Section 1 General

1.1.2 When it has been agreed that the complete survey of the hull and machinery may be carried out on the Continuous Survey basis, all compartments of the hull and all items of machinery are to be opened for survey in rotation to ensure that the interval between consecutive examinations of each part will not exceed five years, see Pt 1, Ch 2, 3.5 Existing installations – Periodical Surveys and 3.5.19. The requirements of 1.1.1(a) to (c) are also to be complied with.

1.1.3  Ship units and other surface type units: for units with crude oil bulk storage tanks, the additional requirements of Pt 1, Ch 3 Periodical Survey Regulations of the Rules for Ships are to be complied with, as applicable.

1.1.4 For the frequency of surveys of boilers and other pressure vessels, steam pipes, screwshafts, tube shafts, propellers and thrusters, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 10 Boilers, see also 1.1.5.

1.1.5 For the frequency of surveys of pressure vessels for process and drilling plant, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 17 Pressure vessels for process and drilling plant.

1.1.6 For the frequency of surveys of process plant, drilling plant and riser systems, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 13 Drilling plant facility.

1.1.7 For the frequency of surveys of inert gas systems, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 18 Inert gas systems.

1.1.8 For the frequency of surveys of safety and communication systems and hazardous areas, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 16 Safety and communication systems and hazardous areas.

1.2.1 At any time when a unit is undergoing alterations or damage repairs, any exposed parts of the structure normally difficult to access are to be specially examined, e.g., if any part of the main or auxiliary machinery, including boilers, insulation or fittings, is removed for any reason, the steel structure in way is to be carefully examined by the Surveyor, or when cement in the bottom or covering on decks is removed, the plating in way is to be examined before the cement or covering is relaid.

1.3.1 In the event that LR has cause to believe that its Rules and Regulations are not being complied with, LR reserves the right to perform unscheduled surveys of the hull, machinery, or drilling/process plant and the applicable statutory requirements, whether or not the appropriate statutory certificate has been issued by LR.

1.3.2 In the event of significant damage or defect affecting any unit, LR reserves the right to perform unscheduled surveys of the hull structure or machinery of other similar units classed by LR and deemed to be vulnerable.

1.4.1 Surveys are to be held by LR when so appointed, or by the Exclusive Surveyors to a National Administration or by an IACS Member, when so authorised by the National Authority, or, in the case of Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificates or Safety Management Certificates, by any organisation authorised by the National Authority. In the case of dual classed units, Convention Certificates may be issued by the other Society with which the unit is classed, provided this is recognised in a formal Dual Class Agreement with LR and provided the other Society is also authorised by the National Authority.

1.5.1  Unit types are defined in Pt 1, Ch 2, 2 Definitions, character of classification and class notations and Pt 3 FUNCTIONAL UNIT TYPES AND SPECIAL FEATURES.

1.5.2  Critical areas are locations vulnerable to substantial corrosion, buckling and/or fatigue cracking.

1.5.3 A ballast tank is a tank which is used solely for salt-water ballast. A space which is used for both the storage of liquids and salt-water ballast will be treated as a salt-water ballast tank when substantial corrosion has been found in that space.

1.5.4  Spaces are separate compartments such as tanks, pump-rooms, cofferdams and void spaces bounding cargo holds, decks and outer hull.

1.5.5 An Overall Survey is a survey intended to report on the overall condition of the hull structure and to determine the extent of additional Close-up Surveys as necessary.

1.5.6 A Close-up Survey is a survey where the details of structural components are within the close visual inspection range of the Surveyor, i.e., normally within reach of hand.

1.5.7  Representative spaces are those which are expected to reflect the condition of other spaces of similar type and service and with similar corrosion prevention systems. When selecting representative spaces, account should be taken of the service and repair history on board and identifiable Critical Structural Areas.

1.5.8  Substantial corrosion is wastage of individual plates and stiffeners in excess of 75 per cent of allowable margins, but within acceptable limits.

1.5.9 A protective coating is normally a full hard protective coating. This is usually to be an epoxy coating or equivalent.

1.5.10 An independent double bottom tank is a double bottom tank which is separate from topside tanks, side tanks or deep tanks.

1.5.11  NDE is Non-Destructive Examination, consisting of visual examination and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT).

1.5.12  Coating condition is defined as follows:

GOOD. Condition with only minor spot rusting.

FAIR. Condition with local breakdown of coating at edges of stiffeners and weld connections and/or light rusting over 20 per cent or more of areas under consideration, but less than as defined for poor condition.

POOR. Condition with general breakdown of coating over 20 per cent of areas and hard scale at 10 per cent or more of area under consideration.

1.5.13 A prompt and thorough repair is a permanent repair completed at the time of survey to the satisfaction of the Surveyor, thereby removing the need for the imposition of any associated condition of class or recommendation.

1.5.14  Critical structural areas are locations which have been identified from calculations to require monitoring or from the service history of the subject unit or from similar units, if applicable, to be sensitive to cracking, buckling or corrosion which would impair the structural integrity of the unit.

1.5.15  A natural gas fuel installation comprises the following; fuel bunkering, fuel storage, fuel processing and fuel delivery to gas fuelled consumers. The scope of the natural gas fuel installation extends from the bunker manifold to the natural gas fuelled consumer and includes any re-liquefaction plant and compressors that are fitted to manage boil off.

1.6.2 Particular attention is to be paid to critical areas and also to areas of suspected damage or deterioration and to repaired areas. Surveys are to take into account locations highlighted by service experience and the design assessment.

1.6.3 A planned survey programme for positional mooring systems is to be developed by the Owner and submitted to LR for approval, seePt 1, Ch 3, 2.2 Structure and equipment.

1.6.4 A planned survey programme for units assigned a PPF notation and/or a DRILL notation is to be developed by the Owner and submitted to LR for approval, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 2 Annual Surveys – Hull and machinery requirements.

1.6.5 Planned surveys and procedures as agreed by LR will be subject to revision if found necessary at subsequent surveys or when required by the Surveyor.

1.6.6 A planned survey programme for installations with riser systems assigned a PRS notation is to be developed by the Owner and submitted to LR for approval, see Pt 1, Ch 3, 15 Riser systems.

1.7.1 In order to enable the attending Surveyor(s) to carry out the survey, provision for proper and safe access is to be agreed between the Owner and LR. Tanks and spaces are to be safe for access, gas free and properly ventilated. Prior to entering a tank, void or enclosed space, it is to be verified that the atmosphere in that space is free from hazardous gas and contains sufficient oxygen.

1.7.2 In preparation for survey, thickness measurements and to allow for a thorough examination, all spaces are to be cleaned, including removal from surfaces of all loose accumulated corrosion scale. Spaces are to 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 protective 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 renewed areas.

1.7.3 Sufficient illumination is to be provided to reveal corrosion, deformation, fractures, damages or other structural deterioration.

1.7.4 Means are to be provided to enable the Surveyor to examine the structure in a safe and practical way.

1.7.5 Survey at an offshore location or anchorage may be undertaken when the Surveyor is fully satisfied with the access, egress and communications arrangements provided and that the personnel on board are competent in the application and use of all relevant safety and communications equipment and procedures.

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

1.7.7  For natural gas fuel installations see also Pt 1, Ch 3, 21.1 General.

1.8.1 This Section is applicable to the thickness measurement of the structure where required byPt 1, Ch 3, 2 Annual Surveys – Hull and machinery requirements.

1.8.2 Prior to the commencement of the Intermediate Survey and Special Survey, a meeting is to be held between the attending Surveyor(s), the Owner’s representative in attendance, the thickness measurement company representative and the Master of the unit or an appropriately qualified representative appointed by the Master or Owner, so as to ensure the safe and efficient conduct of the survey and thickness measurements to be carried out. See alsoPt 1, Ch 3, 1.6 Planned survey programme.

1.8.3 Thickness measurements are normally to be taken by means of ultrasonic test equipment and are to be carried out by a firm approved in accordance with LR’s Approval for Thickness Measurement of Hull Structure.

1.8.4 The Surveyor may require to measure the thickness of the material in any portion of the structure where signs of wastage are evident or wastage is normally found. Any parts of the structure which are found defective or excessively reduced in scantlings are to be made good by materials of the approved scantlings and quality. Attention is to be given to the structure in way of discontinuities. Surfaces are to be re-coated as necessary.

1.8.5 Thickness measurements are to be taken in the forward and aft areas of all plates. Where plates cross ballast/cargo tank boundaries, separate measurements for the area of plating in way of each type of tank are to be reported. In all cases, the measurements are to represent the average of multiple measurements taken on each plate and/or stiffener. Where measured plates are renewed, the thickness of adjacent plates in the same strake is to be reported.

1.8.6 Thickness measurement of units with storage tanks for liquefied gases or chemicals will be specially considered.

1.8.7 The extent and frequency of thickness measurement on structure with substantial corrosion will be specially considered. The survey will not be considered complete until all required thickness measurements have been carried out.

1.8.8 Thickness measurements are to be witnessed by the Surveyor to the extent necessary to control the process. This also applies to thickness measurements carried out while the unit is at an offshore location.

1.8.9 Thickness measurements may be carried out within the 12 months prior to the due date of the Special Survey.

1.8.10 Where it is required as part of the survey to carry out thickness measurements for the structural areas subject to Close-up Survey, these measurements are to be carried out simultaneously with the Close-up Survey.

1.8.11 The Surveyor may extend the scope of thickness measurement if deemed necessary.

1.8.12 Thickness determination by drilling structural members is not permitted.

1.8.13 In all cases, the extent of the thickness measurements is to be sufficient to represent the actual average condition.

1.8.14 A report is to be prepared by the approved firm carrying out the thickness measurements. The report is to give the location of measurement, the thickness measured as well as the corresponding original thickness. The report is to give the date when measurement was carried out, the type of measuring equipment, names of personnel and their qualifications and is to be signed by the Operator.

1.8.15 The thickness measurement report is to be verified and signed by the Surveyor and countersigned by an authorising Surveyor.

For locations where adequate repair facilities are not available, consideration may be given to allow the unit to proceed directly to a repair facility. This may require discharging the cargo and/or temporary repairs for the intended voyage.

1.9.2 Where it is proposed to defer repairs, a defect criticality assessment is to be submitted for approval, demonstrating the effectiveness of any mitigation measures (inter alia monitoring, loading restrictions) and continued suitability until repaired.