As You Know,

High score of SIRE and CDI are desirable for tanker owners to run their vessels efficiently. It is required to carry out a pre-vetting survey in advance. Our pre-vetting inspection programme covers all the important aspects required by MOCs.

We provide full preparation of Vessel Inspection

Questionnaire (VIQ) and Harmonized Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (HVPQ) for any upcoming vet for Oil, Chemical and Gas tankers with requisite on-board training.

We run internal audits, train on company’s HSEQ systems, and their specific training required to be advised by the client.

Pre Vetting / TMSA

The purpose of the Pre Vetting services is to assist and consult the company, for a period of time (usually two years) in the conformance of its management system to the TMSA 2 requirements and to prepare the statistical analysis and reporting of the company’s operational performance with respect to Safety and Environmental protection to the standards of the TMSA 2. 

Our Pre Vetting services: 

- Internal auditing of the office & reporting.

- Setting up of required statistical procedures

(utilizing existing software and adding any additional data reporting process).

- Developing company performance reports quarterly.

- Setting up and following up all accidents / incidents

reporting and analysis procedure.

- Preparing collective analysis and performance report

for the fleet on an 3 month basis, based on information gathered from:

- Internal Audits reports.

- Visits to Vessels by Head Office Representatives.

- Port State Control Inspections.

- Oil Majors Vetting Inspections.

- Navigational Audits.

- External Audits.

- Class Surveys.

- Collating and analyze, identifying trends, of all SIRE

inspections deficiencies on a 3 month basis.

- Preparing the 3 month Management Review material.

- Coordinating the 3 month Management Review meeting and respective minutes.

- Reporting TO THE MANAGEMENT status of company’s SMS on a 3 month basis.

- Preparing the TMSA reporting to the OCIMF website.

- Preparing the annual collective analysis and

performance report.

- Preparing the annual Management Review material.

- Identifying amendments to the SMS.

- Updating SMS with new oil major requirements and any

feedback that is available to ST Vetting Marine Solutions.

- Preparing the company for any oil major office

inspection.

- Represent the office and company during oil major

office inspection.

- Carry out pre-vetting inspection and / or represent

the company during vetting. inspections (at company’s will and in accordance with specific instructions issued by the company).

- Propose amendments to the company’s Management System.

An onboard inspection can only be successful if the

tanker has been prepared for the inspection. For this reason, some companies perform pre-vetting inspections by internal resources prior to the vetting inspections by the oil majors.

These inspections normally take place during discharge.

Most of the vetting inspectors are former seafarers

with long experience from various types of tanker vessels.

Most likely the first impression is formed already at the time the inspector arrives at the gangway and then continues all the way until the closing meeting have been completed.

Inspectors will be looking for objective criteria by which to judge the tanker. Thus, the importance of the route from the ship side to the Master's office should not be nderestimated. Remember that, as always, you do not get a second chance to make a first impression.

Make sure that the inspection is scheduled at a convenient time for the vessel, so it does not conflict with other inspections.

Apart from the required operation of the vessel the inspection should be given the highest priority.

Make sure that each head of department has completed

and signed off his own part of the vessel inspection questionnaire before arrival at port and that any deficiencies have been reported/corrected. This should be incorporated into the normal routine guidelines.

Although it is the Master's overall responsibility to

prepare for an inspection, this is a teamwork involving all crew members.

Prior to the inspection a copy of the below documents

should, as a minimum, be made ready for the inspector:

- Classification documents

- Certificate of registry

- Cargo ship safety construction certificate

- Cargo ship safety equipment certificate

- Safety radiotelegraphy certificate

- Load line certificate

- IMO certificate of fitness

- IOPP certificate & supplement

- Certificate of financial responsibility

- Crew list

- Drawing of the vessel's cargo tank arrangement

- Vessel's safe manning document

- Masters should lay out the certificates in the same

order as they appear in the VPQ/VIQ (Vessel Particular Questionnaire/Vessel Inspection Questionnaire) This saves time and creates a good impression of a systematic

preparation, and the following documentation should also be presented:

- The officer's qualification matrix

- Officer's licenses

- Health certificates

- P&A manual

- Approved crude oil washing manual

- Approved ballast manual

- Oil/Cargo record book

- Oil transfer procedures

- Garbage log for compliance with MARPOL Annex V

- Proof of cargo hose / pipe pressure testing

- Proof of fixed and portable firefighting equipment

servicing

- Proof of professional servicing of breathing apparatus

- Proof of life raft servicing

- Settings for vessel's pressure/vacuum valves

- Shipping document and cargo manifest

- Certificate of inhabitation or stabilization of cargo

- Declaration of Inspection if transferring bunkers

- Cargo Information cards for the cargo on board

- Inert gas manual

- Vessel response plan

- Safety manual

- Vessel operation manual

- Company's policy for upgrading and training

Be prepared to calibrate and/or demonstrate the proper

operation of:

- Combustible gas detectors or fixed gas detection

system

- Oxygen analyser

- Toxic gas detector

- Overboard discharge monitor

- Cargo pump emergency shutdown and bearing alarms

- High level alarms

- Overfill alarms

- Quick closing valves

Be prepared to demonstrate the proper operation of the

following systems/alarms:

- Inert gas system alarms

- Oily water separator

- Firefighting systems

- Steering gear

- Emergency generator

- Engine room ventilation shutdowns

- Fuel oil quick-closing valves valve

In addition, the following items may be checked and

should be ready:

- Firemen's outfits

- International shore connection

- Navigation equipment

- ECDIS including latest corrections

- Publication including corrections

- EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon),

pyrotechnics and hydrostatic releases

- Flame screens, bunker tanks

- Suitable paint locker

- Marine sanitation device

Reference should also be made to the requirements of

the oil major inspecting the vessel. The following items are of vital importance as these provide an overall impression of the vessel and will play an essential part in how the inspection will be conducted.

- Gangway: Correctly arranged - is the gangway net

rigged? Is there a life ring nearby?

- Deck Watch: Is a deck watch present at the gangway?

- Ask the inspector of his identity (should be verified

by ID) and who he wants to see

- Confirm with the Duty Officer that this is OK

- One crew member should guide the inspector to the

Master's office

- All applicable warning signs must be posted

- All crew should wear required PPE

- Fire equipment at the manifold must be in place and correctly rigged

- Deck clean and free of oil/water and obstructions

- Scuppers blocked and emergency pump in position and

discharge connected

- Cargo information: Make sure that all personnel

involved in the cargo operations are briefed regarding what cargoes are being loaded/discharged, particularly the deck watch. All MSDS to be posted and easily readable.

- Emergency equipment working, present and clearly

marked

- Moorings in good order with no lines on the winch ends

- Accommodation clean and tidy, all doors closed, and a

positive pressure maintained

The Inspection

Remember, you do not pass or fail a vetting inspection!

The results from a vetting inspection will give the

oil major information needed to decide if the vessel is accepted for use.

However, you shall be well prepared and make sure that

the inspector is accompanied on the vessel during the inspection. The best people to do this would be the Master, Chief Officer, 2nd Officer (Navigation Officer), Chief Engineer and the 1st Engineer (Second Engineer).

Normally, the inspector will start by checking all

certificates and documentation with the Master followed by a tour on bridge, deck, accommodation, provision room and engine/steering gear room. However, it must be remembered that the order and schedule of the inspection can be changed to achieve less disturbance to the normal operations onboard. With the OCIMF VPQ (Vessel Particular Questionnaire), much of the data referring to the tanker

will have been completed in advance. Make sure that you have a completed and up to date copy available for the inspector as this will save much time.

Some of the most common deficiencies are found in the

following areas:

• Bridge and radio room

- Passage plan only pilot to pilot. Ensure that the

filed passage plan covers berth to berth navigation.

- Missing publications or old editions onboard when new

publications have been issued

- No emergency anchorage marked

- No-go areas not marked

- No point of no return marked

- Master's standing orders and night order book missing

or not completed

- No logs for gyro error

- No entry of position on the ECDIS chart during transit

of pilotage to berth

- ECDIS

- Cargo control room and tank deck

- No cargo/ballast plan available

- Hydraulic leaks on deck

- Officers and ratings not wearing proper PPE on deck

- ODM (Oil Discharge Monitor) not tested

- The manifold valves of the opposite side to the

discharging side are not closed and/or pressure gauge having defects or missing

- No screens inside the vents for the ballast tanks

- No calibration gas for gas detection instruments

- No policy for tank entry

- Engine room and steering gear

- No procedures or instructions posted for foam system

- Chief Engineer's standing orders and night order book

are missing or not completed

- Emergency steering procedures not posted properly in

the steering gear room

- Hot work procedures not used or not present in the

manuals

- No safety guidelines available for engine

room/workshop welding equipment

- No eye protection warning notices posted for engine

workshop machinery

- No clean goggles by grinders and lathes

- Accommodation/Galley

- Untidy

- Overhead ventilation greasy which is a fire hazard

- Accommodation ventilators with no identification

labels

- Required temperature of the meat/fish room not

maintained correctly

Pre-vetting Services

A good ranking in the OCIMF/SIRE Database is an

essential tool for independent owners of tanker vessels in order to ensure employment for their vessels.

A Pre-vetting Inspection can help minimising or even

eliminating the risk of negative observations during a SIRE Vetting, thus maintaining a low observation score in the database.

During a Pre-vetting Inspection we visit the vessel

and perform an in-depth inspection covering all areas on board in relation to the SIRE Vetting programme with special focus on the Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (VIQ) in order to prepare the vessel for an upcoming vetting.

The overall objective is to identify any deficiencies

which, according to the inspector’s experience, are likely to cause a negative response during a SIRE Vetting.

During the inspection the crew responsible for the

various departments on board are given on the spot guidance in order to prepare them best possible for a vetting.

The vessel Operator is provided with a detailed

report with recommendations not later than 24 hours after completion of the Pre-vetting Inspection. The Master is provided with a summary and guidance prior to the inspector leaving the vessel.

Upon request we can also assist with Owner’s response

following a SIRE Vetting with negative observations.

The closing meeting

The inspector should sit down and discuss observations

and comments after the inspection is completed. If not, the Master should record a written objection that this has not taken place and inform his company immediately.

If the Master's opinion is that some of the observations are not correct or it has been raised due to a misunderstanding,

this is the time to bring this up with the inspector. Minor observations that have been rectified in front of the inspector should be requested to be removed from the list provided to the Master.

The inspector gives the Master a written list of the

observations found:

Correct all observations as soon as possible Send the report to the head office or department in charge Complete the Inspector Feedback Form and send it together with the report Owner's comments (one of the most important aspects) When the vetting inspector leaves the gangway, the

vessel inspection is finalized. However, it is now that the screening process begins, and the owners reply to any comments or deficiencies raised play a very important part in this screening process.

What the charterer is looking for are quality replies

to the comments raised and which indicate that the comments are taken seriously by the owner. These replies will be used as a measure of the owner's quality

management, and this process will form part of the vetting manager's assessment of the quality of the vessel and on-board procedures.

Many otherwise acceptable vessels do not pass this

part of the vetting process because the owner's replies to the vetting inspection do not provide "closure" of the indicated conditions, and this results in the "approval" either being delayed or denied.

It is important that the owner sends replies that show

acceptance of and respect for the system and that the owner has an active Safety Management System in place that takes every deficiency seriously. The owner's replies should make it possible to identify the root cause of the deficiency and it must address the real cause of the deficiency. It should be considered to make changes to existing operation procedures that are necessary to reduce

the chance of the deficiency occurring again.

Some examples of replies that do not live up this

standard are e.g., "The deficiency has been rectified", "the

deficiency will be rectified at the earliest opportunity", "we have instructed the Master not to do it again", "the spare part has been ordered", etc. In order to indicate that you have an effective system in place it is necessary to address the deficiency within the ISM system, for example by identifying the non-conformity, establishing the root cause and implementing an effective corrective action as well as necessary changes to existing procedures. The deficiency then becomes effectively closed out.

It is not sufficient to say that the deficiency has been fixed, you need to explain that the problem that caused the deficiency is also fixed.

The screening process Having been through all the items mentioned so far this is still not the end of the process. It is also important that comments made are consistent with comments made on similar observations on previous

inspections.

The charterer will also assess and review many other

aspects of your operation, such as:

- Other vessels in your fleet

- The vessel's incident history

- Feedback from the charterer's terminals

- The quality of the owner detention history

- Any previous problems with clearance of the vessel

- Inspection history of the vessel

- The age of the vessel, crew quality and the management

system in place

- CAP (Condition Assessment Programme)) rating, fatigue

analyses (if appropriate)

Ø- The vessels flag, classification society, PSC

blacklisting