IACS committed to maritime industry
The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has established a COVID-19 Task Force to identify and assess measures that can be implemented in a coordinated fashion to help facilitate business continuity.
Announcing this on 20 April 2020, IACS Chairman Arun Sharma assured that IACS members understand and share concerns as to the potential impact COVID-19 will have on international shipping both in the short and long term.
To date, IACS members have all been proactive in working with industy and flag States where operational decisions regarding, for example, measures to maintain validity of classification and statutory certificates, need to be made by the individual Class Society on a case-by-case basis.
Sharma, who is also the executive chairman of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass), responded to requests from interested parties seeking guidance on how its IACS members intend to respond to the current and forthcoming challenges posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
IACS members recognised that a consistency in approach between the various Class Societies is required and the Association has therefore set up the COVID-19 Task Force.
The purpose of IACS Procedural Requirements (PRs) is to provide consistency between the actions and approaches taken by IACS Members and the measures that have already been taken by IACS to address immediate concerns can be summarised as follows:
• PR1C has been used to ensure consistency in the application of ‘force majeure’ and exceptional circumstances’ for class purposes by IACS Members.
• Also in PR1C are requirements related to carrying out surveys and maintaining the validity of certificates. IACS is developing a temporary amendment to Para. A.1.7 of PR1C which will provide a period of not exceeding three (3) months for the completion of surveys.
• IACS is working on amendments to PR1A which will facilitate the transfer of class by allowing the gaining Society, in coordination with the owner, to better plan the surveys in advance.
• IACS Members have taken a unanimous stand to the use of each other’s exclusive surveyors where it would be impractical for one Society to attend but where a surveyor from another IACS Member Society could be utilised.
This measure will also help avoid unnecessary travel in restricted areas which in turn supports the safety of the surveyor and vessel crew concerned and the broader public health of the countries concerned.
Provisions exist in PR5 and PR211 allowing these arrangements (subject to agreement with the RO’s flag States), Sharma pointed out.
These provisions will be supplemented by the development of a standard request form that may be used by each IACS Member when seeking to utilize the exclusive surveyor from another IACS Classification Society.
Noting the importance of keeping both surveyors and ship’s crews safe when visiting vessels, IACS is developing specific health and safety guidance for surveyors to facilitate their access to sites/ships which will cover matters such as strict adherence to, and support of, site/ship security access controls along with site/ship health and safety measures; use of protective equipment, including masks, gloves, soap, hand-sanitizers and temperature monitors and up to-date guidance on COVID19 prevention measures.
In addition to these immediate actions, please note that an IACS COVID-19 Task Force has been recently established to answer a number of questions recently received.
In terms of action at the regulatory level, IACS has welcomed the positive and proactive action undertaken by IMO including the issuance of IMO Circular letters calling for understanding and close cooperation among all Member States and Port States to overcome challenges related to the implementation and enforcement of the relevant IMO instruments.
IACS has noted that flag States have recognised the challenge and are addressing it within the statutory regime, and supports the measures taken to date by IMO. IACS co-sponsored a submission to IMO (MSC 102/7/5) seeking a unified interpretation of SOLAS regulation II-1/3-10 concerning the term unforeseen delay in the delivery of ships.
IACS is also engaging with flag States with a view to working with maritime Administrations to assist in addressing the issuance of statutory certificates beyond the 3 month window of a short term certificate, possibly via the development of technical parameters and/or a risk based approach that can underpin the decision making process and identify any associated checks that need to be put in place during that period.
Finally, IACS has established a dedicated webpage (http://iacs.org.uk/covid-19/) which will be regularly updated as the COVID19 Task Force continues its work, said Sharma.
IACS listed:
1 PR5, section 1: “An exclusive surveyor of one Classification Society may also be regarded as an exclusive surveyor to another Classification Society in those cases where the relevant Societies have agreed to share survey resources”; and
PR21, section 3: “For the purpose of this Procedural Requirement, use of properly qualified, exclusive surveyors employed by other Classification societies is limited to exceptional and duly justified cases and is subject to the discretion of the flag Administration”.
Following the postponement of MSC 102, the IMO Secretariat has issued Circular letter No.4204/Add.7 highlighting existing instruments that may be used to address the issues raised in paper MSC 102/7/5.
IACS is committed to supporting the maritime industry through the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID19 pandemic, assured Sharma.
“Through a close and constant dialogue with all stakeholders, we are confident that appropriate mechanisms can be put in place that meet the needs of the shipping industry while ensuring that the safety of the ships, their crews and the marine environment remains uncompromised.”
IACS looks forward to working with the industry, flag States and regulators during these exceptional circumstances and to playing its part in keeping the shipping industry moving, said Sharma. fiinews.com
