THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF SURVEY AND CERTIFICATION (HSSC)

HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF SURVEY AND CERTIFICATION (HSSC)

• The HSSC is an IMO system, came into force in the year 2000.
• Earlier that Ship statutory certificates are issued on different dates which are similar to the date of each individual initial survey, also they have different period of validity.
• (e.g. survey for load line or cargo ship safety construction is almost the same procedure and areas to be surveyed, only with little difference between them). If a ship undergoes a Load line survey, the survey of Ship safety construction will only overlap.
• This put the Ship officers under pressure to prepare the vessel for survey all the time and certifying authorities also have to board the vessel for survey several times during the course of the year.

To avoid the extra effort, HSSC "harmonized" (simplified and better organized) the survey procedures and "uniformity" for survey dates for all major ship certificates.

The features of HSSC are:

• All certificates that fall under this system will be issued on one date only so that all annual and other surveys for each certificate will fall on the same dates.
• There will be a 1-year standard interval between surveys.
• A maximum period of validity of 5 years for all certificates for cargo ships.
• A maximum period of validity of 12 months for the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate.
• A 3-month extension of the certificate is possible for the ship to complete its voyage (1 month for ships engaged in short voyages). The new certificate will start from the date of expiry of the existing certificate before extension.
• A combined cargo ship safety certificate may replace the existing certificates as follows: 

1. Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate. 
2. The Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate. 
3. The  Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate

• No more unscheduled inspections for harmonized system of classification for ships, while annual surveys have been made mandatory.

Types of survey

• The first survey which a ship undergoes is always the Initial Survey (I). The date of completion of ALL the surveys is the date of issue of each certificate. Frequency= (before the ship put into service)

• An Annual survey (A) is a general inspection of the items relating to the particular certificate to ensure that they have been maintained and remain satisfactory for the service for which the ship is intended. Frequency=(should be held within 3 months before or after each anniversary date of the certificate).

• An Intermediate survey (In) is an inspection of specified items relevant to the particular certificate to ensure that they are in a satisfactory condition and fit for the service for which the ship is intended. Frequency=(should be held within 3 months before or after the 2nd-anniversary date or within three months before or after the 3rd-anniversary date of the appropriate certificate and should take the place of one of the annual surveys).

• A Periodical survey (P) is an inspection of the items relating to the particular certificate to ensure that they are in a satisfactory condition and fit for the service for which the ship is intended. Frequency=(should be held within 3 months before or after the 2nd-anniversary date or within 3 months before or after the 3rd-anniversary date in the case of the cargo ship safety equipment certificate and should take the place of one of the annual surveys; in the case of the cargo ship safety radio certificate, it should be held within 3 months before or after each anniversary date.)

• A Renewal survey (R) is the same as a periodical survey but also leads to the issue of a new certificate. Frequency=(should be held before the appropriate certificate is renewed. The cargo ship safety construction renewal survey may be commenced at the fourth annual survey and maybe progressed during the succeeding year with a view to completion by the 5th-anniversary date).

• An Additional survey (Ad) is carried out Whenever an accident occurs to a ship or a defect is discovered which affects the safety or integrity of the ship which is reported to administration by the master or owner of the ship. Frequency=(when required after an investigation; or whenever any important repairs or renewals are made; or when ballast water management systems (BWMS) are retrofitted on an existing ship to which an International Ballast Water Management Certificate was previously issued).

• At least two inspections of the Ship’s bottom (B) are to be carried out in a period of 5 years, with a maximum interval between the two inspections to not exceed 36 months.

List of the survey in conventions and codes:

• SOLAS 1974 as modified by its 1988 protocol
• LLC 1966 as modified by its 1988 protocol
• MARPOL 1973 and 1978 as further amended by 1997, as amended (MARPOL)
• BWM convention 2004, as amended (BWM Convention)
• IBC Code
• IGC Code
• BCH Code
• POLAR Code

List of statutory certificates required on board ship relating to harmonized system of survey and certification (some depend on the type of ship) with codes:

(E) Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate;

(C) Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate;

(R) Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate;

(L) International Load Line Certificate;

(O) International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate;

(N) International Pollution Prevention Certificate for Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk;

(S) International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate;

(A) International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate;

(D) International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk or the Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk;

(G) International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk;

(P) Passenger Ship Safety Certificate;

(W) Polar Ship Certificate;

(B) International Ballast Water Management Certificate;

THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF SURVEY AND CERTIFICATION
DIAGRAMMATIC ARRANGEMENT

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