GNS have learned that the Paris MoU, Tokyo MoU, Black Sea MoU, Indian Ocean MoU and Vina del Mar will carry out a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Safety of Navigation which will commence on the 1^st September 2017.

CICs are periodical inspections that focus on a specific topic and are carried out during routine PSC inspections with an additional checklist for a period of 3 months. A checklist will be made available approximately six weeks before the start of the CIC, we will share this as soon as it is published.

The general PSC inspection of Safety of Navigation, as part of the Safety Equipment Certificate, will be amended by the detailed CIC checklist and additional guidance by Port State Control Officers (PSCO).  As the checklist has not been made available yet, we have assumed the CIC will focus on the main Safety of Navigation deficiencies of the previous years. The following serve as indicators to what may be included on the checklist:

• Nautical publication: NP out of date / List of radio signals missing or expired / IAMSAR volume old edition / ITU not updated / Notice to mariners not updated
• Charts: Missing, not updated or expired charts
• Lights, shapes, sound signals: In particular, stern lights wrong sector, inoperative or broken / Ship’s navigation lights arrangement not in compliance with COLREG / Flags poor or dirty
• Voyage or passage plan: Especially the passage plan for the last or next voyage is not available or not in compliance with SOLAS
• Magnetic compass: Especially the magnetic compass repeater on bridge / Excessive deviation in magnetic compass / Compass of lifeboat out of order / Deviation table not posted
• Voyage Data Recorder (VDR): Especially VDR showing alarm or inoperative
• BNWAS: Especially location of the reset button / Knowledge of audible alarms and visual indication
• ECDIS: Including training, familiarization, operation and documentation. We refer to MSC.1/Circ.1503 “ECDIS – Guidance for good practice” dated 24 July 2015 and AMSA Marine Notice 7/2017 “Guidance on ECDIS for ships calling at Australian ports”.

In addition, the Caribbean MoU will arrange its CIC for Life Saving Appliances from 1 September 2017.  At present we are unaware if any additional checklists will be published, however we have identified the following main deficiencies found during detentions during 2016:

• Lifeboats: Engine could not be started / On/off load release system defective
• Rescue boat: Engine cannot be started or inoperative
• Launching and embarkation arrangement for survival craft and rescue boat
• Operational readiness of life saving appliances