China intensifies ship inspections after serious shipping accidents

According to the classification society DNV, China is strengthening its port state controls. The Chinese maritime safety authority is now taking a much closer look at ships that have been detained several times in the past or have serious defects.

The MSA initiative targets repeat offenders, triggering a detailed review if they have been detained in one or more ports in the last 12 months or have multiple serious deficiencies. This includes vessels with a PSC record for intentional MARPOL violations, false certificates, unapproved ship modifications, crew issues or malicious deactivation of AIS – a common strategy to evade sanctions.

All inspections on board these vessels are expected to be carried out “in detail,” DNV advises, and ships on the target list could be subject to inspection at each port call in China. To be removed from the list, the owner can contact the MSA and ask for relief.

Following the Lixinsha Bridge crash and the Francis Scott Key Bridge collision earlier this year, China’s MSA has also announced a “special campaign” on mechanical and electrical equipment safety to prevent power and propulsion failures. Inspectors will pay special attention to electrical system problems in all Chinese ports until the end of October.

The campaign goes beyond port state control. Classification societies will be required to “increase inspection and testing” of mechanical and electrical equipment on both newbuildings and existing tonnage. In the event of mechanical or electrical malfunctions, crew members will have to report the incident to local maritime authorities and accept “special safety inspections”; if they fail to report, they will be “severely penalized,” DNV warned.

If a ship experiences two or more mechanical or electrical failures within 12 months, it must submit a failure analysis and an action plan to correct the failure and undergo joint inspections.

China MSA’s pre-arrival checklist for this campaign includes ensuring the function of all systems associated with the main engine, including alarms, fuel supply, cooling and lubricating oil systems; checking the boiler system; ensuring that auxiliary power is in order and that standby and emergency generators are operational; checking switchboards and controls; and testing the steering gear and its emergency power systems.

DNV recommends that the emergency generator and standby generator be thoroughly tested before arrival in China and that accurate preventive maintenance records be maintained.