The purpose of these Guidelines is to assist Administrations,
port State inspectors, shipowners and others to understand the Approved
Method process and responsibilities. For clarity the Approved Method
process is illustrated in figure 1. Further details are given in the
following paragraphs.
2
IDENTIFICATION AS TO THE
APPLICABILITY OF AN APPROVED METHOD
2.1 After notification of the certification of
an Approved Method by an IMO circular, shipowners potentially affected
by the Approved Method should investigate as to whether that Approved
Method is applicable to engines under their control by checking against
the criteria for identification of applicable engines included in
the circular.
2.2 In those instances where items specified in
paragraphs .1 to .3 of the appendix as listed in the notification
do not apply, the Approved Method does not apply and no further action
is required.
2.3 In those instances where an engine corresponds
in full with the items specified in paragraphs .1 to .6 of the appendix
as listed in the notification, as confirmed by the ship's Administration,
the shipowner should arrange through the contact point given in the
IMO circular for the installation of the Approved Method within the
given time period as specified in regulation 13.7.2 of MARPOL Annex VI. In making that arrangement,
the shipowner should provide such engine specific information as is
necessary for the preparation of that engine's Approved Method File.
2.4 In those instances where it is considered
that an Approved Method is not applicable since, although conforming
with the items specified in paragraphs .1 to .3 of the appendix as
listed in the notification, it does not conform to one or more points
specified in paragraphs .4 to .6 of the appendix, due to installation
or post manufacture modification, the shipowner should contact the
relevant contact point as given in the IMO circular. In that communication,
information should be given as to why it is considered that one or
more of points specified in paragraphs .4 to .6 of the appendix do
not apply. The contact point should assess that application for non-applicability
of fitting the Approved Method against their knowledge of the Approved
Method. The outcome of that review (agreement or disagreement) should
be passed to the certifying Administration and ship's Administration
for their review and confirmation of that finding.
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.1 In the case of agreement as to non-applicability,
the certifying Administration should duly document the non-applicability
giving the Approved Method approval reference, details of the engine
to which the non-applicability applies (make, model, serial number
or other verifiable and unique identifiers) and details of the reason(s)
for which the engine is found non-applicable together with any other
relevant information. Any agreement on non-applicability should have
the concurrence of the ship's Administration. The non-applicability
documentation should be retained on board as evidence of non-applicability
of a particular Approved Method. In this it must be noted that although
non-applicability documentation has been issued against a particular
Approved Method, a subsequently certified Approved Method may apply.
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.2 In those instances where those Administrations
agree with the contact point that the shipowner's reason for claiming
non-applicability is not valid, the shipowner will be advised and
informed that fitting of the Approved Method is required within the
given time period.
3
ALTERNATIVE TO THE INSTALLATION
OF AN APPROVED METHOD
For an engine identified in above paragraph 2.3 or 2.4.2
as being applicable to an Approved Method, regulation 13.7.1.2 of MARPOL Annex VI allows that the engine may
alternatively be certified to Tier I, II or III.* In such instances
the issue of the EIAPP Certificate, approval of the associated Technical
File and the initial and subsequent survey procedures should be in
accordance with the given NOX Technical
Code 2008
procedures for engines installed on ships constructed
on or after 1 January 2000. The IAPP Certificate of the ship on which
that engine is installed should be duly updated within the time period
given by regulation 13.7.2 of MARPOL Annex
VI relevant to the Approved Method to which it is an alternative.
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*Note:
Typically it may be expected
that this option may be adopted in those cases where a series of ships
spanned the introduction date of the NOX certification
requirement. In such cases those ships in the series which were constructed
on or after 1 January 2000 will have NOX certified engines,
however, those ships in the series constructed before that date may
have identical engines installed, except that they were not NOX certified.
In these instances it may be possible to back-certify those previously
uncertified engines on the basis of being additional member engines
of the engine groups/families to which the certified engines belong.
4
APPROVED METHOD NOT COMMERCIALLY
AVAILABLE
4.1 In case where the Approved Method is not commercially
available despite best efforts to obtain it within the time period
given by regulation 13.7.2 of MARPOL Annex
VI (noting that this does not cover instances when not convenient
in relation to the ship's schedule to fit the Approved Method) then
application should be made to the ship's Administration, giving details
of the efforts made to have installed the Approved Method. The ship's
Administration should review that information and, if in agreement
that the Approved Method is not at that time commercially available,
a statement to that effect should be duly provided to the shipowner.
That statement should be retained on board and be available at surveys
or inspections as required.
4.2 Thereafter the shipowner should, in accordance
with regulation 13.7.2 of MARPOL Annex VI,
reassess the commercial availability in a timely manner prior to the
next annual survey, and if available, to have the Approved Method
installed no later than that annual survey. If the Approved Method
is still not available the process in paragraph 4.1 of these guidelines
should be repeated. Thereafter, this process should be repeated for
each annual survey until the Approved Method is commercially available
and hence installed.
5
SURVEY CONFIRMING INSTALLATION
OF THE APPROVED METHOD
5.1 Upon completion of the installation of the
Approved Method, an initial (onboard confirmation) survey should be
undertaken by the ship's Administration in accordance with the onboard
verification procedure specified in the Approved Method File.
5.2 A chronological record should be maintained,
covering the installation of the Approved Method and all changes,
including like-for-like replacements, of components and adjustments/operating
values as covered by the Approved Method. This record should accompany
the Approved Method File as evidence of the initial installation.
6
SURVEYS CONFIRMING RETENTION
OF THE APPROVED METHOD
6.1 The in-service surveys after the installation of the
Approved Method should be carried out in accordance with the onboard verification
procedure specified in the Approved Method File. The survey is to be conducted as part
of a ship's survey in accordance with regulation 5 of
MARPOL Annex VI.
6.2 The Approved Method record should be maintained
and be available on board at the relevant surveys.
7
APPROVED METHOD PROCESS FLOWCHART
Figure 1 illustrates the overall Approved Method process.