General regulations on inspection of marine anti-fouling systems in Vietnam

The above issue is issued together with Circular No. 22/2024/TT-BGTVT National Technical Regulations on Marine Anti-Fouling Systems. (Registration number: QCVN 74:2024/BGTVT)

These regulations apply to systems used on Vietnamese sea-going ships, submarines, fixed or mobile offshore platforms, floating storage units (FSU), and floating production storage and offloading units (FPSO) for the purpose of controlling and preventing unwanted organisms from adhering to the ships.

These regulations do not apply to anti-fouling systems on ships shorter than 24 meters in length.

General regulations on inspection of marine anti-fouling systems in Vietnam

The regulations stipulate various contents regarding the inspection of marine anti-fouling systems.

For example, types of inspection for marine anti-fouling systems include:

(1) The anti-fouling system on the ship must undergo the following types of inspections:

(1.1) Initial inspection of the anti-fouling system

(i) Initial inspection during new construction

The initial inspection shall be conducted during the ship classification inspection in the new construction process, based on the inspection proposal submitted before applying any anti-fouling system to the ship.

(ii) Initial inspection for ships not inspected by the Registry during new construction

(1.2) Inspections during the ship's operation

(i) Periodic inspection;

(ii) Irregular inspection.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions in (1) above, fixed or mobile offshore platforms, floating storage units (FSU), and floating production storage and offloading units (FPSO) are not required to undergo periodic inspections.

See detailed contents in Circular No. 22/2024/TT-BGTVT, effective from December 01, 2024, and abolishing Clause 1, Article 1 of Circular No. 24/2014/TT-BGTVT which issued the National Technical Regulations on Marine Anti-Fouling Systems, National Technical Regulations on Marine Tug Operations, National Technical Regulations on the Classification and Construction of Mooring Buoys and Signal Buoys, and National Technical Regulations on Marine Pollution Prevention Systems of Ships.

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