A short presentation and an overview on ship vetting

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VETTING INSPECTIONS
OF SHIPS
An Overview
ASCENT MARINE INSTITUTE
Capt Ashok Menon

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• Vetting Inspection - Inspections conducted
by an Oil Major, on oil tanker, to verify that
she complies with the Oil Major’s
requirements.
• Oil Major - Oil Companies (members of
OCIMF), also now may include some of the
Charterers and some of the Traders.
• Observation – a recorded deficiency or
remark noted by the Vetting Inspector,
normally referred to the VIQ,

3. • Comments - means the Technical
Manager’s response to the Oil Major on
Observations noted during the Vetting
Inspection. These are mainly based on
comments from the Master, in response to
the report from the Vetting Inspector.
• OCIMF -Oil Companies International
Marine Forum, is a voluntary association
of oil companies having an interest in the
marine transportation and terminalling of
oil products.

4. • SIRE -Ship Inspection Report, is a
common database for vetting reports,
operated by OCIMF and available to the
OCIMF members. It is in this system that
an OCIMF member can review (screen) a
previous vetting report and evaluate a
vessel’s suitability for service, without
actually inspecting the vessel.
• Technical Hold – A terminology used if a
vessel is not suitable for service by an Oil
Major.

5. • VPQ -Vessel Particular Questionnaire, an
OCIMF questionnaire providing details of
a vessel, its equipment and certificate
status. The VPQ must be electronically
transferred to SIRE, and updated on a
regular basis.
• VIQ -Vessel Inspection Questionnaire,
identical to that used by an Inspector
during the Vetting Inspection. Very useful
as most questions asked during the Vetting
will be found here.

6. DID YOU KNOW
• Over 1,900 Vessel Casualties
•Over 3,450 Detentions
•The global fleet (some 62,000v/ls)
can be segmented at the touch of a
button: –25% of the global fleet is
responsible for over 70% of all
casualties – This 25% can
be identified in advance –Benchmarking
against this sub-standard sector can
realize significant financial benefit

8. RESPONSIBILITY
The Master is responsible for ensuring
that the vessel is prepared for Vetting
Inspection at all times, and particularly
when informed that an inspection has
been planned. The Master has further a
responsibility to ensure that previous
observations have been properly closed,
and that this is documented on board and
keeping the VPQ updated at all times

9. RESPONSIBILITY
The Vetting Manager is responsible for
arranging a Vetting Inspection as
dictated/requested by the Operation Dept,
the vessel’s Owner, or the Charterer, and
to prepare and communicate the
Operator’s Comments following the
inspection, including keeping records of
all Vetting Inspections conducted.
In addition, the Superintendent may
request a Vetting Inspection.

10. RESPONSIBILITY
The Superintendent is responsible for
arranging repair, and follow-up on
Observations from a Vetting Inspection,
in line with what is stated in the
Operator’s Comments. He has the final
word if an inspection shall be conducted
or not, when taking into consideration all
relevant information in respect of the
vessel’s current condition, and port
activity program.

11. Vetting Process
1. Instruction is received to arrange a
specific Oil Major Vetting Inspection.
2. The Superintendent and Vetting
Manager agree wether it is possible to
conduct Vetting Inspection in the
current port, and ensure that no other
Inspections and/or Class Surveys will
be carried out concurrently.

12. 3. The Oil Major is approached with a
request for inspection in a
specific discharge port at an approximate
time. The request must include:
- Vessel name / Operation / IMO number
- ETA / Time in port
- Local agent contact reference
- Invoicing details and/or where to send the
report
4. Information to the vessel when attendance
is confirmed, including a request to vessel
to inform the agent about the same.

13. 5. Prior to the inspection, the Master must
update and prepare a copy of the VPQ
available to the inspector.
6. Prior to the inspection, the Master must
prepare a copy vessel details as per table
3.1.1 from chapter 3 in the VIQ
7. Vetting Inspector always accompanied by
a senior Officer and not encouraged to
communicate with ratings or junior
officers in order to avoid
misunderstandings and also bringing up
issues later on which Master is not aware

14. 8. After an Inspection, there must always be
a closing meeting with the Inspector, were
the Master can comment on each and
every Observation that the Inspector have
recorded. In case there is no time for a
closing meeting, the Master must insist
that the Inspector note this fact in his final
report, and the Master must inform the
Company accordingly.
9. The Master is encouraged to comment on
each Observation at his earliest
convenience after a Vetting Inspection,

15. 10. Normally, the Operator’s Comments are
not prepared until after the formal report
is received from the Oil Major. However,
in some cases it may be worthwhile to be
proactive and comment directly to the Oil
Major on basis of the notes left with the
Master.
11. After the formal report from the Vetting
Inspection is received in the office, the
Operator’s Comments are prepared. Prior
to sending same to the Oil Major, the draft
must be reviewed by the Master and the

16. 13. When the vessel is “approved” by the Oil
Major, a statement is given that, “no
further information is required”. When
this statement is received, we consider the
vessel approved by the Oil Major, and the
case is closed; we must close all
observations.
14. After the vessel is “approved”, the
Vetting Inspection is registered in the
Vetting database, and a final copy of the
Operator’s Comments shall be filed on
board in a designated Vetting File.

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Preparing for a Vetting Inspection
The Master, and every officer on board must be
prepared for a Vetting Inspection. There must be
a meeting with all crew prior to a vetting,
informing everybody on the result of previous
inspection and what they should be prepared for.
Prior to a Vetting Inspection, the most recent
inspection reports must be reviewed, also from
other Oil Major than the inspecting company,
this because the Oil Major has access to all
Vetting Inspections conducted on the vessel.

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There is nothing worse than to find a deficiency,
which has been reported before, and confirmed
closed, but still existing. In the preparation for a
Vetting Inspection, it is also a good practice to
review the record of Port State Controls, and
confirm that all deficiencies are properly closed.
Also, a review of the current Class Status Report
is a sound exercise, even if nothing can be done
on short notice, it is prudent to be aware of the
content, and having plans to deal with any
outstanding class item.

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The inspector is met on the gangway by
security and not left alone during an
inspection. It is further, very important to be
cooperative during the inspection, and not try
to hide something from the inspector.
It is often better to reveal a deficiency and a
plan for corrective action to the inspector,
rather than letting him find it. In most cases, a
deficiency in progress of being rectified will
not be recorded.

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The Master shall submit an updated VPQ to
the Company, whenever he makes a change
in the on board copy of the VPQ database.
If it is just a matter of some certificates, it is
enough to send the changes on e-mail,
referring each change to the relevant
reference number of the VPQ. In this respect,
the revision date of the VPQ must also be
updated.

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5. REPORTING
As soon as a Vetting Inspection is completed,
the Master shall inform the Company of the
result of it, and in due course provide his
comments to the observations noted.
All observations must be commented, and it
must be clearly described how the deficiency
is corrected, or when it is expected to be
completed.

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After Operator’s Comments has been
prepared and agreed by the Master and the
Superintendent, the comments must be
submitted to the Oil Major and SIRE as stated
above.
When the vessel is cleared by the Oil Major,
the vessel must be advised and a copy of the
final Operator’s Comments submitted to the
vessel.

23. Prevent this – co-operate with PSC

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Thank you
for
listening