Visits to Member States in respect of their monitoring of Recognised Organisations

The International Conventions on Maritime Safety and Marine Pollution Prevention establish that inspections and surveys of ships, so far as regards the enforcement of the provisions of the Conventions and the granting of exemptions therefrom, shall be carried out by officers of the Administration. The Administration may, however, authorise a Recognised Organisation to conduct the inspections and surveys on behalf of the Administration.

Directive 2009/15/EC on Common Rules and Standards for Ship Inspection and Survey Organisations and for the Relevant Activities of Maritime Administrations, establishes measures to be followed by a Member State in its relationship with Recognised Organisations. This includes the development and implementation of safety requirements for hull, machinery and control installations of ships falling under the scope of international conventions as well as for monitoring the activities undertaken by a Recognised Organisation on behalf of the Member State.

The Commission requested in 2009 that EMSA commence visits to Member States with regard to the requirements in Directive 2009/15/EC on the monitoring of a Recognised Organisation by an authorising Member State. The scope of the visits was to establish the system of controls and verifications that a Member State applies when monitoring the work of a Recognised Organisation. Six visits were carried out before being suspended due to the impact of Directive 2009/21/EC on compliance with flag State requirements, newly entered into force. This Directive obliges Member States to have a quality management system that should, as a matter of principle, include the oversight of service suppliers, which includes ROs acting on their behalf.

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