The six maritime authorities of the Riyadh MOU on Port State Control (PSC) have announced that they will be running a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) from 1 October 2014 until 31 December 2014 addressing compliance with SOLAS Chapter II-2 and the International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code).
Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) conducting routine PSC inspections during the currency of the CIC will use an additional checklist of 14 items covering the following areas:
- Fire Control Plan
- Fire detection and alarm systems
- Fire fighting appliances and equipment
- Fire suppression systems
- Emergency fire pump and fire main isolation valves
- Escape route lighting
- The Planned Maintenance System (PMS) in place in respect of these areas
In addition to the physical inspection and testing of the foregoing areas, the crew may be required to demonstrate their familiarity with the fire fighting systems and appliances and be called upon to conduct a fire drill for the benefit of the PSCO.
If deficiencies are found, the action taken will depend on the severity of the findings. Serious deficiencies may result in the vessel being detained, particularly if the PSCO answers “No” to one or more of the three questions on the additional checklist marked with an asterisk.
Source: West of England P&I club
This Riyadh MoU CIC is similar to the CIC on Fire Safety Systems (FSS) for the Paris and Tokyo MoUs in 2012 and the ongoing FSS CIC for the Caribbean MoU (1 September to 30 November 2014), what we announced at The MoU Inspection Organization. PSCOs will focus on fire-safety-related issues, with special attention to:
- Maintenance and availability of firefighting equipment.
- Familiarity among the master, officers and crew on how to use and maintain the firefighting equipment.
- Raised awareness of fire-safety-related issues.
During the CIC on Fire Safety Systems, Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) will go through an obligatory 13-item questionnaire. http://mouinspection.org/training/