Inspections

About 1,500 foreign vessels are inspected by Port State Control in the Netherlands each year. Onboard inspections are unannounced. Annual concentrated inspection campaigns also take place.

Sanctions

Possible sanctions include:

• the taking of corrective measures within the required timeframe
• detention: the detention must be lifted before the vessel may leave and a fine must be paid to withdraw the detention
• banning: the vessel is no longer allowed to enter Paris MoU countries

A fine must be paid to lift the detention.
Re-inspection always takes place before the detention may be lifted.

Asbestos

New installation of ACMs is prohibited without exception for all sea-going vessels, pursuant to the SOLAS regulations. Despite this clear and unambiguous prohibition of ACMs, asbestos is still regularly encountered in various locations on board ships.

During inspections asbestos has been found in such places as fire blankets, insulation materials, types of sealants, friction material for brakes, wall and ceiling coverings, cables, cords, electric fuses etc. Moreover, ships that were originally free of asbestos appear to have ACMs on board as a result of repairs at shipyards and/or the purchase of spare parts at a later stage.

Ropax inspections

There are specific inspections for roll-on roll-off passenger vessels operating on a regular route, also called ferries or Ropax. These are conducted based on EU Directive 1999/35/EC (Ferry Directive) and take place once every six months, often in combination with other Member States. Both the technical condition of the vessel and the procedures (boat drills and fire drills) are inspected.

The results are entered into the centralised THETIS database, administered by the EU. Thetis can be viewed through the EMSA website. The inspection team always sails with the vessel for these inspections.

Compulsory expanded inspections

The following vessels are required to undergo expanded inspections:

• vessels with a high risk profile (of any type or age) that have not been inspected in the previous five months
• oil, gas and chemical tankers, bulk carriers or passenger vessels older than 12 years with a standard risk profile that have not been inspected in the previous 10 months
• oil, gas and chemical tankers, bulk carriers or passenger vessels older than 12 years with a low risk profile that have not been inspected in the previous 24 months

Further information on risk profiles and how to calculate them can be found on the Paris MoU website: Paris MoU – Calculate risk.

Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC)

Foreign ships that visit Dutch ports are subject to a yearly Concentrated Inspection Campaign ((CIC) held by Paris Mou. Here you find an overview of the subjects through the years.

2014 CIC on hours of rest (STCW)

The Paris and Tokyo MoU's on Port state Control will cary out a joint concentrated inspection campaign.

• 2013 Safety of propulsion and auxiliary machinery;
• 2012 Fire Safety Systems;
• 2011 Structural safety and Load Lines;
• 2010 Tanker damage stability;
• 2009 Lifesavings: Lifeboat launching arrangements;
• 2008 Safety of Navigation: Solas chapter V;
• 2007 Implementation of the International Safety Management Code (ISM-Code);
• 2006 MARPOL 73/78 Annex I;
• 2005 Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS);
• 2004 Labour and live circumstances: Working and living conditions;
• 2003 Operational Compliance on board passenger ships;
• 2002 International Safety Management Code (ISM-Code).