Concentrated PSC inspection campaign by Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU

Published: 08 August 2023

After a series of catastrophic fire incidents, the latest being the fire accident on board the Panama registered car carrier Freemantle Highway, it is only expected that countries will take a more detailed look at the fire safety of ships. This CIC will do just that with a sharp focus on fire safety systems and safe on-board procedures and practices.

Fire safety incidents have become more common these days, thanks to the very many varieties of cargo carried on board containers, some of which are not correctly declared as dangerous goods, resulting in carriers not able to apply the correct stowage or segregation requirements and this at times results in fire safety accidents.

On car carriers however, there is the issue of carriage of alternative powered vehicles (APVs), which are quite new to these ships, and there are not many well-established procedures and practices when it comes to the handling of these kind of cargoes. This may probably be the reason for the car carrier and Ro-Ro fires lately, the latest in line of these is the Freemantle Highway, which sadly resulted in the loss of life of a seafarer.

It is therefore timely that a focussed inspection of fire safety is carried out and the two heavyweights of PSC inspections, Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU are doing just that.

The focussed inspection is to create awareness among the ship’s crew and owners about the importance of fire safety measures; and verify that the ship complies with fire safety requirements under the relevant IMO instruments.

This inspection campaign will be held for three months, commencing from 1 September 2023 and ending 30 November 2023. The campaign will examine specific areas related to fire safety in conjunction with the regular Port State Control inspection.

However, a ship will be subject to only one inspection under this CIC during the period of the campaign.

The attached press release from Paris and Tokyo MoU throws more light on this and there is also a questionnaire which the inspectors will use during this campaign.

BIMCO recommends that all ships should fully comply with all IMO safety regulations at all times, in order for voyages to proceed smoothly and free of accidents.

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