ADVISORY NOTE TO OPERATORS TAKING OVER MANAGEMENT OF VESSELS AND REQUIRING INTERIM ISM & ISPS AUDITS.

We understand that your company is soon to be assuming the management of a new vessel, and are pleased that you have requested LR Asia to attend for Interim ISM and ISPS Audits. Please note that we have had a number of cases, when vessels are being taken over by new managers, where auditors have been asked to attend at the earliest possible time, and when they have done so have found that the vessel is not ready for audit. This ultimately causes undue delay for the auditor, additional charges to the client, and often means that the crew are working long hours to take over the vessel, are not properly familiarised with their duties, and may also not receive enough rest hours as required by STCW, as amended. To avoid having an auditor attend only to find that the vessel is not ready for audit, may we request that: a) Consideration be given to holding the vessel so that a proper familiarisation and takeover be effected prior to auditor attendance. Takeover should ensure that the requirements of ISM Code Clause 14.4, and ISPS Code Part A 19.4.2 have been met. b) If it is not possible to hold the vessel for any reason, then we would request that the following be established prior to attendance by our auditor: i) the Master has ready all crew certificates of competency (including national licences and applications for Flag State licence), any additional endorsements required by Flag or vessel type, and medical certificates. Evidence of training of the SSO (COP as SSO) should also be available. ii) the documented SMS and SSP have been received on board and are available for immediate viewing by the auditor. If the SSP has not been approved, acknowledgement of receipt of the SSP for review and approval by the RSO or Administration should also be available on board. iii) charts for the intended voyage are on board, corrected up to date, and available for review.

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iv) all crew have been properly familiarised with both their safety and security duties & responsibilities. v) a copy of a valid DOC is available for review. vi) the relevant documented procedures are in a language or languages understood by the crew. vii) all statutory and class certificates are up to date and available for review, and there are no technical deficiencies which could invalidate such certificates or lead to a Port State Control detention. viii) the Master should be able to demonstrate his familiarity with the SMS. This would include an awareness of and access to Flag State regulations, as applicable. ix) the auditor will be free to move around the vessel and not be constrained by any delays in sale or change of management. x) particular attention be given to ISPS A 19.4.2.3. Change of management may require a change to the Ship Security Alert Competent Authority, and other details. A radio technician may be required to effect this change, depending on the type of SSAS fitted. Our aim is to assist you with a smooth and efficient takeover of the vessel, to which end all of the above must be satisfied. Please be advised that, should it be necessary for our auditor to make a second visit to the vessel, this will have to be scheduled in line with any other commitments we may have. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lloyds Register Asia is an industrial and provident society and an exempt charity registered in England and Wales, registered number 29593R. Registered office: 71 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4BS, UK. A member of the Lloyds Register Group. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lloyds Register, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as the Lloyds Register Group. The Lloyds Register Group assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Lloyds Register Group entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.

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