As the companies managing Indian flagged ships know well, the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India has circulated M.S. NOTICE No. 19 of 2003 by No. SS/PSC/MISC/6/03.

It has been instructed in the paragraph 8 as follows.

8. Further, it is observed that the ships are put up for dry-docking survey without prior preparations, which result in their coming out of the dry dock without undertaking proper and necessary repairs. It is noted in several cases that the dry docking of the ship is carried out without completion of activities such as thickness determination and relevant structural examinations necessary to identify repairs that cannot be carried out afloat, which is an unacceptable practice. It is therefore essential that inspection of such spaces and gauging of the hull structures, are carried out well in advance to the extent possible and a detailed estimate of the repairs to be carried out in the dry dock is prepared in consultation / concurrence with the RO at least 2 months prior to the dry docking survey. The above plan / estimate duly vetted by the RO should be submitted to the Directorate for information.

Accordingly, companies managing Indian flagged ships are kindly requested to submit a survey program to the nearest ClassNK exclusive service site at least 2 months prior to the following dry docking survey for Indian flagged oil tankers and bulk carriers, and to forward the survey program endorsed by a ClassNK surveyor to the Directorate for information.

"dry docking surveys to be carried out concurrently with Special Survey or Intermediate Survey for which an applicant is required to submit a survey program in accordance with Part B1.4.2-2 of RULES FOR SURVEY AND CONSTRUCTION OF STEEL SHIPS."

For any questions about the above, please contact:

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Survey Department, Administration Center, Head Office
Address: 4-7 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8567, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-5226-2027 / 2028
Fax: +81-3-5226-2029
E-mail: svd@classnk.or.jp