessary. In this respect reference is made to annex 3 to the Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), 2011 (resolution A.1053(27)).

  1.9 The PSCO should bear in mind that a ship may be equipped over and above the requirements of Annex I of MARPOL. If such equipment is malfunctioning the flag State should be informed. This alone however should not cause a ship to be detained unless the discrepancy presents an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.

  1.10 In cases of oil tankers, the inspection should include the cargo tank and pump-room area of the ship and should begin with forming a general impression of the layout of the tanks, the cargoes carried, and the routine of cargo slops disposal.

  2.1 As this category of ships is not provided with an IOPP Certificate, the PSCO should be satisfied with regard to the construction and equipment standards relevant to the ship on the basis of the requirements set out in Annex I of MARPOL.

  2.2 In all other respects the PSCO should be guided by the procedures for ships referred to in section 1 above.

  2.3 If the ship has some form of certification other than the IOPP Certificate, the PSCO may take the form and content of this documentation into account in the evaluation of that ship.

 In exercising the control functions, the PSCO should use professional judgement to determine whether to detain the ship until any noted deficiencies are corrected or to allow it to sail with certain deficiencies which do not pose an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment. In doing this, the PSCO should be guided by the principle that the requirements contained in Annex I of MARPOL, in respect of construction and equipment and the operation of ships, are essential for the protection of the marine environment and that departure from these requirements could constitute an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.