The China MSA, China’s government body that deals with all matters related to safety of shipping and the maritime industry, published new regulations on ship managers’ monitoring and vessel inspections. These new regulations came into effect on 1st of December, 2023, replacing regulations from 2014. The changes apply to all vessels that navigate, moor or operate in Chinese waters.
In particular, the changes include a broadening of the criteria for a special follow-up inspection. In other words, a ship (or manager) will get on the inspection list faster/easier. Once on this list, this means that, without regard to the ship’s schedule, mandatory inspections will be carried out on the ships in question as they enter a port, if circumstances permit. In addition, the manager of the named vessel will be subject to more frequent and rigorous inspections and rectifications of previous inspections will be taken into account.
Based on these new regulations, the following ships will be listed for special follow-up inspection:
- Vessels that have been detained at least twice during a Port State Control (PSC) inspection in the past 12 months.
- Vessels that have been penalized twice in the past 12 months by maritime administration authorities for serious illegal activities, such as insufficient manning, malicious shutdown of the AIS system or overloading.
- Vessels that after committing a maritime administrative violation do not accept their responsibility or try to escape it.
- Vessels that have tampered with certificates or carried out conversions on the vessel without approval and inspection from the ship inspection organizations.
- Vessels that have been involved in larger or multiple traffic accidents on the water for which they bear equal or greater responsibility.
- Vessels under the management of listed companies.
- Vessels listed for special follow-up according to the Provision on the Maritime Law Enforcement Assistance in Investigation.
- Vessels which are subject to follow-up inspections according to the China MSA.
It is of course possible to be removed from this list, but this can only be done three months after the vessel has been listed and if a follow-up inspection has been performed by a local MSA in which no problems have been found. Afterwards an application for removal can be made.
This is a time-consuming process and we would advise avoiding it as much as possible. This can be done by, as always, strictly following the international conventions and local laws and in addition, entering a port fully prepared for a PSC inspection.
In case of further questions members are invited to contact NNPC via underwriting@nnpc.nl.
