Statutory alert: Guidance on completing the Certificate of Fitness on tankers Applicability: Owners and managers of oil tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers
Further to Class News No. 17/2015, the IMO has issued MSC-MEPC.5/Circ.14 and approved the Guidance on completing the Certificate of Fitness under the IBC, BCH, IGC, GC and EGC Codes, when issued to ships that need not yet comply with the requirements to be fitted with an approved stability instrument (e.g. at a change of flag or when the vessel’s cargo list changes).
The Certificate of Fitness under the IBC, BCH, IGC, GC and EGC Codes, as applicable, should be issued with certain lines struck through, in addition to striking the options that do not apply:
“… That the ship must be loaded:
.1 only in accordance with loading conditions verified compliant with intact and damage stability requirements using the approved stability instrument fitted in accordance with paragraph 2.2.6 of the Code;
.2 where a waiver permitted by paragraph 2.2.7 of the Code is granted and the approved stability instrument required by paragraph 2.2.6 of the Code is not fitted, loading shall be made in accordance with one or more of the following approved methods:
in accordance with the loading conditions provided in the approved loading manual, stamped and dated ……………… and signed by a responsible officer of the Administration, or of an organization recognized by the Administration; or
in accordance with loading conditions verified remotely using and approved means …………….…; or
in accordance with a loading condition which lies within an approved range of conditions defined in the approved loading manual referred to in (i) above; or
in accordance with a loading condition verified using approved critical KG/GM data defined in the approved loading manual referred to in (i) above;
.3 in accordance with the loading limitations appended to this Certificate.”
Notes can be added to the Certificate to facilitate clarification.
What should owners and operators do now?
Owners and operators are invited to bring the Guidance to the attention of those involved in the process of maintaining and revising Certificates.
