ISM News
Update nr. 117
January 2022
In this ISM News Update:
- Dual certification for Dutch polar ships is made easier
- Applications for liability certificates no longer via PDF form per 1 January 2022
- Reminder: Lacking MLC amendment implementation may cause port state troubles
- When should my ballast water management system be operational?
- Update of medical equipment requirements causes numbering discrepancy
Dual certification for Dutch polar ships is made easier
The Dutch flag has made it easier for her vessels to shift between alternative Polar Ship Certificates. The practice of dual certification is not new; it makes it possible for polar vessels to operate in areas that are colder than the area that they normally operate in, while using an alternative certificate. Up till now, such a certificate needed to be applied for, and verified by the class society, for any voyage that the vessel would want to undertake in a colder area.
A recent update of ItoRO 26 – Polar Code Certification now allows for class societies to standardly issue multiple Polar Ship Certificates for a vessel. The vessel may then switch between certificates at its own account. Prerequisites are, that the class society is notified of the switch and that the procedure for switching certificates is laid down in the company’s safety management system.
Applications for liability certificates no longer via PDF form per 1 January 2022
As of this year, the Netherlands Shipping Inspectorate will no longer accept applications for liability certificates (passenger liability, bunker liability and wreck removal) per mail or e-mail. An online application form has replaced the former PDF form.
More information can be found here. It may be expected that other application forms will follow shortly.
Reminder: Lacking MLC amendment implementation may cause port state troubles
Up till now, the Netherlands have not yet implemented the 2018 MLC amendment concerning the protection of seafarers in case of piracy or armed robbery. In 2020, a declaration on this account was published by the Dutch flag.
A port state may regard the lacking implementation as a deficiency, and we have recently noticed an increase in such cases. We therefore advise masters to keep a copy of the declaration with their MLC certificate until the issue has been resolved.
When should my ballast water management system be operational?
On September 8, 2024 all ships will have to comply with the D2 standard of the Ballast Water Management Convention, which practically means that they will have to have an operational ballast water management system.
The exact date on which a vessel will need to comply depends on the renewal date of its IOPP certificate. With the transition in full swing, we would once more like to point to the clear and simple information that the IMO offers on this issue, such as this infographic and these answers to frequently asked questions.
Update of medical equipment requirements causes numbering discrepancy
In the previous ISM Newsupdate we reported the update of annex 5 of the Dutch Regulation on the Safety of Seagoing Vessels, in which the requirements for medical equipment are laid down.
It perspired that this update has resulted in a discrepancy between the numbering used in the annex, and the numbering that is used in the Medical Handbook. The RMA is aware of this discrepancy; however it may still lead to confusion.