Circular No.1/2004 "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 to amend Circular No.19/2002 issued by the Cyprus Government with the intention of the enhancing safety standards of Cyprus flag ships and eliminating their detention by Port State Control. ClassNK has advised on Circular No.19/2002 by ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0479 dated 25 August 2002. The Cyprus Government has requested ClassNK to implement surveys and audit on Cyprus flag ships in accordance with the Circular No.19/2002 amended by Circular 1/2004. Contents of Circular No.19/2002 amended by Circular 1/2004, and measures by ClassNK in the amended Circular are as follows.

1. Change of flag surveys to Cyprus flag.
No change has been made. Please refer to ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0479.

2. In case where Cyprus flag ships are detained by Port State Control.
When Cyprus flag ships are detained by Port State Control, the managing company or the shipmaster is requested to inform the Cyprus Government and to call ClassNK to attend the ships. The surveyors should not limit a inspection to the deficiencies pointed out, and should carry out the surveys and audits following (1), (2), and (3) below based on the number of detentions. In case where ClassNK has not issued Safety Management Certificate (SMC) for the ship, and/or ClassNK has not issued Document of Compliance (DOC) for the managing company, the organization having issued SMC and/or DOC carries out the audit. As for the number of detentions, detentions on and after 1 January 2004 are counted.

If this contact is not made, the following surveys and audits are requested to be carried out.
- An additional audit of the company to the extent of an initial audit, and
- The surveys requested to be carried out in cases of (1), (2), and (3) below, and an additional shipboard audit. The extent of the additional audit is as follows.
(I) In case where the date of detention is within twelve months or less from the date of the initial /renewal audit or less than six months prior to the renewal audit, the extent of the additional audit is equivalent to the mandatory initial audit of the shipboard part.

(To be continued)