Visits to Member States on the national system of inspections of ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft
The cycle of visits to the Member States on the port State control related aspects of Directive (EU) 2017/2110 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2017 on a system of inspections for the safe operation of ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft in regular service, started in 2020. Initially, the visits were combined with the visits to Member States on port State control, but following the completion of that cycle in 2022, these ROPAX visits are being carried out jointly with visits on passenger ship safety or as separate visits. The cycle is expected to finish in 2026.
Article 1 of the Directive states:
1.This Directive applies to ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft operating:
(a) on a regular service between a port of a Member State and a port of a third country where the flag of the vessel is the same as that of the Member State in question; or
(b) on a regular service on domestic voyages in sea areas in which ships of Class A may operate in accordance with Article 4 of Directive 2009/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).
2.This Directive does not apply to ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft falling under Directive 2009/16/EC.
3.Member States may apply this Directive to ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft operating on a regular service on domestic voyages in sea areas other than those referred to in paragraph 1(b).
4.Member States which do not have seaports and which can verify that of the total number of individual vessels calling annually over a period of the 3 previous years at their river ports, less than 5 % are passenger ships or high- speed passenger craft covered by this Directive, may derogate from the provisions of this Directive except for the obligation set out in the second subparagraph.
Those Member States which do not have seaports shall communicate to the Commission by 21 December 2019 the total number of vessels and the number of ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft calling at their ports during the 3-year period referred to in the first subparagraph and shall inform the Commission annually thereafter of any subsequent change to the abovementioned figures.
The purpose of the visits is to:
1. The way in which the Directive has been transposed and implemented in operational terms.
2. That the required pre-commencement and regular inspections have been carried out and reported as required by the Directive.
3. The system in place for ensuring that any deficiencies confirmed or revealed by an inspection carried out in accordance with the Directive are correctly addressed.
4. The national provisions and the system in place for the issue and enforcement of an order on the prohibition of departure by a ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft.
5. The provisions in place in the Member State for penalties applicable to infringements of the national provisions.