CAP-Condition assessment program

• Condition Assessment Program(CAP) is a specialized survey program which offers owners a detailed assessment of a ship's actual condition.
• CAP is a voluntary service.
• CAP has been created voluntarily, for the ship owners to document the quality of vessels.
• Class is aimed at ensuring a minimum standard for the vessel whereas the main purpose of CAP is to evaluate and report the vessel’s condition above minimum class standard.
• CAP is designed for Tankers and Bulk carriers aged 15 years and above and may be used by other vessels as well and at any age.
• Assess physical condition and maintenance of vessel above the minimum requirements for Class
• Review of Class Records
• Fatigue Analysis
• Condition Assessment Survey
• Verification of Gaugings
• Structural Evaluation
• CAP Report and rating
• Most charterers require a CAP rating on all vessels aged 15 years and above.
• The rating of each main structural element is based on the following input:
• Visual inspection.
• UTM (ultrasonic thickness measurement).
• Paint coating (only for ballast tanks).
• A CAP rating is assigned to the vessel.
• CAP 1 (Very Good)
• CAP 2 (Good)
• CAP 3 (Satisfactory)
• CAP 3 (Poor)
• CAP 1 and CAP 2 rating becomes more attractive to charterers.
•  A ship participating in a classification society’s CAP is subject to a CAP survey which, if satisfactory, will issue a CAP Certificate.
• The certificate of CAP indicating the ship’s overall rating (Overall Rating for CAP-HULL, CAP-MACHINERY / CARGO SYSTEM) is issued.

The benefits of CAP are: 

• Less time off-hire.
• To have the vessel judged based on the actual condition on board rather than age.
• To contribute to protecting life, property and the environment and to ensure the safest possible transportation of the cargo.
• To establish a sound basis for decisions on repair or investments in order to extend the lifetime of the vessel.
• To document a vessel's technical condition.
• Higher resale value.

CAS-Condition asssessment scheme

 Explain CAS (Condition assessment scheme):

• The IMO initiated the Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS) for single-hull oil tankers which was developed in line with the Enhanced Survey Program (ESP).
• CAS entered into force on 5th April 2005.
• The purpose of CAS is to provide an international standard to meet the requirement of MARPOL annex 1.
• CAS is one of the mandatory surveys that need to be completed by all the Oil tankers which fall in category 2 and category 3 of MARPOL annex 1.
• To Category 2 and Category 3 oil tankers, In order for these tankers to operate beyond 2010 to their mandatory phase-out date under IMO rules, the CAS requires that they are satisfactorily surveyed and certified.
• It has specific responsibilities with the deadlines to plan the survey. The entire process starts approx six to eight months in advance.
• A CAS survey includes an overall survey, close-up survey, thickness measurements and pressure testing within the cargo area and ballast tanks, including fore and aft peak tanks, of an oil tanker.
• The first CAS survey shall be carried out concurrent with the first intermediate or renewal survey after 5 April 2005, or after the date when the ship reaches 15 years of age, whichever occurs later.
• On completion of the CAS survey, the attending surveyors will issue an Interim CAS Statement of Compliance, valid for 5 months, which will enable the completion of the CAS Final Report and verification by the flag State Administration, who will then issue the final CAS Statement of Compliance. Further CAS surveys will then be carried out at intervals of 5 years.

Further clarification for category 2 and 3 oil tankers:

• A Category 2 tanker is an oil tanker of 20, 000 dwt and above carrying crude oil, fuel oil, heavy diesel oil or lubricating oil, or of 30, 000 dwt and above carrying other oils which complies with the MARPOL requirement for protectively located segregated ballast tank arrangements; 
• A Category 3 oil tanker is one of 5, 000 dwt and above but less than the tonnage specified for Category 2 tankers. 
• Depending on their delivery dates, Category 2 and Category 3 tankers must be phased out between 2005 and 2010. 
• A Category 2 or Category 3 tanker of 15 years and over after the date of delivery must comply with the CAS. 
• The flag State Administration may allow a Category 2 or Category 3 tanker to operate beyond 2010 subject to satisfactory CAS surveys, but they must be taken out of service by the anniversary in 2015 of the delivery date or when they reach 25 years of age, whichever is earlier.

Preparations for CAS survey:

***RO - Recognised organisation

***SOC - Statement of compliance