For a number of years now, ClassNK has offered a special technical service, the Emergency Technical Assistance Service (ETAS), to shipowners or their representatives. In the event of a serious casualty to a ship, the ETAS team can immediately perform a computer analysis of damage stability and damage to longitudinal strength, then provide any technical advice necessary to ensure the ship's safety as well as prevention or mitigation of marine pollution.

A new regulation 37.4 of the revised Annex I to MARPOL 73/78 will enter into force on 1 January 2007, as noted in ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0608 issued on 22 November 2004. From 1 January 2007 onwards, all oil tankers of 5,000 tons deadweight or more will be required to have prompt access to shore-based computer programs for damage stability and residual structural strength calculations. This new requirement will apply to new oil tankers as well as to existing oil tankers. ClassNK is pleased to advise that ETAS satisfies the new requirement of the revised Annex I to MARPOL 73/78.

ClassNK therefore encourages all shipowners or their representatives to consider the new requirement and if necessary to enrol in ETAS referring to the attached guidance.

This ClassNK Technical Information is the updated version of ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-109 with the same subject. The ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-109 has been superseded.


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
Fax: +81-3-5226-2029
E-mail: svd@classnk.or.jp
Attachment:
1. Guidance on ClassNK Emergency Technical Assistance Service (ETAS)