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The operating specifications specify the regular maintenance requirements for safety equipment and systems in accordance with high standards, which are necessary to maintain the fishing certificate.
Fishing vessel operating regulations emphasize the importance of regular maintenance of high standards-especially safety equipment and systems. For ships less than 24 meters in length, this requirement forms part of the annual self-certification required to maintain the fishing certificate.
MCA inspects vessels with a total length of 15 to 24 meters. Ships over 24 meters are inspected every year for safety equipment and systems, and more detailed statutory intermediate inspections are also required. If the safety equipment is not properly maintained, the ship may be detained and the shipowner may be prosecuted.
MCA also provides guidance on specific issues, such as:
Premature failure of copper pipes in engine cooling water system
Avoid flooding by using suitable grades of stainless steel in piping works
Bilge water system and additional/alternative equipment to help prevent flooding
Emergency power supply test
MGN 331 Amendment 1 (MF) provides guidance on the legal obligations applicable to shipowners and employers who install, maintain, and use work equipment
Maintenance of portable fire extinguishers
Fire detection and alarm system on fishing boats
The industry has developed a free online secure folder service that can help you plan maintenance. In addition, it can also help conduct and record risk assessments, help you comply with ILO 188 regulations, track crew training and certification, and provide equipment certification and maintenance reminders.
The condition of the seawater pipeline in the fishing vessel is an important factor to prevent the vessel from entering water.
Stainless steel seawater pipelines can reduce pipeline corrosion, but some grades of stainless steel are not suitable for marine use. For example, austenitic stainless steels (304/304L and 316/316L) may have the risk of chloride stress corrosion cracking when used with seawater or sewage, which may cause fracture. One solution is to increase the nickel content (such as alloy 330, 904L) or use duplex or ferritic stainless steel, such as 329, 2205, 439, 26Cr 1 Mo.
MGN 165 (F) Fishing Vessels: The risk of flooding provides guidance for the bilge water system during construction and operation to help reduce the number of boats and lives lost due to flooding. This notice also recommends that shipowners and captains consider the use of additional or alternative equipment, such as salvage pumps, propeller shaft mounted pumps and secondary bilge alarms to reduce the risk of catastrophic flooding.
Read the relevant operating specifications of fishing boats of different length categories.
Fishing vessel codes and regulations provide guidance on best practices in the following areas:
Structural, watertight and weathertight integrity and drainage arrangements
Mechanical and electrical, including propulsion, steering, plumbing and emergency arrangements
Fire prevention, including fire prevention measures and the deployment and use of fire prevention equipment
Personnel protection, including risk assessment, accident prevention and equipment protection
Emergency procedures, including inspections and drills related to emergency procedures
You must ensure that all onboard equipment is available and maintained regularly. During the statutory inspection of ships over 15 meters in length, equipment and maintenance plans are checked. During normal inspections, MCA will inspect these areas on smaller fishing vessels.
Fishing vessels must ensure that they seek MCA’s approval before modifying their vessels to ensure that the safety of their vessels is not affected. This approval should be sought regardless of whether these modifications are made with funding from a maritime management organization or a decentralized management agency.
By contacting the MCA before applying for funding, owners can ensure that they:
Therefore, if work is started without the approval of the MCA, the shipowner will face the risk of suspension of his certificate during the inspection or survey of the ship by the MCA. The MCA may require amendments to anticipated modifications, or it may require the ship to be restored to its original condition. This work may not be protected by additional funds.
For this reason, it is particularly important for the shipowner to contact the MCA before submitting the funding application to minimize the risk of the ship’s suspension of fishing and the risk that additional work must be done to resolve the ship’s safety issues.
More detailed information can be found in Maritime Information Note 593 (F): Ship Modification-MCA Pre-approval.
The link in the table has been updated to the operating regulations for small fishing vessels with a total length of less than 15m and the accompanying MSN 1871 (F) Amendment 2 decentralized administrative agency.
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