Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) has introduced new reporting requirements for vessels in the case of machinery failure. The new regulations came into force on July 1st and will run for two years.
P&I Correspondent Huatai Marine issued a note detailing the announcement on “Strengthening the Safety Management of Ships with Machinery Failure”.
Shanghai MSA said that its aim was to “strengthen the management of ships with machinery failure in navigation to ensure the safety of ships entering and leaving Shanghai Port and maintain the safety and order of maritime traffic.”
Applying to all vessels, a key aspect of the new requirements is that, in the event of machinery failure on board a vessel, reports to the relevant Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration Command Centre must be made as follows:
“Machinery failure” is defined as any failure of machinery or its auxiliary system during the voyage or in the process of /unberthing that results in the vessel being restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. It does not include difficulty in power output or steering gear arising from external factors such as grounding, entangled by fishing nets, etc.
A vessel will be subject to an inspection and investigation if:
Shanghai MSA will maintain a list of vessels that fall into category 4 or 5. Designated as a ‘listed ship’, these vessels could face a ban from entering the port or expulsion if defects are not rectified to the satisfaction of the Shanghai MSA. Furthermore, listed vessels will be subject to more onerous requirements prior to entering waters under the jurisdiction of
the Shanghai MSA.
A failure to report accurately an incident of machinery failure will lead to punishment in accordance with Article 110 of the Maritime Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China.
