MARPOL - IOPP Surveys
Shipping Notice: CISN 04/1998
Published 28th September 1998, 2:54pm
To: Owners, Operators, Managers, Masters, Officers, and Seafarers on Cayman Registered Vessels
In order for the International Oil Pollution Prevention (I.O.P.P.) certificate, issued by the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry (CISR), to retain its validity throughout the five (5) year period for which it is issued, it is a requirement that the onboard oil pollution prevention equipment and arrangements be surveyed annually. The cycle of these surveys is at three (3) levels: Annual, Intermediate and Renewal.
The approved Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) should be retained on board and be readily available to surveyors undertaking surveys on behalf of this Administration, or authorities carrying out unscheduled inspections such as Port State Control.
An official Oil Record Book, maintained fully up to date, together with sludge offloading receipts should also be available for inspection. This book is available from the CISR at a cost of US $25.00 plus shipping and handling charges. This book was updated in 1997 to account for changes to MARPOL. Please ensure that you have a current Oil Record Book on board, otherwise you are liable to a fine under Port State Control.
Annual surveys are required to be undertaken each year on the anniversary date of the initial inspection (not the date of issue of the I.O.P.P. Certificate). To allow some flexibility in arranging the surveys, a three (3) month “window” on either side of the anniversary date may be applied when arranging the Annual survey. For example, say the initial inspection date was 15 June, this means that the Annual survey can be carried out any time between 15 March and 15 September.
The Intermediate survey is to be carried out mid way through the five (5) year period of validity. The Intermediate survey has a six (6) month “window” on either side of the mid term date of the Certificate, i.e. the Intermediate survey may be carried out at any time during the third year of the Certificate’s validity and replaces either the second or third Annual survey.
Renewal surveys take place at the end of the period of issue of the I.O.P.P. Certificate, normally five (5) years.
It is important to keep in mind when planning a survey that consecutive surveys must not be less that nine (9) months nor more than fifteen (15) months apart.
Class surveyors may carry out Annual or Intermediate surveys without prior approval from the CISR. Renewal surveys may be undertaken by a Cayman Islands Government Surveyor or an exclusive Surveyor of a CISR recognised Classification Society.1 When the Renewal survey becomes due, the CISR must be notified of the intention to use a Class surveyor so that a proper authorisation can be sent to the surveyor from this or the London office.
It is the responsibility of the Master to ensure that the oil pollution prevention equipment is properly maintained, that the documentation is kept updated, that all surveys are undertaken by their due dates and that the CISR is advised when these surveys have been carried out. The Master should photocopy the reverse side of the I.O.P.P. Certificate after it has been endorsed by the surveyor and fax it to this office. Failure to comply with the survey requirements will result in the I.O.P.P. Certificate becoming invalid in which case the vessel could become liable to detention by Port State Control.
The Master should also advise the CISR of any changes to the oily water separating equipment, piping
arrangements, holding tanks, sludge tanks, etc. Any such changes will require a survey and the
consequent updating of our records and your certificate. Also, any changes to details in controlled
sections of the SOPEP plan should be reported to the CISR. Examples of such changes are:
- Change of contact addresses
- Change of owner
- Change of name of the vessel
- Equipment upgrade such as Satcom giving rise to new contact numbers for the vessel
If, for any reason, surveys have not been completed by the due dates and the Certificate has become invalid, please advise this office in writing, without delay so that remedial action may be taken.
- 1. The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry recognises the following Classification Societies:
- American Bureau of Shipping
- Bureau Veritas
- Det Norske Veritas
- Germanischer Lloyd
- Lloyd’s Register
- Registro Italiano Navale (RINA)
For further information contact: Corporate Communications