Maritime safety: ship inspection and survey organisations

The Council directive sets out the measures to be observed by Member States and the agencies responsible for surveying, inspecting and certifying ships with a view to ensuring that they comply with international conventions on safety at sea and the prevention of pollution from ships, while at the same time supporting the objective of the free provision of services. This process includes drafting and implementing safety requirements governing the hull, machinery, electrical installations and navigational instruments on board ships governed by international conventions. The directive makes provision for: - Member States to make certain that their competent authorities are able to ensure that the provisions of international conventions are properly applied. - Member States to ensure that the agencies responsible for surveys, inspections and certification are approved. The minimum criteria applicable to the agencies in question are contained in the following general provisions: the approved agency must be able to prove that it has extensive experience in evaluating, designing and building commercial ships and must class at least 1,000 ocean-going ships of at least 100 GRT. It must employ a technical staff in proportion to the number of ships classed and must publish an annual register of the ships under its control. It must not be controlled by shipowners or builders or other persons working in this commercial sector. - An advisory committee to be set up to assist the Commission. This committee will be responsible for monitoring all approved agencies. - Approved agencies to consult periodically in order to ensure that their technical standards remain equivalent and are implemented. In addition, the Member States undertake to subject third country ships not classed by shipping registers to port inspections as a matter of priority. The Member States must comply with the directive by 31 December 1995.�