Common rules and standards for ship inspection published

The European Marine Equipment Council (EMEC) has welcomed the new regulation (EC) 391/2009, published on 28 May. Amongst others, the Regulation will, if effectively implemented, in the coming years, lead to the harmonisation of class rules, paving the way for the creation of a clear and coherent regulatory framework for the marine equipment industry.

It would also allow, in appropriate cases, recognised organisations to mutually recognise their certificates for marine equipments, based on the most demanding and rigorous standards. “Mutual recognition of certificates based on harmonised rules and issued by recognised organisations meeting the most demanding standards, will make the certification process of marine equipment more efficient, and yet ensure that safety and environmental protection are guaranteed,” said EMEC.

“Under the current process, marine equipment companies have devoted considerable resources in obtaining certificates for the same piece of equipment by each recognised organisation.” EMEC added that the new legislation created favourable conditions for improvement of the efficiency of ship inspections and surveys which in turn would help safeguard safety at sea.