Section 6 Machinery Surveys – General requirements

6.1.1 For Annual, Intermediate, Docking and In-water Surveys, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 2 Annual Surveys – Hull and machinery requirements.

6.1.2 For laid-up machinery, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 20 Laid-up machinery.

6.2.1 While the unit is in dry dock or subject to In-water Surveys, all openings to the sea in the machinery spaces, pump-rooms and other spaces, together with the valves, cocks and the fastenings with which these are connected to the hull, are to be examined and the fastenings to the shell plating are to be renewed when considered necessary by the Surveyor.

6.2.2 All shafts (except screw shafts and tube shafts, for which special arrangements are detailed in Pt 1, Ch 3, 12 Screwshafts, tube shafts and propellers), thrust block and all bearings are to be examined. The lower halves of bearings need not be exposed if alignment and wear are found to be acceptable.

6.2.3 An examination is to be made of all reduction gears, complete with all wheels, pinions, shafts, bearings and gear teeth, thrust bearings and incorporated clutch arrangements.

6.2.4 The following auxiliaries and components are also to be examined:

1. Auxiliary engines, auxiliary air compressors with their intercoolers, filters and/or oil separators and safety devices, and all pumps and components used for essential services.
2. Steering machinery.
3. Windlass and mooring winches and associated driving equipment, where fitted.
4. Evaporators (other than those of vacuum type) and their safety valves, which should be seen in operation under steam.
5. The holding-down bolts and chocks of main and auxiliary engines, gear cases, thrust blocks and intermediate shaft bearings.

6.2.5 All air receivers for essential services, together with their mountings, valves and safety devices, are to be cleaned internally and examined internally and externally. If internal examination of the air receivers is not practicable, they are to be tested hydraulically to 1,3 times the working pressure.

6.2.6 The valves, cocks and strainers of the bilge system, including bilge injection, are to be opened up as considered necessary by the Surveyor and, together with pipes, are to be examined and tested under working conditions. The oil fuel, feed, lubricating oil and cooling water systems, also the ballast connections and blanking arrangements to deep tanks, pre-load tanks or brine tanks which may carry different liquid, together with all pressure filters, heaters and coolers used for essential services, are to be opened up and examined or tested, as considered necessary by the Surveyor. All safety devices for the foregoing items are to be examined.

6.2.7 Fuel tanks which do not form part of the unit's structure are to be examined, and if considered necessary by the Surveyor, they are to be tested to the pressure specified for new tanks. The tanks need not be examined internally at the first survey if they are found satisfactory on external inspection. The mountings, fittings and remote controls of all oil fuel tanks are to be examined, so far as is practicable.

6.2.8 Arrangements are to be made by Owners for opening up and examination of all sea connections afloat at five-yearly intervals.

6.2.9 Where remote and/or automatic controls are fitted for essential machinery, they are to be tested to under operating conditions to an approved test scheule.

6.2.10 On units fitted with a dynamic positioning system and/or thruster-assisted positional mooring system, the control system and associated machinery items, including pressure vessels, are to be examined and tested to demonstrate that they are in good working order.

6.2.11 In addition to the above, detailed requirements for steam and gas turbines, oil engines, electrical installations and boilers are given in Pt 1, Ch 3, 7 Turbines – Detailed requirements respectively. In certain instances, upon application by the Owner or where indicated by the maker's servicing recommendations, the Classification Committee will give consideration to the circumstances where deviation from these detailed requirements is warranted, taking account of design, appropriate indicating equipment (e.g., vibration indicators) and operational records.

6.2.12 For self-elevating units, the following essential parts of the elevating and lowering machinery, which are critical to the safety of the unit, are to be specially examined:

1. Couplings, pinions and gears of the climbing pinion gear train of rack and pinion systems are to be examined and NDE is to be carried out to the Surveyor's satisfaction.
2. Attachment of the reduction gear case to the jackcases or other supporting structure is to be examined for wear and bolting arrangements examined for security.
3. Leg guides and shock pads are to be examined for wear.
4. The fixation system, where fitted, is to be examined for wear and satisfactory operation/engagement.
5. Grease injection lubrication system is to be examined for damage to piping and nozzles. Satisfactory operation of system is to be verified.
6. Operational tests of the jacking system are to be carried out to the Surveyor's satisfaction.

6.2.13 Where an approved planned maintenance scheme is in operation, surveys may be carried out in accordance with Pt 1, Ch 2, 3.5 Existing installations – Periodical Surveys.

6.2.14 For natural gas fuel installations see also Pt 1, Ch 3, 21.7 Intermediate Surveys and Pt 1, Ch 3, 21.8 Complete Surveys − General requirements.