Marine Operations Note: 05/2021 - China Ports – Mandatory reporting and Port State Control

20 September 2021

Marine Operations Note: 05/2021

SUBJECT: China Ports – Mandatory reporting and Port State Control

To: Owners, Operators, Masters and Recognized Organizations

A. Background

We are seeing an increase in Port State Control inspections in China. Many of these inspections are reporting deficiencies, including deficiencies that result in detentions. The detainable deficiencies are due to existing conditions, primarily relating to main engine failures, defective Fire Safety Equipment, Pollution Prevention, Life Saving Appliances, Emergency Systems and Safety of Navigation.

Considering the trend, in addition to the submission to the Administration of the Advance Notice of Arrival (ANOA) for Ships not required to comply with section C or notice of deficiencies and corrective action from the ship/company Designated Persons Ashore (DPA), the Administration can assist the Master and crew to identify any defects that may result in a deficiency and improve the vessel’s quality.

For additional information on Advance Notices of Arrival please see the instructions the instructions in Marine Operations Note 01/2019 regarding Advance Notices of Arrival. Be reminded that most ship detentions in port result from failure to report and initiate corrective action for existing defective equipment and non-conformities.

B. Procedure

In order to implement this process, Owners, Operators, Masters and Recognized Organizations should note the following instructions:

1. Liberia, either through the Prevention Department or through the attending flag State inspector, will advise the owner, operator and Master by email that an attendance has been arranged and will describe the purpose of such attendance. Please contact Liberia’s Prevention Department prior to your arrival at prevention@liscr.com to arrange an attendance if assistance is needed.

1. The Liberian flag State inspector will inspect the vessel to verify compliance using the Liberian flag State Inspection Form. It is recommended that the crew uses the form as a tool to verify that all areas and equipment are in good working condition.

1. If deficiencies are found, the flag State inspector is to communicate them to Liberia’s Prevention Department. At this point, Liberia’s Prevention Department will provide the Master the necessary requirements that must be met prior to departure and will apply the appropriate controls.

1. Before any dispensations or exemptions are issued, the Liberia’s Prevention Department will ensure that all applicable requirements are met.

C. Reporting and China’s Inner Sea Area

1. All foreign flagged vessels entering the territorial sea of the P.R. China shall report to the maritime administration of the P. R. China. The reporting requirements are applicable to

• 1. Nuclear vessels;
  2. Ships carrying radioactive materials;
  3. Ships carrying bulk oil, chemicals, liquefied gas and other toxic and harmful substances;
  4. Other vessels that may endanger the maritime traffic safety of the P.R. China

1. Vessels or their agents can report through any of the following channels:

Website: https://www.sh.msa.gov.cn/chnshiprep

E-mail: chnshiprep@shmsa.gov.cn

Fax: +86-21-66072764

Telephone: +86-21-65089469

1. When entering the territorial sea of the P.R. China, the vessel shall report:

• 1. ship′s name, call sign, IMO Number, MMSI format example: SPRING/DFPH2/9365788/218846000//;
  2. report date and time, ship′s current position

format example: 202108/211450UTC/2933N/12312E//;

• 1. last port of call and departure time

format example: SINGAPORE/202108/112150UTC//;

• 1. next port of call and estimated time of arrival

format example: SHANGHAI/202108/251830UTC//;

• 1. satellite telephone number format example: 00870773156389//;
  2. name of shipborne dangerous goods, UN number (if none, mark with NA), category of noxious substance (if non-applicable, mark with NA), cargo dead weight(ton) format example: BENZENE/1114/Y/50000//

1. No additional reporting is required except if the automatic identification system (AIS) is not working properly. In this case, the following additional information shall be reported every two hours until the vessel leaves China's territorial sea:

• 1. ship′s name, call sign, IMO Number, MMSI format example: SPRING/DFPH2/9365788/218846000//;
  2. report date and time, ship′s current position format example: 202108/221108UTC/3016N/12303E//);
  3. estimated course and average speed format example: COG296/SOG125//

1. For specific information related to what constitutes China's territorial sea , please be guided by the Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone of 25 February 1992 and the coordinates provided on the Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the baselines of the territorial sea, 15 May 1996 and Statement of the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of Diaoyu Dao and its Affiliated Islands, 10 Oct 2012 to ensure that garbage is not disposed within the area.

2

D. Disposal of Garbage

Upon review of PSC reports prepared by China MSA, it seems that there is some confusion with regard to the boundaries of China’s Inner Sea. Disposal garbage within this area is a detainable deficiency. For guidance on what constitutes China's territorial sea, please refer to section C.5 above.

E. Items of Importance

Among the items of importance, we recommend to pay special attention to the following:

1. weathertight integrity of exposed decks;
2. hatches and closing appliances;
3. ventilators and air pipes;
4. life-saving appliances;
5. fire-fighting appliances;
6. main machinery and electrical installations;
7. navigational equipment;
8. radio installations;
9. means for the control of discharge of oil and oil mixtures e.g. oily water separating or filtering 10. means for the disposal of oil, oily mixtures or oil residues;

11. presence of oil in the engine room bilges.

If you have any questions, please contact our Fleet Performance Department at Telephone: +1-703-790-3434 or by email to prevention@liscr.com.

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