IMCA Newsroom

Press Release

IMCA PUBLISHES MARINE INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR SMALL WORKBOATS

The Marine Inspection Checklist for Small Workboats is the most recent publication from the Offshore Survey Division of IMCA - The International Marine Contractors Association. The checklist has been prepared for IMCA, by Poseidon Maritime to assist survey contractors worldwide when chartering, or considering chartering, workboats and enables them to establish whether or not the boat is being operated in a safe manor.

Based on the UK, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) publication The Safety of Small Workboats & Pilot Boats, A Code of Practice. 1998, the new IMCA checklist has been modified to make it suitable for international application and relates to workboats under 500grt (therefore not required to have an ISM certificate) and operating in inshore waters, up to 150 miles from a safe haven.

"The main purpose of our new Marine Inspection checklist is to verify that a workboat chartered anywhere in the world is being operated in a safe manner," explains IMCA's Chief Executive Tony Read. "It is not intended to verify that the vessel has been constructed or operated in accordance with the requirements of any specific IMO, Flag State or Coastal State Regulation."

The new IMCA checklist provides information on vessel categories (based on the MCA publication), inspector competency and the inspection process. On conclusion of each inspection, the Inspector is required to provide the relevant vessel operator's personnel with a verbal briefing and a brief written summary of the result of the inspection, and an Inspection Summary, providing an overall impression of the vessel and any other comments that may be useful to the reader of the report.

Inspectors are required to prioritise findings, recommendations and observations under three headings - high, medium and low. High priorities are for immediate action before the vessel sails; those designated ‘medium' should be completed within three months (with the exception of items requiring a major overhaul period, e.g. dry-docking); and low priorities are deemed to be ‘consideration for improvement'.

Copies of the new publication cost £10 for members and £25 for non-members and are available from IMCA.

Notes to Editors (common)

• IMCA is an international association with over 450 members in more than 50 countries, representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies. IMCA has four technical divisions, covering marine/specialist vessel operations, offshore diving, hydrographic survey and remote systems and ROVs, plus geographic sections for the Americas Deepwater, Asia-Pacific, Europe & Africa and Middle East & India regions, as well as a core focus on safety, the environment, competence and training. IMCA seeks to promote its members' common interests, to resolve industry-wide issues and to provide an authoritative voice for its members.
• IMCA publishes some 200 guidance notes and technical reports. These have been developed over the years and are widely distributed. They are a definition of what IMCA stands for, including widely recognised diving and ROV codes of practice, DP documentation, marine good practice guidance, the Common Marine Inspection Document, safety recommendation, outline training syllabi and the IMCA competence scheme guidance. In addition to the range of printed guidance documents, IMCA also produces safety promotional materials, circulates information notes and safety flashes.
• Judith Patten is here to help you if you want any additional information on IMCA; would like to discuss a feature article; want to organise interviews with key members of the IMCA team, etc.