Vessel Certificates and Inspection Regulations

Regulatory Reform Project
CMAC – Fall 2011

PDF Format

Table of Contents

• Objectives
• Overview
• Rationale for Amendments to the Vessel Certificates Regulations
• Rationale (cont’d)
• Background - HSSC
• Background – HSSC (cont’d)
• Proposed VCIR Regulatory Project
• Proposed Framework
• Proposed Framework (cont’d)
• Benefits of this Regulatory Project
• Next Steps
• Questions

Objectives

• Initiate and promote meaningful dialogue
  
• Increase awareness and understanding of:
  
  • Issues within the Marine Safety regulatory regime
    
  • The Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC)
    
  • Benefits of the proposed regulatory project
    
• Receive feedback on the proposed framework

Overview

• Rationale
  
• Background – HSSC
  
• Proposed VCIR Regulatory Project
  
• Proposed Framework
  
  • VCIR
    
  • Canadian Vessel Inspection Standard
    
• Benefits of the Regulatory Project
  
• Next Steps

Rationale for Amendments to the
Vessel Certificates Regulations

• Certain regulations contain requirements for periodicity, inspection intervals and for an inspector to physically inspect an item
  
• Inspection and certification requirements are diffuse
  
• Definition of inspection is unclear
  
• Certificates are not always explicitly referenced in regulations
  
• Unclear and inconsistent inspection terminology
  
• Periodicity of certificates and inspection intervals is not harmonized

Rationale (cont’d)

• The current Vessel Certificates Regulations list certain certificates required by Canadian vessels and, in certain cases, list what must be inspected, refer to the SOLAS Convention, or refer to “applicable regulations”
  
• Issues with the current Vessel Certificates Regulations:
  
  • Not all certificates are listed in these regulations
    
  • These regulations only account for restrictions on voyage classification, leaving out specific requirements based on vessel type contained in certain regulations
    
  • They state generically that all certificates required by “regulations” must be held but do not specify which regulations apply to which certificates

Background - HSSC

HSSC adopted by IMO to harmonize the periodicity of international certificates and intervals between inspections

• Periodicity of certificates harmonized to 5 years (Validity of Passenger Ship Safety Certificate is currently 1 year)
  
• Intervals between various inspections harmonized to one year
  
• Added flexibility to accommodate operational constraints:
  
  • extending certificates up to 3 months
    
  • annual, intermediate and periodic surveys may be conducted within 3 months of anniversary date

Background – HSSC (cont’d)

• HSSC accompanied by Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification, 2007 as amended from time to time
  
• The Survey Guidelines facilitate the implementation of the IMO instruments that fall under the HSSC
  
  • Provide harmonized definitions for 7 types of surveys
    
  • Outline the inspection requirements for each certificate
    
  • Identify items that are to be inspected
    
  • Refer to the instruments containing standards to which the item must be inspected

Proposed VCIR Regulatory Project

Objectives:

• Clarify certificate requirements
  
• Apply the HSSC in Canada
• Harmonize the periodicity of Canadian certificates and intervals between inspections with international standards
• Harmonize language used to describe inspections

Proposed Framework

Vessel Certificates and Inspection Regulation:

• Consolidate certificates from CSA 2001 regulations that are issued to Canadian vessels
  
• Consolidate the types of inspections required for each certificate
  
• List the class of vessel to which the certificate applies and the regulatory requirements with which each certificate confirms compliance

	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4
Item	Certificate	Class of vessel to which the certificate is applicable	Requirements with which the certificate confirms compliance	Inspections relevant to the particular certificate
A1	International Load Line Certificate	All vessel types excluding fishing vessels, pleasure craft, and highspeed craft	Load Line Regulations	Initial Annual Renewal

Proposed Framework (cont’d)

Canadian Vessel Inspection Standard:

• Apply the HSSC in Canada
  
• Consolidate provisions related to the carrying out of vessel inspections
  
• Consolidate and harmonize the periodicity of certificates and inspection intervals
  

Annex 2: Canadian Guidelines for Inspection for a Load Line Certificate or Load Line Exemption Certificate	Initial Inspection	Annual Inspection	Renewal Inspection
For the load line certificate the inspection during construction and after installation should consist of:	Initial
witnessing the inclining experiment or lightweight survey	YES
examining the scuppers, inlets and discharges	YES	YES	YES

Benefits of this Regulatory Project

• Adds flexibility to the inspection and certification process
  
• Facilitates identification of:
  
  • certificates required by vessels
    
  • what is to be inspected for a particular certificate
    
  • intervals between inspections
    
  • applicable regulatory requirements
    
• Certificates effectively come due at the same time (fewer inspections to obtain/maintain all necessary certificates)
  
• Facilitates the development and improvement of programs under which persons and organizations are recognized to conduct inspection and certification functions on behalf of Transport Canada by providing them with clear guidelines and standards

Next Steps

• In the spring and fall of 2011, Marine Safety will consult with industry stakeholders through regional and national CMAC
  
• Marine Safety welcomes industry to participate and to provide comments and feedback as it consults on the proposed Vessel Certificates and Inspection Regulations and the Canadian Vessel Inspection Standard
  
• In fall 2011, Marine Safety will begin developing drafting instructions for the regulations

Questions?

Contact:

Caitlin O’Boyle
Policy Officer
Marine Safety
caitlin.oboyle@tc.gc.ca

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