Circular No.19/2002 "Instructions to Recognised Organizations to enhance Flag State Control over Safety Standards of Cyprus Standards of Cyprus Ships" has been issued by the Cyprus Government. The Circular has been issued with the intention of the enhancing safety standards of Cyprus flag ships and eliminating their detention by Port State Control.
The Cyprus Government has requested ClassNK to implement surveys and audit on Cyprus flag ships from 1 September 2002 in accordance with the Circular.
Contents of the Circular and measures by ClassNK in the Circular are as follows.
1. Change of flag surveys to Cyprus flag.
Regardless of whether the managing company changes or not, permission to register is to be left to the judgement of the Cyprus Government in cases where outstanding recommendations remain against the ship.
The scope of the survey at the flag Change survey is as follows.
(1) Regardless of whether a change of the managing company is accompanied by the flag change survey or not, in cases where the flag change survey is carried out in the survey due range of the statutory renewal, intermediate, periodical or annual surveys, the relevant surveys are requested to be carried out at the flag change survey. In addition, an inspection using the attached ILO check sheet is to be carried out at the survey. The ILO check sheet has been prepared by Cyprus Government with the intention to examine whether spaces for crews like crew accommodation spaces and machinery spaces and so on are properly maintained referring to the relevant parts in the ILO Convention established by International Labor Organization.
(2) In cases where a change of the managing company is not accompanied by the flag change survey, and the flag change surveys are carried out outside of the survey due range of the statutory renewal, intermediate, periodical or annual surveys, the surveys are to be carried out to the extent of annual surveys. In addition, an inspection using the attached ILO check sheet is to be carried out at the survey.
(3) In cases where a change of the managing company is accompanied by the flag change surveys, and the flag change surveys are carried out outside of the survey due range of the statutory renewal, intermediate, periodical or annual surveys, the surveys are to be carried out to the extent of annual surveys except for safety equipment, of which the extent of survey is to be as per a renewal survey. In addition, an inspection using the attached ILO check sheet is to be carried out at the survey.

(To be continued)
2. In case where Cyprus flag ships are detained by Port State Control.
In cases where Cyprus flag ships are detained by Port State Control, and surveyors of ClassNK are called to attend, the surveyors should not limit a inspection to the deficiencies pointed out, and should carry out the surveys as follows.
(1) In cases where the date of detention falls within the survey due range of the statutory intermediate, periodical or annual surveys, the surveys are requested to be carried out before the ship sails. In case where the date of detention falls within the survey due range of the statutory renewal surveys, the surveys are to be carried out to the extent possible, except for safety equipment and safety radio, which are requested to be carried out and completed. A time schedule, which does not exceed the validity dates of each statutory certificate, for completion of renewal surveys at the next convenient port is r