Statutory Alert: Clarification of the requirements for Damage Control Plans and Booklets.
12 January 2013
Applicability: All shipowners and operators
Classification News No.32/2009 detailed the requirements for Damage Control Plans and Damage Control Booklets, which have been required by SOLAS on cargo vessels (dependent on ship type, construction date and length) since 1992.
Before 2009, Lloyd's Register (LR) had not insisted on Damage Control Booklets being submitted as it was considered that the Damage Control Plan contained sufficient information to constitute the intent of a Damage Control Booklet. Since 2009, all LR classed vessels have been required to have a Damage Control Plan and Booklet stamped “examined”.
Recently, a PSC inspection on board an LR-classed vessel where the Damage Control Booklet was unavailable resulted in a deficiency, with code 17 being raised for the Damage Control Booklet to be provided on board before the vessel’s departure.
Therefore, shipowners and operators should ensure that, for ships constructed on or after 1 February, 1992, a Damage Control Booklet (in addition to the Damage Control Plan) is available on board their ship(s). If the Booklet is not available, owners and operators are requested to produce one, using MSC.1/Circ.1245 as guidance, and based on the Damage Control Plan already available on board. In these cases, the Damage Control Booklet is not required to be submitted to LR.
Lloyd's Register Classification Society (China) Co., Ltd., previously issued a PSC Alert No.4 (now withdrawn) advising shipowners of this SOLAS requirement. However, the use of this alert by other parties implied that this was solely a China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) requirement. Lloyd's Register would like to stress that this is a SOLAS requirement and extend our apologies to the China MSA for any inconvenience caused as a result of the inference of others beyond our control.
For further information
Speak to one of our experts at your local Lloyd's Register office.