Survey Procedures Manual International Register of Shipping

BULK CHEMICAL CODE SURVEYS CHAPTER 17

SECTION I
General

1.1 Surveyors conducting Chemical Code surveys are to be familiar with the applicable provisions of the
International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code),
the Code for the Construction and Equipment for Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code) and Annex
II of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships 1973 and the Protocol of 1978 relating
thereto.

1.2 Ships for which keel was laid before 1st July 1986 are subject to provisions of BCH code while ships constructed
on or after 1 st July 1986 are subject to the provisions of the IBC code. All chemical tankers carrying products of pollution
category A, B, C or D must comply with the provisions of Marpol 73/78 Annex II. Chemical Code and Annex II surveys
are integral and the Certificate of Fitness covers both aspects.

1.3 Renewal surveys are required every five years before the certificate in force has expired. Four annual surveys
and one intermediate survey are required during the duration of the certificate. Annual surveys are to be held within
three months before and three months after the due date. Intermediate surveys are to be held within six months before
and six months after the half way date (2 ½ years) of the certificate’s period of validity. If the intermediate survey is
held within the three months after the due date of the second annual survey or within the three months before the due
date of the third annual survey, then this survey can be credited towards both the intermediate and that particular
annual survey.

1.4 The surveys should be held within the permitted range dates only.

1.5 The existing certificate onboard should be sighted to establish the category of survey due.

1.6 The various arrangements of Chemical Code equipment to be surveyed will be identified in the Chemical Code
Record of Construction (IBC/BCH Code) onboard and various items of Marpol 73/78 Annex II equipment to be
surveyed will be identified in the “Procedures and Arrangements” (P&A) manual on board. At each survey, the survey
checklist should be completed in conjunction with the Record of Construction and P&A manual and a copy submitted
to Head Office along with survey reports.

1.7 Where new installations or major modifications are proposed, plans and P&A manuals should be submitted to
Head Office for approval before the work is commenced.

1.8 During the first survey by International Register of Shipping onboard, it should be verified whether the ship
already has an existing certificate. If the vessel is already in possession of a certificate issued by a major society or the
national administration, the certificate should be sighted to establish whether any survey is due or overdue. The
relevant due/overdue survey is to be carried out. If no survey is due, a general examination, equivalent, to an annual
survey is to be carried out. The P&A manual may be accepted if it is approved by a major society or the flag
administration. In such cases, the manual must be endorsed “This manual been accepted by International Register of
Shipping on behalf of “flag state” on the basis of previous approval by “name of society”. A copy of the endorsed page,
copy of any approval letter by the previous society and a copy of the full term certificate along with record of
equipment should be forwarded to Head Office along with survey reports. If a previous certificate is not available or
not issued by a major society, then a complete renewal survey should be carried out. The owner should be advised to
submit the P&A manual for approval and place a copy on board. The copy on board is to be endorsed “provisionally
accepted pending approval by International Register of Shipping Head Office”. The validity of the interim certificate
issued is to be for three months and the certificate should be marked CONDITIONAL” with the approval of the P&A
manual endorsed as an outstanding item.
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1.9 On completion of the renewal surveys or the first survey by International Register of Shipping, INTERIM
certificate (BC-I-IS or BC-I-PMS for PANAMA vessels) is to be issued with validity of five months. Head Office will
issue the full term certificate after review of the survey report. On completion of annual or intermediate surveys, the
certificate on board should be endorsed.

SECTION 2
Annual Surveys

2.1 The purpose of the annual survey is to carry out an examination of the various items of equipment together
with tests as considered necessary, all to an extent which, in the Surveyor’s judgment, indicates adequate condition and
standard of maintenance until the next due survey.

2.2 The Surveyors should verify that the certificate and P&A manual on board are in order. The P&A manual
should be written in a language understood by the ship’ personnel engaged in the operations described therein, and it is
the Owner’s responsibility to provide a copy written in an appropriate language. Similarly system operating
instructions and on board maintenance manuals etc., should also be in a language understood by the crew.

2.3 The owner’s representative must confirm that no unapproved modifications have been carried out to the
pollution prevention arrangements and equipment since the last survey.

2.4 The stringency of the survey should be to the Surveyor’s satisfaction and in general will depend upon the
condition of the equipment and the level of maintenance.

2.5 Surveys in respect of the safety considerations of the chemical codes are to be carried out in conjunction with
and in accordance with such procedures and instructions as laid down for the classification surveys of chemical tankers.

2.6 For fire extinguishing arrangements, the relevant section under safety equipment surveys should be referred to.
Care should be taken to ensure that when foam concentrate for fixed foam fire extinguishing systems is being renewed,
the correct type of foam concentrate suitable for the cargoes on the approved cargo lists should be used. Filter type
respiratory protection is not acceptable and where required, the emergency escape breathing apparatus must be of the
self-contained type.

SECTION 3
Intermediate Surveys

3.1 An intermediate survey should, in addition to the requirements of an annual survey, be a thorough
examination and be sufficiently extensive to ensure that the equipment and the associated piping and pumping
systems, including any efficient stripping and line blowing arrangements, and tank washing systems as applicable,
comply with the requirements of the Regulations of Chemical Code and Marpol 73/78 Annex II, are in accordance with
the P&A manual and are in good working order sufficient until the next renewal survey.

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Survey Procedures Manual International Register of Shipping
SECTION 4
Renewal Surveys

4.1 The renewal survey should be a thorough and complete examination with efficient stripping tests and other
tests where appropriate. On completion the equipment, systems, fittings and arrangements should, given adequate
routine maintenance, be expected to remain in good condition and working order until the next renewal survey. At
renewal surveys of chemical tankers having products of pollution category B or C in the list of approved cargoes should
carry out practical efficient stripping tests using water to verify the continued efficiency of the stripping arrangements
in at least two cargo tanks. The tanks should be selected at random and the Surveyor may require systems in other
tanks to be tested. The tests are to be carried out in accordance with the procedures described in the P&A manual and
should also include any cargo pipeline purging arrangements and the measurement of residues remaining in the lines.

SECTION 5
Reporting

5.1 The relevant survey checklist BC-1 should be used when carrying out surveys and a copy submitted to Head
Office along with survey reports.

5.2 At first surveys by IS, copies of the previous society’s certificates, record of equipment, if any, and copy of
approval for P&A manual and list of any outstanding deficiencies, recommendations etc should also be forwarded.

5.3 On completion of ren ewal surveys or First Survey by International Register of Shipping, an INTERIM certificate
BC-I-IS (BC-I-PMS for PANAMA vessels) should be issued, valid for 5 months.

5.4 On completion of other surveys (annual and intermediate), the existing full term certificate on board is to be
endorsed in the relevant column indicating the date, place and surveyors name and endorsed using the IS/PMSB seal.
A copy of the endorsed certificate must be submitted to Head Office. If during surveys, it is observed that items
required for a specific group of products are defective in some tanks, it may be possible, with the agreement of the
Owners, to issue or endorse a Certificate of Fitness, but to prohibit the carriage of these products from the tanks in
question, until repairs are effected (for example products requiring overflow control could be excluded from tanks with
defective high level alarms). Head Office should be contacted for advice in all such instances.

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