ClassNK PSC Bulletin

Date:
No:
Attachment

8 September 2020
NK-PSC-21
No / Yes: page(s)Title:
Detainable deficiencies pointed out by AMSA in 2020
Port StateCountry: Australia
Port: All ports in Australia
Action taken by PSC:
Detention / Rectify before Departure / Other
Description:
Ships calling at ports in Australia continue to be detained for the following deficiencies during PSC
inspections by AMSA.
Once again, please advise any vessels you may have under management bound for Australia of theimportance of safe and proper operations and instruct each ship to pay particular attention totaking well-prepared countermeasures for the following matters prior to entering any Australianport. Furthermore, please note that port authorities other than Australia have also often raised
similar comments concerning these matters.
(1) ISM Related* (No report to Flag and Port State on EGCS malfunctions, Insufficientfamiliarization with key equipment such as ECDIS/OWS, Not having latest version of ENC, etc.)- Crew were found to have insufficient familiarization with abandon ship drills and fire drills,
as well as failed to demonstrate appropriate and necessary operation for voyage such as
ECDIS. It is recommended that training should be carried out for all crew at appropriate
intervals and the training records should be kept on board.
- It has been determined that non-reporting of deficiencies relating to key equipment to theFlag and Port State is an ISM related detainable deficiency. It is recommended that
Incident Reports should be submitted to AMSA prior to entering any Australian port.
*: Although deficiencies relating to Safety of Navigation are generally not directly consideredin themselves to be detainable deficiencies in Australia, they are considered as ISM related
detainable deficiencies since they are regarded as being ISM related.
(2) Emergency Generators
Failure of an emergency generator to automatically connect to the emergency switchboard(ESB) is considered as a detainable deficiency. It is recommended that tests to ensure
automatic starting as well as connecting of the emergency generator to the ESB should becarried out at appropriate intervals using the test switch on the ESB, and that test records
should be kept on board together with pictures.
(3) Fire Dampers for Engine Room Ventilation
Seized/wasted/holed dampers have been pointed out as detainable deficiencies. It is
recommended that operational tests and internal inspection of dampers should be carried out
at appropriate intervals.
(4) Air Pipe Heads for Water Ballast Tanks
Defective closing devises in air pipe heads that are seized, damaged, missing floats, missing or
have deteriorated packing, etc. have been pointed out as detainable deficiencies. It is
recommended that opening up and internal inspection of air pipe heads should be carried out
at appropriate intervals. For reference, please be advised that the Marshall Islands
Administration urges owners to open and inspect air pipe heads every three months, as per
Marine Safety Advisory No.07-19.
(5) Emergency Fire Pump and its pipe

Insufficient pressure of jets and defective isolation valves have been pointed out as detainable
deficiencies. It is recommended that maintenance of pumps, opening up of related valves,and hose tests should be carried out at appropriate intervals.
(6) Lifeboat and Rescue Boats- Failure of engines to start has been pointed out as a detainable deficiency. It isrecommended that operational tests should be carried out at appropriate intervals and,especially, spare battery levels (No.2 battery) should be confirmed without fail.
- Seized and inadequate resetting of on-load release gears have also been pointed out asdetainable deficiencies. It is strongly recommended to confirm that on-load release gears
are maintained during abandon ship drills, and that resetting positions are adjusted
correctly when the boats are launched and maneuvered in the water.
(7) Sewage Treatment Plants
Holed sewage treatment plants with associated piping, defective air blower and 3-way valves,as well as insufficient quantities of tablets have been pointed out as detainable deficiencies.
It is recommended that sewage treatment plants together with related equipment should bemaintained at appropriate intervals.
(8) Hatch Covers
Missing/deformed rubber, seized/wasted clamping devices (cleats) and wasted/damaged seatsof clamping devices (crutches) have been pointed out as detainable deficiencies. It isrecommended that careful inspection of such items should be carried out at appropriateintervals to ensure weather tightness. For reference, please be advised that each hatch coverfor bulk carriers is required to be inspected every week, as per Para. 3.3 of IMO Res.
MSC.169(79).
(9) MLC related
In addition to expiry of the seafarer’s employment agreement (SEA), no Flag State approval of
the seafarer’s repatriation plan and postponement of the SEA have been pointed out asdetainable deficiencies. Please refer to item (A) below.
For reference, please be advised that ClassNK PSC Bulletins No. 4, 8, 12, 13, & 14 have been issued
regarding items (1), (2), (4), and (8).
Furthermore, please be aware of the following whenever a vessel enters an Australian port.
(A) Plan for the seafarer’s repatriation (Marine Notice 04/2020)
AMSA does not allow seafarers to work continuously on board ship without taking leave formore than 14 months. Further, in case seafarers have served continuously on board a vesselfor more than 11 months but less than 14 months without taking leave, the master is required
to submit a seafarer’s repatriation plan approved by the Flag State to AMSA. When it isanticipated that seafarers will serve more than 11 months onboard, it is strongly
recommended that an approved repatriation plan should be prepared in advance.
(B) Cargo securing devices (Marine Notice 05/2020)
Focused inspection campaigns for cargo securing devices have been implemented by AMSA
between 1 August and 31 October 2020 in response to several incidents where containers
have been lost or fallen into the sea. It is recommended that the securing condition of allcontainers be carefully confirmed before commencing voyage and prior to entering port.
[References]
Index of ClassNK PSC Bulletin (For (1), (2), (4), & (8))
https://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/ja/info_service/psc/index.aspx
Index of AMSA Marine Notice (For (A) & (B))
https://www.amsa.gov.au/about/regulations-and-standards/index-marine-notices