Between the 15th January and 30th March 2022, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) will hold a Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC), which will apply to all non-Australian flagged ships calling Australian ports in conjunction with a normal Port State Control Inspection. This will therefore apply to Maltese flagged ships arriving at any Australian port.
The FIC will verify that Ship Operators, Masters and crew are carrying out appropriate maintenance planning, performance and record keeping, in accordance with the ship's Safety Management System (SMS) and with the provisions of the relevant rules and regulations.
It is the responsibility of all concerned to ensure that the Master and crew are well familiarised with their SMS's maintenance procedures and the FIC checklist before calling at Australian ports in preparation of any PSC Inspection by AMSA.
A sample checklist to prepare for the FIC is available from AMSA's website through the following link.
Deficiencies resulting as part of the FIC will be reported to the regional Port State Control database and may lead to the detention of the vessel. Masters and Companies are therefore urged to use the checklist and ensure that all areas of maintenance and procedures are being diligently covered.
Should a Malta flagged vessel be detained in any PSC region, it is imperative that the Maltese Merchant Shipping Directorate is immediately informed and a copy of the PSC report is forwarded without any delay. In case the vessel has not been detained, the Malta Registry shall also be informed, especially should serious and/or numerous deficiencies have been identified.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
