SECTION 1
1.1 History of the SIRE Programme
In 1993, OCIMF established a Ship Inspection Report (SIRE) Programme, which enabled OCIMF members to submit their ship inspection reports to OCIMF for distribution to OCIMF members and certain qualifying non-OCIMF members. Participation in the original programme, as either an inspecting OCIMF Member or a programme recipient, was strictly voluntary and each programme recipient determined independently how to evaluate the information contained in the reports received from OCIMF.
Under the SIRE Programme, the operator of any ship that is the subject of a report was given a copy of that report and the opportunity to submit written comments relating to the report, to both the inspecting OCIMF Member and to OCIMF. Report recipients accessed the SIRE System Index by computer and this permitted the index to be viewed or downloaded. Programme recipients could order reports and any matching operator comments from the SIRE system. Reports and comments were transmitted by facsimile to the programme recipients' pre-registered facsimile numbers on request.
1.2 Revisions to the Programme
The original SIRE Programme was first revised in 1997 and introduced the means whereby programme recipients were able to receive reports and any operator comments electronically, as well as by facsimile. Two major changes were also introduced in the 1997 Revised Programme. These were:
1. A Uniform Vessel Inspection Procedure; and, 2. A Vessel Particular Questionnaire (VPQ)
1
The SIRE Programme was again revised in 2000. The 2004 revisions made further important changes to the inspection procedure whilst also adding numerous new vessel types that are inspected under the programme.
2
Collectively, these are referred to herein as
“Vessels”. The 2007 4
th
Edition and this 2008 Edition updates the questions, excerpt references and inspector
guidance, but no additional questions have been added.
1 Under the Original 1993 Programme, the inspecting OCIMF Member was free to choose whatever inspection protocol and report format it desired. In 1997, the Uniform Vessel Inspection Procedure changed this. The Vessel Particular Questionnaire was a newly developed OCIMF document, also introduced in 1997 and was not part of the original programme. The Vessel Inspection Questionnaire was further revised in 2000, and the Vessel Particulars Questionnaire was also revised in 2003 when a Harmonised Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (HVPQ) was introduced. Updated VIQs were published in 2004, 2005 and 2008.
2 The SIRE Programme is now expanded to include the inspection of barges carrying petroleum products, chemicals, or gas, or vessels used in the carriage of packaged petroleum products or gas, or road tankers carrying the same commodities. Towing vessels that are utilised in the handling of barges carrying the above listed products may also be inspected under the SIRE Programme. The inspection of these vessels and associated questionnaires are addressed in separate questionnaires.
3
© Copyright OCIMF 2008. All rights reserved.
3
1.3 Uniform Vessel Inspection Procedure
The programme requires that participating submitting companies follow a uniform Vessel Inspection Procedure. This procedure has an Inspection Element and a Report Element.
The Inspection Element uses a series of detailed inspection questionnaires as appropriate for the type of vessel inspected. These questionnaires address issues associated with safety and pollution prevention. Inspectors who are employed, or contracted by submitting companies must (with certain exceptions) answer all these questions. Questions are, in many cases, accompanied by guidance notes and/or references to source documents. Their purpose is to aid the Inspector’s response.
The Report Element is developed from the completed electronic questionnaire that is submitted by the Inspector, either directly to the SIRE web site, or to the submitting company for further processing prior to transmission to the vessel operator and to SIRE.
4
© Copyright OCIMF 2008. All rights reserved.
4
SECTION 2
2.1 The Vessel Inspection Questionnaires, Inspector Manuals and VIQ
Computer Programmes
The 3
rd
Edition revisions to the SIRE Vessel Inspection Questionnaires and their accompanying Inspection
Reports introduced significant changes to the scope and presentation of the Programme. These were: 1. The inspection of oil tankers (together with combination carriers and shuttle tankers), chemical carriers and
gas carriers. Under the revised Programme, these vessels are categorised by size.
2. The inspection of barges carrying petroleum products, chemicals, or gas, or vessels used in the carriage of packaged petroleum products or gas or road tankers carrying the same commodities, and also towing vessels that are utilised in the handling of barges carrying the above listed products. Collectively, in the VIQ documents, the inspection questionnaires that are used are referred to as “Vessel Inspection Questionnaires” (“VIQs”)
3. The key question and sub-question concept used in the 1
st
and 2
nd
Editions of the VIQ was discontinued in
the 3
rd
Edition and replaced (except in a few cases) with individual questions. As in the case of previous
editions, however, the “Yes” “No”, “Not Seen” or “Not Applicable” responses are utilised.
2.2 Inspector Manuals
The Inspector Manual was a new feature introduced with the SIRE revisions in 2000. The Manual reorganised the VIQ key questions, sub-questions and guidance notes to follow the order of the route that would normally be taken by an inspector in the course of an inspection
3
.
As in the case of the previous editions of the VIQ, Inspector Manuals will be used with this 2008 Edition that set out the questions into the approximate order that an inspector is likely to encounter them during the course of an inspection. Selection of the questionnaire to be used for each particular inspection is made using a “Vessel Selection Wizard” incorporated into the SIRE Report Editor software programme. This Wizard requires a series of questions to be answered. When the Wizard is completed, the appropriate questionnaire can be printed on a local printer. The questionnaire may be printed in A4 or Letter paper, or reduced to a size appropriate to be used with the SIRE VIQ Pocketbook which is issued to all SIRE-Accredited inspectors. These Questionnaires must be used during each inspection. The inspection findings must be transferred from the pocketbook to the appropriate VIQ computer programme after the inspection is completed.
3 Each Inspector Manual is laid out on the assumption that an inspection takes the following course: a review of the vessel’s Documentation, followed by an inspection of the Wheelhouse and Navigation, Communications, General external areas (including Mooring, Main Deck and Pumproom), Cargo Control Room, Engine and Steering Compartments and finally, the Accommodation.
5
© Copyright OCIMF 2008. All rights reserved.
5
SECTION 3
3.1 Using the SIRE Vessel Inspection Questionnaires (“VIQs”)
The inspection questionnaires used in this programme contain a series of questions related to safety and pollution prevention applicable to the type of vessel that is inspected. These questions are consecutively numbered and are logically grouped into separate chapters. Each chapter contains a series of questions to be answered by the inspector. Questions may be accompanied by guidance, namely:
1. Guidance notes to inspectors; 2. Reference source(s) citing regulation(s) or industry guidelines pertaining to questions; and 3. An indicator to identify issues when an inspector comment is mandatory.
The above-mentioned guidance, regulatory/industry references amplify the questions and these are provided to assist the inspector to answer the questions. If the guidance and references lead the inspector to conclude that the question should be answered positively, the box “Yes” in the VIQ computer programme should be checked. On the other hand, if the guidance and any reference sources indicate to the inspector that the question should be answered negatively, the “No” box should be checked.
4
Where appropriate, the “Not Seen” or “Not Applicable” box should be ticked.
The inspector must respond to all the questions appropriate to the type of vessel being inspected. Failure to do this will mean that the inspection report cannot be transmitted to the SIRE Internet site for processing by the principal who commissioned the inspection.
The inspector must insert an Observation when responding to any question where the response box is marked “No”. The Observation must specify and explain the reason why a negative response is made. Additionally, where a box is marked “Not Seen” or “Not Applicable”, the reason for the response must be given in the Observation section accompanying the questions. However, in some cases, where the type of vessel being inspected results in one or more questions being not applicable to that type of vessel, the Report Editor is programmed to automatically answer those questions “Not Applicable”. For some questions, the inspector is required to comment irrespective of how the question is answered. This requirement is flagged in the printed VIQ by bold, highlighted, italic text in the guidance notes. In the electronic Report Editor software it is highlighted in yellow. Finally, the inspector is free, at any time, to pass comment even where a box is marked “Yes” provided such
comment makes amplification to assist the understanding of a report recipient as to an issue ass