Paris MoU: Guidelines for Port State Control


Officers on the ISM Code The Paris MoU has recently published guidelines to provide guidance for the harmonized reporting and follow up of ISM deficiencies in the scope of a PSC inspection for the Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) and other interested parties.


The ISM Code has been made a mandatory instrument according to SOLAS 74, as amended, Chapter IX. The PSCO conducts an inspection of the ship, which is a sampling process and gives a snapshot of the vessel on a particular day.


The ISM Code applies to the following types of ships engaged on international voyages: - all passenger vessels including passenger high speed craft; and


- oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and cargo high speed craft of 500 gross tonnage and upwards; and


- other cargo ships and self-propelled MODUs of 500 gross tonnage and upwards.


During the initial PSC inspection, the PSCO should verify that the ship carries the ISM certificates according to SOLAS Chapter IX and the ISM Code by examining the copy of the DOC and the SMC, for which the following points are to be considered:


1. A copy of the DOC should be on board. However, according to SOLAS, the copy of the DOC is not required to be authenticated or certified. The copy of the DOC should have the required endorsements.


2. The SMC is not valid unless the operating Company holds a valid DOC for that ship type. The ship type in the SMC should be included in the DOC and the Company’s particulars should be the same on both the DOC and the SMC. The SMC should have the required endorsements.


3. The validity of an Interim DOC should not exceed a period of 12 months. The validity of an Interim SMC should not exceed a period of 6 months. In special cases, the Administration, or at the request of the Administration another Government, may extend the validity of the Interim SMC for a period, which should not exceed 6 months from the date of expiry.


4. ROs may issue a short-term DOC or SMC not exceeding 5 months, whilst the full term certificate is being prepared in accordance with their internal procedures.


5. If a renewal verification has been completed and a new SMC cannot be issued or placed on board the ship before the expiry date of the existing certificate, the Administration or RO may endorse the existing certificate. Such a certificate should be accepted as valid for a further period which should not exceed 5 months from the expiry date.


6. If a ship at the time when a SMC expires is not in a port in which it is to be verified, the Administration may extend the period of validity of the SMC but this extension should be granted only for the purpose of allowing the ship to complete its voyage to the port in which it is to be verified, and then only in cases where it appears proper and reasonable to do so.


No SMC should be extended for a period of longer than 3 months, and the ship to which an extension is granted should not, on its arrival in the port in which it is to be verified, be entitled by virtue of such extension to leave that port without having a new SMC. When the renewal verification is completed, the new SMC should be valid to a date not exceeding 5 years from the expiry date of the existing SMC before the extension was granted.


The inspector should consider the ISM aspect:


- If technical or operational related deficiencies are found during an inspection carried out in accordance with the PMoU procedures and guidelines, and - The ship holds an SMC certificate, which is not an “Interim SMC”


Reporting


All technical and/or operational deficiencies shall be recorded as an individual deficiency in the PSC inspection report according to the PMoU procedures. A technical deficiency with the defective item DOC should be recorded in the PSC inspection report under code 01106 and for the defective item SMC under code 01107.


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