5 Preparations for survey

  5.1.1 The owner in cooperation with the Administration shall work out a specific survey programme prior to the commencement of any part of the renewal survey and, for an oil tanker other than a double-hull oil tanker over 10 years of age, the intermediate survey. The survey programme shall be in a written format based on the information in annex 6A. The survey shall not commence until the survey programme has been agreed.

  5.1.1.1 Prior to the development of the survey programme, the survey planning questionnaire shall be completed by the owner based on the information set out in annex 6B, and forwarded to the Administration.

5.1.1.2 The survey programme at an intermediate survey may consist of the survey programme at the previous renewal survey supplemented by the condition evaluation report (executive hull summary report) of that renewal survey and later relevant survey reports.

5.1.1.3 The survey programme shall be worked out taking into account any amendments to the survey requirements implemented after the last renewal survey was carried out.

  5.1.2 In developing the survey programme, the following documentation shall be collected and consulted upon with a view to selecting tanks, areas, and structural elements to be examined:

• .1 survey status and basic ship information;

• .2 documentation on board, as described in 6.2 and 6.3;

• .3 main structural plans of cargo and ballast tanks (scantlings drawings), including information regarding use of high-tensile steels (HTS);

• .4 condition evaluation report (executive hull summary report), according to annex 9;

• .5 relevant previous damage and repair history;

• .6 relevant previous survey and inspection reports from both the Administration and the owner;

• .7 cargo and ballast history for the last three years, including carriage of cargo under heated conditions;

• .8 details of the inert gas plant and tank cleaning procedures;

• .9 information and other relevant data regarding conversion or modification of the ship's cargo and ballast tanks since the time of construction;

• .10 description and history of the corrosion prevention system (including previous class notations), if any;

• .11 inspections of the owner's personnel during the last three years with reference to structural deterioration in general, leakages in tank boundaries and piping and condition of the corrosion prevention system if any. Guidance for reporting is shown in annex 5;

• .12 information regarding the relevant maintenance level during operation, including port State control reports of inspection containing hull related deficiencies, safety management system non-conformities relating to hull maintenance, including the associated corrective action(s); and

• .13 any other information that will help identify suspect areas and critical structural areas.

  5.1.3 The submitted survey programme shall account for, and comply, as a minimum, with the provisions of 2.6 and annexes 1, 2 and 3 for close-up survey, thickness measurement and tank testing, respectively, and shall include relevant information including at least:

• .1 basic ship information and particulars;

• .2 main structural plans of cargo and ballast tanks (scantling drawings), including information regarding use of high tensile steels (HTS);

• .3 plan of tanks;

• .4 list of tanks with information on their use, corrosion prevention system and condition of coating;

• .5 conditions for survey (e.g. information regarding tank cleaning, gas freeing, ventilation, lighting, etc.);

• .6 provisions and methods for access to structures;

• .7 equipment for surveys;

• .8 nomination of tanks and areas for close-up survey (see 2.4);

• .9 nomination of areas and sections for thickness measurement (see 2.5);

• .10 nomination of tanks for tank testing (see 2.6);

• .11 nomination of the thickness measurement firm;

• .12 damage experience related to the ship in question; and

• .13 critical structural areas and suspect areas, where relevant.

  5.1.4 The Administration shall advise the owner of the maximum acceptable structural corrosion diminution levels applicable to the ship.

  5.1.5 Use should also be made of the Guidelines for technical assessment in conjunction with the planning of enhanced surveys for tankers, contained in annex 11. These Guidelines are a recommended tool which may be invoked at the discretion of the Administration, when considered necessary and appropriate, in conjunction with the preparation of the required survey programme. These Guidelines shall not be used to reduce the requirements of annexes 1, 2 and 3, and paragraph 2.6, which shall, in all cases, be complied with as a minimum.

  5.2.1 The owner shall provide the necessary facilities for a safe execution of the survey.^footnote

  5.2.1.1 In order to enable the attending surveyors to carry out the survey, provisions for proper and safe access shall be agreed between the owner and the Administration, based on recommendations developed by the Organization.^footnote

  5.2.1.2 Details of the means of access shall be provided in the survey planning questionnaire.

  5.2.1.3 In cases where the provisions of safety and required access are judged by the attending surveyors not to be adequate, the survey of the spaces involved shall not proceed.

  5.2.2 Tanks and spaces shall be safe for access. Tanks and spaces shall be gas-free and properly ventilated. Prior to entering tank, void or enclosed space, it shall be verified that the atmosphere in that space is free from hazardous gas and contains sufficient oxygen.

  5.2.3 In preparation for survey and thickness measurements and to allow for a thorough examination, all spaces shall be cleaned including removal from surfaces of all loose accumulated corrosion scale. Spaces shall be sufficiently clean and free from water, scale, dirt, oil residues, etc., to reveal corrosion, deformation, fractures, damages or other structural deterioration as well as the condition of the coating. However, those areas of structure whose renewal has already been decided by the owner need only be cleaned and descaled to the extent necessary to determine the limits of the areas to be renewed.

  5.2.4 Sufficient illumination shall be provided to reveal corrosion, deformation, fractures, damages or other structural deterioration as well as the condition of the coating.

  5.2.5 Where soft or semi-hard coatings have been applied, safe access shall be provided for the surveyor to verify the effectiveness of the coating and to carry out an assessment of the condition of internal structures which may include spot removal of the coating. When safe access cannot be provided, the soft or semi-hard coating shall be removed.

  5.2.6 The surveyor(s) shall always be accompanied by at least one responsible person, assigned by the owner, experienced in tank and enclosed space inspection.

  5.3.1 For overall surveys, means shall be provided to enable the surveyor to examine the structure in a safe and practical way.

  5.3.2 For close-up surveys, one or more of the following means for access, acceptable to the surveyor, shall be provided:

• .1 permanent staging and passages through structures;

• .2 temporary staging and passages through structures;

• .3 hydraulic arm vehicles such as conventional cherry pickers, lifts and moveable platforms;

• .4 boats or rafts;

• .5 portable ladders; and/or

• .6 other equivalent means.

  5.4.1 Thickness measurements shall normally be carried out by means of ultrasonic test equipment. The accuracy of the equipment shall be proven to the surveyor as required.

  5.4.2 One or more of the following fracture detection procedures shall be required if deemed necessary by the surveyor:

• .1 radiographic equipment;

• .2 ultrasonic equipment;

• .3 magnetic particle equipment;

• .4 dye penetrant; and/or

• .5 other equivalent means.

  5.4.3 Explosimeter, oxygen-meter, breathing apparatus, lifelines, riding belts with rope and hook and whistles together with instructions and guidance on their use shall be made available during the survey. A safety checklist shall be provided.

  5.4.4 Adequate and safe lighting shall be provided for the safe and efficient conduct of the survey.

  5.4.5 Adequate protective clothing shall be made available and used (e.g. safety helmet, gloves, safety shoes, etc.) during the survey.

 If breathing apparatus and/or other equipment is used as "Rescue and emergency response equipment", then the equipment shall be suitable for the configuration of the space being surveyed.

  5.6.1 Surveys at sea or at anchorage may be accepted provided the surveyor(s) is given the necessary assistance from the personnel on board. Necessary precautions and procedures for carrying out the survey shall be in accordance with 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4.

  5.6.2 A communication system shall be arranged between the survey party in the tank and the responsible officer on deck. This system shall also include the personnel in charge of ballast pump handling if boats or rafts are used.

  5.6.3 Surveys of tanks by means of boats or rafts shall only be undertaken with the agreement of the surveyor, who shall take into account the safety arrangements provided, including weather forecasting and ship response under foreseeable conditions and provided the expected rise of water within the tank does not exceed 0.25 m.

  5.6.4 When rafts or boats are used for close-up survey the following conditions shall be observed:

• .1 only rough duty, inflatable rafts or boats, having satisfactory residual buoyancy and stability even if one chamber is ruptured, shall be used;

• .2 the boat or raft shall be tethered to the access ladder and an additional person shall be stationed down the access ladder with a clear view of the boat or raft;

• .3 appropriate lifejackets should be available for all participants;

• .4 the surface of water in the tank shall be calm (under all foreseeable conditions the expected rise of water within the tank shall not exceed 0.25 m) and the water level stationary. On no account shall the level of the water be rising while the boat or raft is in use;

• .5 the tank or space shall contain clean ballast water only. Even a thin sheen of oil on the water shall not be acceptable;

• .6 at no time shall the water level be allowed to be within 1 m of the deepest under-deck web face flat so that the survey team is not isolated from a direct escape route to the tank hatch. Filling to levels above the deck transverses shall only be contemplated if a deck access manhole is fitted and open in the bay being examined, so that an escape route for the survey party is available at all times. Other effective means of escape to the deck may be considered; and

• .7 if the tanks (or spaces) are connected by a common venting system, or inert gas system, the tank in which the boat or raft is to be used shall be isolated to prevent a transfer of gas from other tanks (or spaces).

  5.6.5 Rafts or boats alone may be allowed for inspection of the underdeck areas of tanks or spaces if the depth of the webs is 1.5 m or less.

  5.6.6 If the depth of the webs is more than 1.5 m, rafts or boats alone shall be allowed only:

• .1 when the coating of the under-deck structure is in GOOD condition and there is no evidence of wastage; or

• .2 if a permanent means of access is provided in each bay to allow safe entry and exit. This means:

  • .1 access direct from the deck via a vertical ladder with a small platform fitted approximately 2 m below the deck in each bay; or

  • .2 access to deck from a longitudinal permanent platform having ladders to deck in each end of the tank. The platform shall, for the full length of the tank, be arranged level with, or above, the maximum water level needed for rafting of under deck structure. For this purpose, the ullage corresponding to the maximum water level shall be assumed not more than 3 m from the deck plate measured at the midspan of deck transverses and in the middle length of the tanks (see figure 1).

Figure 1: Maximum water level in a tank

If neither of the above conditions are met, then staging or other equivalent means shall be provided for the survey of the under-deck areas.

  5.6.7 The use of rafts or boats alone in 5.6.5 and 5.6.6 does not preclude the use of boats or rafts to move about within a tank during a survey.

  5.7.1 Proper preparation and close cooperation between the attending surveyor(s) and the owner's representatives on board prior to and during the survey are an essential part in the safe and efficient conduct of the survey. During the survey onboard safety meetings shall be held regularly.

  5.7.2 Prior to commencement of any part of the renewal or intermediate survey, a survey planning meeting shall be held between the attending surveyor(s), the owner's representative in attendance, the thickness measurement firm representative, where involved, and the master of the ship or an appropriately qualified representative nominated by the master or company; for the purpose to ascertain that all the arrangements envisaged in the survey programme are in place, so as to ensure the safe and efficient conduct of the survey work to be carried out (see also 7.1.2).

  5.7.3 The following is an indicative list of items that shall be addressed in the meeting:

• .1 schedule of the ship (i.e. the voyage, docking and undocking manoeuvres, periods alongside, cargo and ballast operations, etc.);

• .2 provisions and arrangements for thickness measurements (i.e. access, cleaning/de-scaling, illumination, ventilation, personal safety);

• .3 extent of the thickness measurements;

• .4 acceptance criteria (refer to the list of minimum thicknesses);

• .5 extent of close-up survey and thickness measurement considering the coating condition and suspect areas/areas of substantial corrosion;

• .6 execution of thickness measurements;

• .7 taking representative readings in general and where uneven corrosion/pitting is found;

• .8 mapping of areas of substantial corrosion; and

• .9 communication between attending surveyor(s), the thickness measurement firm operator(s), and owner representative(s) concerning findings.