AMSA: many ships failing on planned maintenance

The campaign focused on:

• Level of compliance with the planned maintenance system (PMS) requirements of the International Conventions was gauged, including statutory requirements under SOLAS and mandatory PMS requirements from the ISM Code. 
• Familiarity of the master and officers with their processes for ensuring maintenance of the ship and equipment and, whether the ship has been maintained after survey in accordance with statutory requirements. 

271 ships were inspected and 17 were detained during the time, with seven detentions (41%) as a direct result of the planned maintenance FIC. Of the seven detentions, three ships were detained for single critical maintenance issue (e.g. air pipes) and four were detained for multiple maintenance related deficiencies under the ISM code.

Nine ships did not follow permit to work safety management procedures which underpin the safe management of higher risk duties. Five ships did not have complete records of inspection for cargo securing equipment, and five ships did not have procedures adopted to ensure engine software is appropriately updated. 

The Ships detained under the ISM code for maintenance recorded a high number of deficiencies that contributed to the detention in multiple maintenance areas. On average this equated to over 13 deficiencies per ship detained under ISM. 

The most positive results were that the majority of ships are inspecting survival craft falls periodically (99%), and ensuring that maintenance inspection intervals were undertaken in accordance with SMS (99%) as implemented onboard. 

As a result of this campaign, AMSA intends to continue to focus attention on the importance of effective and appropriate planned maintenance systems and section 10 of the ISM code, continue our focus on safety management procedures and permit to work systems that underpin higher risk duties, and increase its focus on the maintenance of cargo securing equipment.