DOCUMENT FILE

 “Document File” is a vital tool required during survey. Briefly explain its purpose, containment and support documentation. What is the process of identifying a survey in the “Document File”

 Ans.  A ‘document file’ is prepared for the survey or before survey to enable quick access to all documents available to the surveyor to carry out the tasks. It saves valuable time of ship as well as surveyor the loss to the owner is minimum. Also it helps shipboard personnel to know what all things are involved during the survey. Generally a questionnaire as regards to the requirements of documentation will be sent on board before considerable time, so that ships crew can arrange accordingly beforehand and last minute running can be avoided.

         The following documents kept on board are to be presented to the attending surveyor prior to the surveys:

        1. Certificates

                a)  Certificate of Class

                b)  Registration Certificate

                c)  Statutory Certificates

·         Cargo ship safety construction certificate

·         Cargo ship safety equipment certificate

·         Cargo ship safety radio certificate

·         International Load line Certificate

·         International Pollution Prevention certificate

·         IMO fitness certificate

d)    Condition Evaluation report (Executive hull survey)

e)    Cargo gear booklet

          2.  Survey record files

                a)  Black file (for class survey record)

                b)  Blue file (for statutory survey record of ships other than Japanese flag ships)

                c)  Green file (for condition evaluation report of ships to which ESP has been applied.

           3.  Finished plan of hull, machinery and equipment, approved manuals and documents  (loading manual, stability information etc.)

           4.  Service records/maintenance records.

                 a)  Hull thickness measurement record

                 b)  Periodical inspection table for automatic and remote control system.

                 c)  Insulation resistance test record

                 d)  Chief engineers report for continuous machinery survey

                 e)  Others

           5.  Enhanced survey programme (ESP)

                 a)  Condition evaluation report (Executive hull survey)

                 b)  Main structural plans of hull

                 c)  Cargo and ballast history

                 d)  Repair history

                 e)  Thickness measurement reports

                  f)  Survey programme

                 g)  Planning document

                 h)  Inspection report by ship staff with reference to

·         Structural deterioration in general

·         Leakage in bulkheads and pipings

·         Condition of coating and/or corrosion prevention systems if any

·         Record of use of ‘IGS’ and ‘COW’ system (if provided in oil tankers)

                      The surveys are to be identified in a document file because the survey can be done on behalf of classification society to maintain class, a survey can be done by classification society on behalf of administration of flag state for statutory certificates or a survey can be done by classification society on behalf of the flag state to which the owner is a nationality. In such cases, if the surveys are clearly class coded, then it becomes very convenient to distinguish in the document and need not go through again if it is not required.