Marine Legislation Exam, Short Qns (75Marks)

1) Safety familiarization onboard of ship

New crew members joining a ship must be familiarized with their duties and important information about
the ship. This is to ensure that the new people onboard ship understand their responsibilities thoroughly
before commencing their duties.

It is the duty of the master of the ship to ensure that each new crew member is given proper
familiarization training to ensure personal safety and well-being of the ship.

The master would designate a qualified person in charge of training the new crew members of the ship

Though all crew personnel joining the ship have to do STCW training, there are several specific
instructions, which are important for safe operations on ships.

The main aim of the familiarization training is to make the new crew aware of important safety procedures
that are to be carried out on ships while working or during an emergency situations. It is the duty of the
officer in charge of the training to train the new crew regarding:

Instructions on SOLAS and MARPOL

Important features of muster list
Guidelines on how to tackle all kinds of emergency situations on ships
Important documents and publications of ships
Ships Fire Control Plan
Different types of fire fighting appliances and procedures to use them

Apart from the above mentioned points, the officer must also ensure that the new crew members know
the following:

Location of life jackets and immersion suits, along with the procedure to wear the life jacket
Location of escape routes
Actions for man overboard situation
Different types of alarms on board ship
Location of his or her cabin, along with the location of the nearest escape route and fire
extinguisher
Procedure for abandon ship alarm
His or her duties in the muster list and during emergency situations
Basics of fire prevention on ships
Actions to be taken in case of medical emergency before further medical assistance is received
Operation of fire and water-tight doors fitted on ships
Important instructions on various drills on ships
Procedure to operate fire extinguishers
Procedure to raise an alarm in case of an accident or emergency

Familiarization of duties

It is a normal procedure on board ships that the new crew member will be given familiarization of
his or her duties by the person who is being relieved.
The familiarization training will include:

Duties to be performed by the new crew member

Specific equipment to be operated and maintained
Ship specific watch keeping duties
Any particular instruction regarding machinery or ship parts which the new crew member should
know
If the new member belongs to the deck side, he or she will be familiarized with navigation
equipment , GMDSS , steering system, mooring equipment, cargo handling equipment etc.
If the new member belongs to the engine side, he or she will be familiarized with the designated
machinery, maintenance procedures, and watch keeping procedures

Apart from the watch keeping procedure at sea and at port, the new crew members would also be briefed
about any standing orders from the chief engineer or captain.

Other Safety Instructions

Apart from duty and safety instructions, the officer in charge of the familiarization training would instruct
the new crew member regarding important issues such as

Garbage management plan and how to handle garbage on ships

Oil pollution prevention plan
Ship Security Plan
Ballast water management plan
Life boat release procedure
Life raft release procedure
Use of maritime distress signals and flares

It is to note that training on life saving appliances and fire fighting appliances must be completed as soon
as possible and not later than 2 weeks after joining the ship.

2) Starting procedure of Incinerator

Incinerator
What is an Incinerator?

The incinerator is a machinery in which we burn all types of waste generated on the ship like, the waste
oil from oily water separator, oily rags, sometimes galley waste and of course in special incinerators,
plastic waste too. One thing which is to be noted down here is that if you are burning the plastic or glass
in the incinerator, we have a special incinerators for them.

1.2 Working Principle

To Understand the main principle behind the Incineration Process, One has to look at the Fire Triangle
The Air or Oxygen in the system comes from the surrounding air supplied through the air dampers.
The Heat in this case is from the pilot burner which ignites atomized diesel oil using energized electrodes.
The Fuel in the incineration process comes from a few sources:

1. Diesel oil supplied through the main burner

2. Waste oil from the waste oil tank
3. Combustible Garbage inserted either by manual placement in the furnace or through chutes
depending on the incinerator design

The combination of the air, fuel and heat in the combustion space of the incinerator thus lead to the
incineration process and the process is maintained as long all these sources are present.

Incinerator starting procedure;

1. Ensure control air for valves' operation to the incinerator unit is opened 2. Start the Blower fan
and let it run for at least 1 minute.
3. Ensure all DO lines to the ignition burner and main burner is open. Start the ignition burner.
4. When the ignition process has already started, start the main burner. 5. When the combustion
process has commenced, stop the ignition burner.
6. Adjust the fuel feed of the main burner to control the combustion process.
7. For burning of Garbage, when the garbage has been ignited, you can stop the main burner
so as to save diesel oil. The fire will continue with the garbage acting as the fuel.
8. All throughout the incineration process, the blower should not be stopped
to ensure continuous purging of the space from unburnt combustible gases.

1.3 Operation Procedure

The operation procedure varies for each incinerator model and therefore it is always advisable to read the
maker's manuals before operating any incinerator. This operation procedure is in general only.
Starting

1. Ensure control air for valves' operation to the incinerator unit is open
2. Start the Blower or Force draught fan and let it run for at least 1 minute. This is to clear the
combustion space to be clear of residual combustible gases.
3. Ensure all DO lines to the ignition burner and main burner is open. Start the ignition burner.
4. When the ignition process has already started, start the main burner.
5. When the combustion process has commenced, stop the ignition burner.
6. Adjust the fuel feed of the main burner to control the combustion process. The adjustment of the
air dampers is usually automatic in modern incinerators, but if it isn't, then the dampers must be
manually adjusted as well. The most ideal case is to get the flame to be bright orange colour.
7. For burning of Garbage, when the garbage has been ignited, you can stop the main burner so as
to save diesel oil. The fire will continue with the garbage acting as the fuel.
8. For Burning of Waste Oil, Temperature of the furnace should be raised to 850 Deg Celsius before
introducing the waste oil into the chamber. The temperature of the combustion space should
generally be maintained between 850 to 1100 Deg Celsius during the incineration process. This is
 done by adjustment of fuel feed, heating up of waste oil prior incineration process and adjustment
of the air dampers if its not already automatically doing so.
9. All throughout the incineration process, the blower should not be stopped to ensure continuous
purging of the space from unburnt combustible gases.

Stopping

1. Before stopping when firing on waste oil, the recommended practice is usually to change back the
lines to the burner to diesel oil and let it run on same so as to clear the lines and burner nozzles
from the usually more viscous and sticky waste oil.
2. To stop the incinerator, firstly stop the main burner and thus the fuel supply. As for the burning of
garbage, let the fire die off by itself after the full incineration of the supplied garbage.
3. Keep the blower fan running until temperature of the furnace to reduce to below 100 Deg Celsius
before stopping the blower. Most incinerators have interlocks in place to prevent the operator
from accidentally stopping the blower before the allowed minimum temperature.
4. Close all valves to the incinerator.

Incinerator

1.4 Precautions & Maintenance

Precautions

Do not stop the blower at anytime during incineration process. If power failure occurred during the
incineration process, quickly resume power and restart the blower.
Do not burn batteries, aerosol cans and the like, as it will explode. Also avoid putting any objects that
are known to be explosive in reaction to fire.
Do not burn plastics and glass unless the incinerator is designed to burn such materials.
Do not put into the combustion chamber small items like loose paper. put them in a bag properly
sealed up. This is to prevent the loose items from being blown around by the blower input and end up
blocking certain crucial parts of the incinerator for example, the vent lines.
Do not open the refractory door or remove the ignition/main burners until the chamber has been
properly cooled down and free of combustible gases
Always clear the refractory of ash and sludge after a few incineration processes so as to prevent the
blockage of crucial parts of the incinerator due to the accumulation of ash and sludge.
If you notice a red hot colour at any part of the incinerator body, this is an abnormality, usually a sign
the refractory wall that act as an insulation has given way in that area, therefore, immediately stop the
incineration process and let the incinerator cool down,
Only trained personnel should operate the incinerator.

Maintenance
Some General periodic maintenance needed to be done for incinerators are:
 Clear the refractory of ash and sludge regularly
Clean the nozzles of the ignition and main burners depending on the frequency of use
Clean the filters as per maintenance schedule or when signs of clogging is noticed
Test the incinerator safeties regularly, best before every use.
Overhaul the blower fan, ignition and main burners as per maintenance schedule
Keep the moving parts of the main burner and blower fan always lubricated.
Always check the refractory before and after use. During operation, it is normal that the refractory wall
breaks and gets thinned. Normally, this can be remedied by using a special clay to "top up" the
refractory wall.
Rectify all leakages of diesel/waste oil/fuel oil around the area to prevent any unwanted fire incidents.

3) Class society/class survey

Classification Society
Definition
A classification society is a non-governmental organization that establishes and maintains technical
standards for the construction and operation of ships and offshore structures.
The society will also validate that construction is according to these standards and carry out regular
surveys in service to ensure compliance with the standards.

Responsibilities/Roles

Classification societies set technical rules, confirm that designs and calculations meet these rules, survey
ships and structures during the process of construction and commissioning, and periodically
survey vessels to ensure that they continue to meet the rules. Classification societies are also responsible
for classing oil platforms, other offshore structures, and submarines. This survey process covers diesel
engines, important shipboard pumps and other vital machinery.

Classification surveyors inspect ships to make sure that the ship, its components and machinery are built
and maintained according to the standards required for their class

Scope of classification
Implementing the published Rules of a particular class, the classification process consists of:

A technical review of the design plans and related documents for a new vessel to verify compliance
with the applicable Rules;
Attendance at the construction of the vessel in the shipyard by a Classification Society surveyor(s) to
verify that the vessel is constructed in accordance with the approved design plans and classification
Rules;
 Attendance by a Classification Society surveyor(s) at the relevant production facilities that provide
key components such as the steel, engine, generators and castings to verify that the component
conforms to the applicable Rule requirements;
Attendance by a Classification Society surveyor(s) at the sea trials and other trials relating to the
vessel and its equipment prior to delivery to verify conformance with the applicable Rule
requirements;
Upon satisfactory completion of the above, the builder's/shipowner's request for the issuance of a
class certificate will be considered by the relevant Classification Society and, if deemed satisfactory,
the assignment of class may be approved and a certificate of classification issued;
Once in service, the owner must submit the vessel to a clearly specified programme of periodical
class surveys, carried out onboard the vessel, to verify that the ship continues to meet the relevant
Rule requirements for continuation of class.

Class Rules do not cover every piece of structure or item of equipment on board a vessel, nor do they
cover operational elements. However, some classification societies do conduct more comprehensive
surveys and provide certification and verification on behalf of certain flag states.

Classification Survey
A classification survey is a visual examination that normally consists of:

an overall examination of the items identified in the Rules for survey;

detailed checks of selected parts, on a sampling basis;
witnessing tests, measurements and trials where applicable.

When a surveyor identifies corrosion, structural defects or damage to hull, machinery and/or piece of
equipment which, based on the Society's Rules and in the opinion of the surveyor, affects the ship's class,
remedial measures and/or appropriate recommendations are specified in order to retain class.
Each classed vessel is subject to a specified programme of periodic surveys after delivery. These are
based on a five-year cycle and consist of

annual surveys,
an intermediate survey and (between 2 to 3 years from last renewal survey/delivery)
a class renewal/special survey (held every 5 years).

The extensiveness of each specified survey increases with the age of the vessel.
The class renewal surveys/special surveys
Include extensive in-water and, in most cases, out-of-water (dry dock) examinations to verify that the
structure, main and essential auxiliary machinery, systems and equipment of the ship remain in a
condition which satisfies the relevant Rules.
Depending upon the age, size, type and condition of the vessel, the renewal/special survey may take
several weeks to complete.
The intermediate survey
Includes examinations and checks as specified in the Rules to determine whether the ship remains in a
general condition which satisfies the Rule requirements.
According to the type and age of the ship, drydocking may be required and the examinations of the hull
may be supplemented by ultrasonic thickness measurements as specified in the Rules and where
deemed necessary by the attending surveyor.
Annual surveys
A general survey of the ship is conducted. The survey includes an external general inspection of the hull,
equipment and machinery of the ship and some witnessing of tests, so far as is necessary and practical in
order to determine whether the ship remains in a general condition which satisfies the Rule
requirements.
Depending upon the age, size, type and condition of the vessel, an annual survey may take from several
hours to a few days to complete.

4) Drag and drop, ISM CODE

The ISM Code provides an International standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for
pollution prevention.
The purpose of ISM Code is: To ensure Safety of life at Sea To prevent human injury or loss of life To
avoid damage to the environment and to the ship.

Each ISM compliant ship is audited, first by the Company, which is called the
internal audit , and then each 2.5 to 3 years by the Flag State Marine
Administration, also known as the external audit , to verify the fulfillment
and effectiveness of their Safety Management System . Once SMS is verified and it is
working and effectively implemented, the ship is issued with The Safety Management Certificate
. Comments from the auditor and/or audit body and from the ship are incorporated into the SMS by
headquarters.

5) Content of SOLAS

Chapter I General provisions Chapter II-1 Construction- Structure, subdivision and stability, machinery
and electrical installation Chapter II-2 Construction- Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
Chapter III Life-saving appliances and arrangements Chapter IV Radio communication Chapter V Safety
of Navigation Chapter VI Carriage of Cargoes Chapter VII Carriage of Dangerous Goods Chapter VIII
Nuclear Ships Chapter IX Management for the Safe Operation of Ships Chapter X Safety measures for
High Speed Crafts Chapter XI-1 Special Measures to Enhance Maritime Safety Chapter XI-2 Special
Measures to Enhance Maritime Security Chapter XII Additional Safety Measures for Bulk Carriers

6) What is LSA

LSA code is a code which provides international requirements for the life-saving appliances that are
required by chapter III of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, including personal life-saving appliances (for
example, lifebuoys, lifejackets, immersion suits, anti-exposure suits and thermal protective aids), visual aids
(parachute flares, hand flares and buoyant smoke signals), survival craft (liferafts and lifeboats), rescue
boats, launching and embarkation appliances and marine evacuation systems, line-throwing appliances;
and general alarm and public address systems.
The International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements for LSAs and is
mandatory under Regulation 34, which states that all life-saving appliances and arrangements shall comply
with the applicable requirements of the LSA Code.

Purpose of LSA code :

The purpose of this Code is to provide international standards for life-saving appliances required by chapter
III of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974. 2 On and after 1 July 1998,
the requirements of this Code will be mandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended. Any future amendment to the Code will be adopted and brought into
force in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article VIII of that Convention.

7) SOLAS Chapter 3/Chapter 2

8) Abandon ship and Fire drill

Abandon ship drill

Each lifeboat shall be launched with its assigned operating crew aboard and manoeuvred in the water
at least once every three months during an abandon ship drill.
Lowering into the water, rather than launching of a lifeboat arranged for free-fall launching, is
acceptable where free-fall launching is impracticable provided the lifeboat is free-fall launched with its
assigned operating crew aboard and manoeuvred in the water at least once every six months.
However, in cases where it is impracticable, the Administration may extend this period to 12 months
provided that arrangements are made for simulated launching which will take place at intervals of not
more than six months.
The Administration may allow ships operating on short international voyages not to launch the lifeboats
on one side if their berthing arrangements in port and their trading patterns do not permit launching of
lifeboats on that side. However, all such lifeboats shall be lowered at least once every three months
and launched at least annually.
As far as is reasonable and practicable, rescue boats other than lifeboats which are also rescue boats,
shall be launched each month with their assigned crew aboard and manoeuvred in the water. In all
cases this requirement shall be complied with at least once every three months.
If a ship is fitted with marine evacuation systems, drills shall include exercising of the procedures
required for the deployment of such a system up to the point immediately preceding actual deployment
of the system. This aspect of drills should be augmented by regular instruction using the on-board
training aids required. Additionally every system party member shall, as far as practicable, be further
trained by participation in a full deployment of a similar system into water, either on board a ship or
ashore, at intervals of not longer than two years, but in no case longer than three years. This training
can be associated with the deployments required by regulation.

Appropriate crew members on board should be trained in the use of the following fire-fighting appliances:

All types of portable fire extinguishers carried on board;

Self-contained breathing apparatus;
Hoses with jet and spray nozzles;
Any fixed fire-fighting system such as foam or carbon dioxide;
Fire blankets; and
Firemens outfits

When possible, fire drills should be held in port as well as at sea.

It is important that the symbols used on a ships fire control plan are understood by ship personnel or
crew . Graphic symbols should be used as much as possible.
The purpose of carrying out any kind of drill on the ships is to make the crew acquainted
with various procedures to be followed during emergency situations.

It is a way to make the ship personnel acquainted with the equipment and methods that
are to be used during a crises situation.

Fire drill is one such drill which holds great importance on ships. It helps the ships crew
to understand the basics of fire prevention and also help with the following:

To prepare the crew in dealing with an emergency situation that may arise because of a
fire on board ship.
It makes each and every crew familiar with the task he or she has to perform in case of
actual emergency.
To train the crew in using fire fighting appliances such as SCBA, different types of fire
extinguishers, CO2 flooding system, Neil Robertson Stretcher, Inert Gas System,
firemans outfit, life jackets, sprinkler system etc.
Helps the crew to understand the procedure to operate a particular fire fighting system
and precautions that are to be taken before operating the equipment. For e.g. there are
certain imperative steps that need to be carried out before starting the CO2 fire fighting
system for the engine room.
To make the crew acquainted with the location of the emergency escape routes which
would be used in case of inaccessibility of a particular zone
To familiarize the crew with companys fire and safety regulations, important points on
personal safety and survival at the sea, recent safety circulars and M notices, and fire
fighting appliances and preventive measures on ships

It is extremely important that the fire drill is carried out in as realistic manner as possible
in order to make the crew aware of the situations that might arise during fire on ships.

Important points regarding fire drills on ships

According to the merchant shipping act, muster and drills must be according out at
regular intervals of time as stated by the company and law.
A fire drill must be conducted within 24 hours of leaving the port if more than 25% of the
crew members have not taken part in the drill in the previous month.
Muster list for the drill should be displayed throughout the ship in locations where the list
can be easily accessed. The list should also be displayed at the bridge, engine room,
and crew accommodation area.
A clear fire control plan should be properly displaced in important areas throughout the
ship

Each and every crew member should be provided with clear instructions which he or she
would follow during emergency. The duties of each member along with the assigned life
 boat number must be written on individual cards and made available inside/outside the
cabin.
The timing of the emergency drills should be changed in order to change scenarios and
allow those crew members to participate who have not attended the previous dill
because of duties.
The location of the drills should also be changed to give practice to the crew in different
conditions and to train them to tackle different types of fire such as machinery space
fire, accommodation area fire, store room fire, cargo hold fire etc.
The location of the muster station should be such that it is readily accessible from the
accommodation and work place and is also close to the embarkation station. It should
also have sufficient lights provided from emergency source.

Each area of the ship has a different method of approach to deal with during emergency
situations. Training with drills in different situations helps to prepare crew members for
all types of situations.
It is the duty of every ship personnel to get himself acquainted with the location of the
emergency muster station upon joining the ship. He should also know his duties which
are described in the muster list and learn how to use fire fighting appliances.

The training manual, which contains instructions and information regarding life saving
appliances and methods of survival, should be provided in each crew mess and
recreation room.
Every new crew member should be given on board training, which explains use
of personal life saving appliances and survival crafts (life boats and life rafts), not later
than two weeks after joining the ship.

It is important that each and every crew member performs the drill without making any
mistake by memorizing his duties and understanding the important of safety of the ship
and the people on board.

9) Ballasting

Ballasting
When ballasting with water is necessary, the water ballast should not in general be carried in tanks
intended for oil fuel. In ships in which it is not practicable to avoid putting water in oil fuel tanks, oily-water
separator equipment to the satisfaction of the Administration shall be fitted, or other alternative means
acceptable to the Administration shall be provided for disposing of the oily-water ballast.
 10) Water tight doors

Watertight doors
Requirements
Watertight doors fitted in bulkheads between permanent and reserve bunkers shall be always
accessible.
Watertight doors shall be sliding doors or hinged doors or doors of an equivalent type.
Plate doors secured only by bolts and doors required to be closed by dropping or by the action of a
dropping weight are not permitted.
Authorized watertight doors may therefore be divided into three Classes:

Class 1 - hinged doors;

Class 2 - hand-operated sliding doors;
Class 3 - sliding doors which are power-operated as well as hand-operated.

The means of operation of any watertight door whether power-operated or not shall be capable of closing
the door with the ship listed to 15 degrees either way.
In all classes of watertight doors indicators shall be fitted which show, at all operating stations from which
the doors are not visible, whether the doors are open or closed.
During navigation, all watertight doors must be kept closed, except when necessarily opened for the
working of the ship, in which case they should always be ready to be immediately closed.

11) Steering gears requirements

Steering Gear
Requirements
Ships shall be provided with a main steering gear and an auxiliary steering gear to the satisfaction of the
Administration.

The main steering gear shall be of adequate strength and sufficient to steer the ship at maximum
service speed. The main steering gear and rudder stock shall be so designed that they are not
damaged at maximum astern speed.
The auxiliary steering gear shall be of adequate strength and sufficient to steer the ship at navigable
speed and capable of being brought speedily into action in an emergency.
The exact position of the rudder, if power operated, shall be indicated at the principal steering station.
Where power-operated steering gear units and connections are fitted in duplicate to the satisfaction
of the Administration, and each of adequate strength and sufficient to steer the ship at navigable
speed and capable of being brought speedily into action in an emergency, no auxiliary steering gear
need be required, provided that the duplicate units and connections operating together shall meet the
requirements of the main steering gear.
 1) SOLAS chapter 2 2 basic principles

Chapter II - 2
This Chapter mainly deals with the construction and operation pertaining to fire protection, fire detection
and extinguishing a fire.
Basic Principles
The purpose of this Chapter is to require the fullest practicable degree of fire protection, fire detection and
fire extinction in ships. The following basic principles underlie the Regulations in this Chapter and are
embodied in the Regulations as appropriate, having regard to the type of ships and the potential fire
hazard involved:
(a) division of ship into main vertical zones by thermal and structural boundaries;
(b) separation of accommodation spaces from the remainder of the ship by thermal and structural
boundaries;
(c) restricted use of combustible materials;
(d) detection of any fire in the zone of origin;
(e) containment and extinction of any fire in the space of origin;
(f) protection of means of escape or access for fire fighting;
(g) ready availability of fire-extinguishing appliances;
(h) minimization of possibility of ignition of inflammable cargo vapour.

2) Fire control Plan

Fire Control Plan

The Fire Control Plan shall be permanently exhibited in all new and existing ships in all strategic places.
Shall show clearly for each deck:

the control stations,

the various fire sections enclosed by "A" Class divisions, the sections enclosed by "B" Class divisions
(if any),
 particulars of the fire alarms, detecting systems, the sprinkler installation (if any),
the fire extinguishing appliances, means of access to different compartments, decks, etc.
the ventilating system including particulars of the fan control positions, the position of dampers and
identification numbers of the ventilating fans serving each section.

Alternatively, at the discretion of the Administration, the aforementioned details may be set out in a
booklet, a copy of which shall be supplied to each officer, and one copy at all times shall be available on
board in an accessible position.
Plans and booklets shall be kept up to date, any alterations being recorded thereon as soon as
practicable. Description in such plans and booklets shall be in the national language. If the language is
neither English nor French, a translation into one of those languages shall be included.
In addition, instructions concerning the maintenance and operation of all the equipment and installations
on board for the fighting and containment of fire shall be kept under one cover, readily available in an
accessible position.

3) SOLAS Chapter 2 FFS Code

2.6 FFS Code

A revision of the SOLAS Chapter II-2 in 2002 makes mandatory the INTERNATIONAL CODE FOR FIRE
SAFETY SYSTEMS (FSS Code) for the fire safety systems required by the chapter.

The FSS Code shall include detailed technical information to ensure compliance of the regulations set
forth in the chapter.
The FSS Code shall consist of a table of contents, a preamble and 15 chapters, which are:

Fire is one of the most common and dangerous emergency onboard ship which has lead to disastrous
results including loss of property and life. As the resources available onboard to fight fire are limited,
preventive measures are more effective than fire fighting measures. For this reason, an international
safety system was laid down by regulating authorities to make a ship fully prepared for fighting any kind of
fire.

The Safety system on chapter II-2 of SOLAS is known as Fire Safety System Code (FSS code), which
came into force on July 2002 after Marine Safety Committee (MSC) adopted it in 73 session and became
mandatory by resolution MSC 99(73).

The main purpose of FSS code is to provide specific standards of engineering specification for fire safety
system present onboard. It includes total of 15 chapters.
 Chapter 1 General
Chapter 2 International shore connections
Chapter 3 Personnel protection
Chapter 4 Fire extinguishers
Chapter 5 Fixed gas fire-extinguishing systems
Chapter 6 Fixed foam fire-extinguishing systems
Chapter 7 Fixed pressure water-spraying and water-mist fire-extinguishing systems
Chapter 8 Automatic sprinkler, fire detection and fire alarm systems
Chapter 9 Fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems
Chapter 10 Sample extraction smoke detection systems
Chapter 11 Low-location lighting systems
Chapter 12 Fixed emergency fire pumps
Chapter 13 Arrangement of means of escape
Chapter 14 Fixed deck foam systems
Chapter 15 Inert gas systems
The 15 chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1-General definitions: In this chapter, all the important terms are defined clearly for
transparent and smooth implementation of the FSS code.

Chapter 2-International shore connection: This chapter gives specific details for dimension
and materials for International Shore Connection (ISC).

Chapter 3 Personal protection: In this chapter, details of personal protective equipments and
clothing are specified like fire fighter suit and breathing apparatus. It also specifies the
requirements for EEBD onboard ship.

Chapter 4 Fire Extinguisher: The engineering specification and application of portable fire
extinguishers are explained in this chapter.

Chapter 5 Fixed gas fire extinguishing system: This chapter describes different types of fixed
gas fire fighting system along with the installation and control requirements.

Chapter 6 Fixed foam fire extinguishing system: This chapter describes fixed foam fire
fighting system along with the installation and control requirements.

Chapter 7 Fixed pressure water and water spraying system: Detailed specification for fixed
pressure water spraying and water mist fire extinguishing system that includes installation and
control requirements.

Chapter 8 Auto sprinkler, fire detection and fire alarm system: This chapter describe Auto
sprinkler system, fire detection and fire alarm system along with the installation and control
requirements.
 Chapter 9 Fixed fire detection and alarm system: Detailed specification for fixed fire
detection and alarm system that includes installation and control requirements.

Chapter 10 Sample extraction smoke detection system: In this chapter, details of Sample
extraction smoke detection system including installation, control and testing requirements are
specified.

Chapter 11 Low Location Lighting system: Detailed specification for requirements of lights in
low location areas like tank top, duct keel etc is given.

Chapter 12 Fixed Emergency fire pumps: The requirements for emergency fire pump in cargo
and passenger ship is given in this chapter.

Chapter 13 Means of Escape: In this chapter, the requirements for means of escape from
engine room, in case of any emergency, is explained along with dimensions and attachments,
both in passenger and cargo ships.

Chapter 14 Fixed deck foam system: The fixed fire fighting for cargo space by means of foam
is explained in this chapter with installation and control requirements.

Chapter 15 Inert gas system: The requirement of I.G system in tanker vessel is specified along
with installation and control system.

4) Watchkeeping at sea

5) MARPOL violation of convention

Violations of the Convention

In article 4 of the MARPOL Convention. It states that:

Any violation of the requirements of the present Convention shall be prohibited and sanctions shall
be established therefor under the law of the Administration of the ship concerned wherever the
violation occurs. If the Administration is informed of such a violation and is satisfied that sufficient
evidence is available to enable proceedings to be brought in respect of the alleged violation, it shall
cause such proceedings to be taken as soon as possible, in accordance with its law
Any violation of the requirements of the present Convention within the jurisdiction of any Party to the
Convention shall be prohibited and sanctions shall be established therefor under the law of that Party.
Whenever such a violation occurs, that Party shall either:
o cause proceedings to be taken in accordance with its law; or
o furnish to the Administration of the ship such information and evidence as may be in its
possession that a violation has occurred.
3.1 Sanctions/Penalties
Article 4 of the convention further states that:
The penalties specified under the law of a Party pursuant to the present article shall be adequate in
severity to discourage violations of the present Convention and shall be equally severe irrespective of
where the violations occur.

For example, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has set severe penalties for violation in
European Ports and/or its territorial waters:
Illegal discharge of oil (including operational discharge infringements) to a fine of up to 250,000 on
summary conviction or an unlimited fine on indictment
Failure to maintain the Oil Record Book to a fine of up to 5,000 on summary conviction
Falsified or misleading entries in the Oil Record Book to a fine of up to 5,000 or 6 months imprisonment
or both or an unlimited fine or 2 years imprisonment or both on indictment

3.2 Port State Inspections

As per MARPOL Article 5,

Scope of Inspection

Ships can be issued a certificate by its Administration, and where the Administration is a Party that
ratifies the convention, and the certificate is issued in accordance with the provisions and regulations
of the convention; all the parties of the convention should regard the certificate as having the same
validity as a certificate that is issued by them.
Port State Inspection by inspectors of a Party of the Convention shall be limited to verifying that the
certificate onboard is valid.
Unless there are clear grounds for believing that the ship, its practices and its equipment does not
coincide with the particulars of the certificate.

Actions that can be taken by Port State Authorities

In that case, or if the ship does not carry a valid certificate, the Party carrying out the inspection shall
take such steps as will ensure that the ship shall not sail until it can proceed to sea without presenting
an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.
That Party may, however, grant such a ship permission to leave the port or offshore terminal for the
purpose of proceeding to the nearest appropriate repair yard available.
A Party may also deny a foreign ship entry to the ports or offshore terminals under its jurisdiction or
take any action against such a ship for the reason that the ship does not comply with the provisions of
the present Convention. If they do so,

o the Party shall immediately inform the consul or diplomatic representative of the Party whose flag
the ship is entitled to fly, or if this is not possible, the Administration of the ship concerned.
 o Before denying entry or taking such action the Party may request consultation with the
Administration of the ship concerned.
o Information shall also be given to the Administration when a ship does not carry a valid certificate
in accordance with the provisions of the regulations

3.3 Detection and Enforcement

As per Article 6 of the MARPOL,

Parties to the Convention shall co-operate in the detection of violations and the enforcement of the
provisions of the present Convention, using all appropriate and practicable measures of detection and
environmental monitoring, adequate procedures for reporting and accumulation of evidence.
A ship to which the present Convention applies may,
o in any port or offshore terminal of a Party, be subject to inspection by officers appointed or
authorized by that Party for the purpose of verifying whether the ship has discharged any harmful
substances in violation of the provisions of the regulations.
o If an inspection indicates a violation of the Convention, a report shall be forwarded to the
Administration for any appropriate action.
Any Party shall furnish to the Administration evidence, if any,
o that the ship has discharged harmful substances or effluents containing such substances in
violation of the provisions of the regulations.
o If it is practicable to do so, the competent authority of that Party shall notify the master of the ship
of the alleged violation.
Upon receiving such evidence, the Administration so informed shall investigate the matter, and may
request the other Party to furnish further or better evidence of the alleged contravention.
o If the Administration is satisfied that sufficient evidence is available to enable proceedings to be
brought in respect of the alleged violation, it shall cause such proceedings to be taken in
accordance with its law as soon as possible.
o The Administration shall promptly inform the Party which has reported the alleged violation, as
well as the Organization, of the action taken.
A Party may also inspect a ship to which the present Convention applies when it enters the ports or
offshore terminals under its jurisdiction,
o if a request for an investigation is received from any Party together with sufficient evidence that
the ship has discharged harmful substances or effluents containing such substances in any
place.
o The report of such investigation shall be sent to the Party requesting it and to the Administration
so that the appropriate action may be taken under the present Convention.