The Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (VPQ)
To keep the inspector’s time on board to a minimum, questions relating to the vessel’s structure or
other equipment that generally do not change through the lifetime of the vessel were taken out of
the VIQ.
These were amalgamated with numerous non-commercial questions addressed in the pre-chartering
questionnaires used by several major charterers. The outcome was the OCIMF Vessel Particulars
Questionnaire (VPQ). VPQs are submitted electronically to SIRE and thereafter made available on
the SIRE database.
Originally, submission of VPQs by vessel operators was voluntary, but many charterers are critically
dependent on it for their vessels’ assessments and participation is now mandatory. It is therefore
important that VPQs are completed with care and updated regularly.
Participation by vessel
Operators in SIRE as
submitters of VPQs is
free of charge. Further
details can be obtained
from OCIMF.