Jan 15,2007

NORWAY / NIS - Examination of launching appliances

Convention : SOLAS CH III Life-Saving Appliances

Flag :Norway, Norwegian International Register

Ship type : ALL TYPES

Please find here attached the NORWAY / NIS Circular N°4-2006.

Extracts:

Interpretation of which personnel that can do the inspections and maintenance on the equipment:

• Weekly and monthly routine maintenance should be carried out according to the manufacturers instructions by qualified personnel on board under supervision of a senior ship officer.

• Annual and five yearly thoroughly examination and maintenance shall if possible be carried out by personnel properly trained and authorized by the manufacturer.

• If the manufacturer do not exist, or if the manufacturer does not have available recourses to carry out the work during the time window for the annual surveys according to regulations I/7 and I/8, an independent authorized workshop may carry out the annual or five yearly thoroughly examination and maintenance. In such cases the ships owner should submit an application to the NMD as early as possible.

Approval of an independent workshop:
The workshop shall be approved by a recognized classification society (ROs).

The following should be minimum requirements for the authorization of the workshop:

• It should be documented that the workshop has satisfactory essential knowledge for maintenance of lifeboats and equipment.
• It should be documented that the workshop has a certified quality assurance system
• It should be confirmed that that the workshop has the necessary updated drawings and manuals for the equipment that shall be maintained.
• It should be confirmed that the workshop has the necessary properly trained personnel.

Verification of tests after annual and five yearly thorough examination:

• All test that shall be performed after annual and five yearly thorough examination and maintenance shall be verified by a inspector from the ship’s classification society or the NMD

Application for use of an independent workshop:

• Ships with Safety Equipment Certificate/ Passenger ship Safety Certificate according to Solas, issued by a recognized classification society (ROs), shall forward the application to the RO in question. The RO will handle the application. Other ships shall forward the application to Norwegian Maritime Directorate. The reason why the manufacturer can not carry out the work should be documented. The NMD/RO will consider such application very restrictive in cases where the manufacturer still exist.

It is important that the ships owners plans the inspections and order the manufacturer in due time. All annual inspections have a six months time window, and the renewal inspections have a 3 months time window before expiry date of the certificate. Extension of an annual inspection will not be accepted. If the application is accepted by NMD, the owner will be informed to use the ships classification society to find an approved workshop.