Vessel Assurance

IMCA M 204

August 2010

International MarineContractors Association

www.imca-int.com

AB

AB

The International Marine Contractors Association

(IMCA) is the international trade association

representing offshore, marine and underwater

engineering companies.

IMCA promotes improvements in quality, health, safety,

environmental and technical standards through the publication

of information notes, codes of practice and by other

appropriate means.

Members are self-regulating through the adoption of IMCA

guidelines as appropriate. They commit to act as responsible

members by following relevant guidelines and being willing to be

audited against compliance with them by their clients.

There are two core activities that relate to all members:

Competence & Training

Safety, Environment & Legislation

The Association is organised through four distinct divisions,

each covering a specific area of members’ interests: Diving,

Marine, Offshore Survey, Remote Systems & ROV.

There are also five regional sections which facilitate work on

issues affecting members in their local geographic area –

Asia-Pacific, Central & South America, Europe & Africa, Middle

East & India and North America.

IMCA M 204

www.imca-int.com/marine

The information contained herein is given for guidance only and endeavours to reflect best industry practice. For the avoidance of doubt no legal liability shall

attach to any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

© 2010 IMCA – International Marine Contractors Association

Vessel Assurance

IMCA M 204 – August 2010

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1

General Sections .................................................................................................................................................................. 1

Vessel Type-Specific Sections ........................................................................................................................................... 1

Navigation .............................................................................................................................................................................. 2

Summary Page ......................................................................................................................................................... 2

Reference Column ................................................................................................................................................. 2

Subject Column ....................................................................................................................................................... 2

Requirement Column ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Checks Column ...................................................................................................................................................... 2

Status Column ......................................................................................................................................................... 2

Verification/Notes Column .................................................................................................................................. 2

Expiry Column ........................................................................................................................................................ 2

Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3

General Sections

1 Vessel ...................................................................................................................... 4

2 Safety Management Policies and Work Procedures ......................................... 5

3 Personnel ................................................................................................................ 7

4 Lifting Equipment and Operations ...................................................................... 8

5 Safe Use of Equipment .......................................................................................... 9

Vessel Type–Specific Sections ................................................................................... 10

A DP System ............................................................................................................ 10

B Diving System ...................................................................................................... 11

C ROV Spread .......................................................................................................... 12

D Helideck ................................................................................................................ 13

IMCA M 204 1

Introduction

A systematic approach to vessel assurance has been adopted by a number of marine contractors and is now

being sought by several clients.

Vessel assurance is useful to:

encourage self audit;

promote good record keeping;

demonstrate capability/status of compliance with the identified requirements to clients/others.

This IMCA document is published in IMCA’s normal format but it is available as a blank Excel file for vessel

owners/operators to use, adapt and expand into an electronic record as needed for their specific requirements.

The record aims to provide a common approach which can be adopted by vessel owners/operators as

appropriate to fit in with their own systems and to satisfy their clients. This common approach aims to

improve safety and efficiency for all parties. The vessel assurance record is intended to be a comprehensive

document, giving an overview of how the vessel is managed and addresses both shore side and shipboard

management and operation. It is intended to be kept by the vessel owner/operator in an electronic system and

kept up to date as a live record. The record should be a ‘real time’ statement containing information on

certification, reports, audits, employees and management systems for each vessel and should include vessel-

specific equipment onboard.

The record sets out a summary of international regulations, IMCA guidance, other relevant standards and

company procedures which could form part of vessel assurance. It also provides a means of recording the

status of compliance with the identified requirements. A management review should be undertaken at

appropriate intervals and a status report on findings and actions produced.

The document is set out as a template which each IMCA contractor member can adapt to fit its own company

systems and procedures.

Currently four vessel type-specific sections have been identified. It is intended that others are developed and

added to each company’s own records to suit its specific vessel types.

In order to ensure a systematic approach a number of different vessel assurance categories have been

identified.

General Sections

Each vessel should have its own assurance record made up of General Sections in worksheets 1-5

which set out details applicable to all vessels.

1 Vessel

2 Safety management policies and work procedures

3 Personnel

4 Lifting equipment and operations

5 Safe use of equipment

Vessel Type-Specific Sections

Worksheets A-D are optional depending on the particular activities undertaken by an individual vessel.

Others can be added if necessary.

A DP system

B Diving system

C ROV spread

D Helideck

2 IMCA M 204

Navigation

Users can navigate through the Excel record worksheets via the Excel tabs or use the links on the

summary page.

Summary Page

The summary page is provided to help identify worksheets where actions have been

identified. Findings are automatically brought here from subsequent sections.

Reference Column

References to other IMCA documents are set out in this first column. Links are provided to

the IMCA members-only website where appropriate (Note: access to certain material is

restricted according to membership of the relevant IMCA technical division).

Subject Column

Categorises the type of entry.

Requirement Column

Sets out the general requirement.

Checks Column

Describes the checks that should be carried out as part of the vessel assurance system to

verify that the requirement is being met.

Status Column

When completing this column, enter just the letters shown below to take advantage of

automatic colour coding:

Enter ‘C’ for complete/compliant items

(requirements met at date of last review) C

Enter ‘A’ for partially complete items

(requirements being progressed, but further action required) A

Enter ‘N’ for findings/actions not started

(requirements/guidance not being met and immediate action required) N

Manually shade any items which are not applicable to the vessel

Verification/Notes Column

Show here how the requirement is being met (or any findings and action required), or an

explanation if an item has been marked as not applicable to the vessel.

Expiry Column

Certain items will have a natural expiry date, such as a certificate expiry date – these will

auto-colour to indicate forthcoming and passed expiry dates. Enter ‘NA’ if not applicable.

IMCA M 204 3

Summary

Vessel name:

Date of review:

Review approved by:

General sections Findings Actions

1 – Vessel 0 0

2 – Safety management policies and work procedures 0 0

3 – Personnel 0 0

4 – Lifting equipment and operations 0 0

5 – Safe use of equipment 0 0

Vessel type-specific sections Findings Actions

A – DP system 0 0

B – Diving system 0 0

C – ROV spread 0 0

D – Helideck 0 0

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1 Vessel

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Audits

Vessel assurance audit The vessel should be audited annually – When was the vessel last audited? – When is it due? – Have all outstanding actions been closed out?

Common marine inspection document

The vessel should have an annual CMID completed in accordance with IMCA M 149

– When was the vessel CMID last conducted? – When is it due? – Have all outstanding actions been closed out?

Communications

Vessel communications system

The vessel should have a documented communications procedure onboard

– Is an appropriate procedure provided onboard? – Is it understood?

Equipment Critical systems and

spares assessment There should have been an assessment of all vessel machinery and other systems on board (DP, ROV, diving) with a planned maintenance

and spares system

– Has an assessment been undertaken? – Is there an appropriate planned maintenance

system in place?

– Are spares available?

Deck supply services A detailed diagram of all deck power supplies and associated utilities should be available to assist

projects during mobilisations and operations

– Is a deck services diagram available onboard?

Operations Mobilisation plan A mobilisation control document should be on

the vessel describing how mobilisations are undertaken

– Is there a mobilisation plan for the activity

being undertaken?

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2 Safety Management Policies and Work Procedures

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Regulatory

requirements

ISM Code Vessel should be in compliance with the ISM Code

– Is there a valid company compliance document?

– Has the vessel a valid safety management certificate?

Company policies

Safety management system The vessel should have implemented the

company safety management system onboard

– Is the vessel safety management system

applicable to and implemented on the vessel?

Health manual/policies Company should have procedures and guidelines

in place relating to health and working environment

– Is appropriate health monitoring in place?

Company safety notices and safety alerts

Company should issue appropriate safety notices and safety alerts to the vessel

– Are relevant company safety notices and safety alerts available?

– Are new safety notices and alerts discussed at onboard safety meetings?

Work procedures

Permit-to-work The company permit to work procedure should be in place onboard

– Are there records available to demonstrate that the procedure is being used onboard?

Isolations The company isolations procedure should be

onboard

– Are there records available to demonstrate

that the procedure is being used onboard?

Confined space entry The company confined space entry procedure

should be onboard

– Are there records available to demonstrate

that the procedure is being used onboard?

Management of change The company management of change procedure should be onboard

– Are there records available to demonstrate that the procedure is being used onboard?

Working at height A survey should be undertaken and reviewed

[period] of the work at height requirements. Appropriate work procedures should be in place. The survey should identify suitable equipment and training requirements for

relevant personnel

– Are appropriate working at height

procedures in place? – Has a working at height survey been

undertaken? – Have relevant personnel received training?

– Is suitable equipment available?

Dropped objects A dropped object review should be undertaken and reviewed [period] onboard the vessel.

Actions should be tracked and closed out

– Have all the actions identified in the latest review been closed out?

Access ladders/ship

handrails

A survey should be undertaken and reviewed

[period] of all access ladders/ship handrails to

ensure all access ladders are safe and in good order

– Has an access ladder/handrail survey been

undertaken?

– Have all actions identified been closed out?

Housekeeping The vessel should undertake regular [period]

health and hygiene inspections

– Are the housekeeping inspections recorded?

– Are outstanding actions being closed out?

Personal health and safety Personal protective

equipment (PPE) All personnel onboard should comply with the company PPE requirements

– Is appropriate PPE available and issued?

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Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Drug and alcohol The company drug and alcohol policy should be

onboard the vessel – Are personnel made aware of the onboard

policy as part of vessel induction?

Smoking The company smoking policy should be onboard the vessel and risk assessment should be undertaken to identify designated smoking areas

– Are personnel made aware of the onboard policy as part of the vessel induction?

– Are designated smoking areas clearly

identified?

Jewellery at work The company policy should be onboard – Are personnel made aware of the onboard policy as part of their induction?

Use of knives policy The company policy for use of open bladed knives should be onboard

– Are personnel made aware of the onboard policy as part of their induction?

Meetings

Safety meetings Safety meetings should be held onboard in

accordance with company policy

– Are there records showing safety meetings

take place?

Toolbox talks Toolbox talks should be undertaken prior to

work commencing in accordance with company policy

– Are toolbox talks recorded?

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3 Personnel

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Induction All personnel should be required to undertake

the company induction programme

– Is a company induction programme in place?

– Do induction records cover all personnel onboard?

Competence scheme

(general)

All safety-critical personnel should have been

assessed at the appropriate level within the company competence assurance and assessment scheme (based on IMCA C 002)

– Is a company-specific competence scheme in

place? – Have safety-critical personnel been assessed

and included in the scheme?

Training requirements and

records

Training of personnel onboard should be

planned and documented in a vessel-specific record

– Are the training records of individuals up to

date?

Marine crew (general) All marine crew should comply with STCW. Training should meet these requirements

– Are marine crew training and competence records up to date?

Offshore managers All offshore managers should be subject to a company-specific competence assessment

– Are their competence records up to date?

Deck foremen All deck foremen should be subject to a company-specific competence assessment

– Are their competence records up to date?

High voltage training All personnel required to work on high voltage

equipment should have undergone suitable training in accordance with IMCA C 010

– Are competence records up to date?

Authorised gas testers Authorised gas testers should be specifically

identified and should have undergone suitable training

– Are training records up to date?

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4 Lifting Equipment and Operations

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Operations

Lifting operations The vessel should have in place appropriate procedures for undertaking lifting operations based on IMCA M 187

– Do lifting operations follow the vessel procedures?

Communications Lifting communications An appropriate procedure should be in place on

the vessel based on IMCA M 193 – Are appropriate communications used during

lifting operations?

Lifting plant and

equipment

Inspection of lifting

equipment

The company policy for inspecting and recording

periodic inspection of lifting equipment should be implemented on the vessel

– Is appropriate equipment covered by the

vessel inspection regime? – Are inspection records up to date?

Wire rope integrity management

All wire rope onboard should be maintained in accordance with the company policy

– Is a wire rope assurance matrix in place?

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5 Safe Use of Equipment

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Safe use of vessel work

equipment

The vessel should have in place procedures to

comply with the company policy on the safe use of work equipment

– Is there evidence of work equipment

assessments being undertaken?

Portable appliances The vessel should have in place appropriate

arrangements for testing portable appliances

– Are appropriate records of testing available?

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Vessel Type–Specific Sections

A DP System

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry DP operations IMCA DP vessel guidelines Operating procedures in accordance with

IMCA M 103 should be available onboard

– Is the procedure on board

– Is the DP system set up in accordance with IMCA M 103 for the activity being undertaken?

DP system flag state verification and acceptance document (FSVAD)

In accordance with IMO guidelines, a verification of the DP system by the flag state authority is required

– Is a FSVAD available and in date?

DP documentation DP system FMEA An FMEA in accordance with IMCA M 166

should be available – Is an up to date FMEA report available? – Have all outstanding actions been closed out?

Annual DP trials Annual trials of the DP system should be

undertaken in accordance with IMCA guidance and recorded in line with IMCA M 139 (or M 191 for MODUs)

– Have annual trials been carried out and are

they in date? – Have all outstanding actions been closed out

DP capability plots Capability plots should be available for the scenarios set out in IMCA M 140

– Are the capability plots available?

Position reference systems Diagrams and user guides should be available for

all systems onboard

– Is appropriate documentation available?

Changes to DP system Any modifications, upgrades or significant changes to the DP system should be recorded,

assessed and, where applicable, the DP system FMEA, annual trials and other documentation updated

– Are there records available of system changes?

– Have all outstanding actions been closed out?

DP incidents DP incident reporting DP incidents should be recorded. The company

should have in place a system of reporting incidents to IMCA

– Is there an appropriate recording system? – Are DP personnel aware of the IMCA

reporting system?

DP personnel DP personnel Sufficient personnel with appropriate training

and certification should form the DP crew, as

set out in IMCA M 117

– Are the records of the experience of the DP personnel onboard?

– Are certificates held valid?

DP personnel competence All personnel should have been assessed to the

appropriate level within the company

competence assurance and scheme

– Is there an in-house competence scheme

covering all DP personnel?

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B Diving System

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Diving operations

IMCA code of practice Diving operating procedures onboard should be in accordance with IMCA D 014

– Do the operating procedures comply with IMCA D 014?

Diving plant and equipment

Dive system assurance (air)

A diving system assurance document should be maintained for the air diving system onboard the vessel. This should be in accordance with

IMCA D 023

– Is the completed IMCA D 023 document onboard?

– Has it been kept up to date?

– Are outstanding actions closed out?

– Are all certification requirements in date?

Dive system assurance

(bell)

A diving system assurance document should be

maintained for the bell diving system onboard the vessel. This should be in accordance with IMCA D 024

– Is the completed IMCA D 024 document

onboard? – Has it been kept up to date? – Are outstanding actions closed out? – Are all certification requirements in date?

Dive system assurance (surface supplied mixed gas)

A diving system assurance document should be maintained for the surface supplied mixed gas diving system onboard the vessel. This should

be in accordance with IMCA D 037

– Is the completed IMCA D 037 document onboard?

– Has it been kept up to date?

– Are outstanding actions closed out? – Are all certification requirements in date?

Dive system assurance

(mobile/portable surface supplied)

A diving system assurance document should be

maintained for the mobile/portable surface supplied diving system onboard the vessel. This

should be in accordance with IMCA D 040

– Is the completed IMCA D 040 document

onboard? – Has it been kept up to date?

– Are outstanding actions closed out?

– Are all certification requirements in date?

Diving communications Communication systems An appropriate communications system

between the bridge and dive control should be in place onboard

– Are communications between dive control

and bridge available?

Diving personnel Dive team competence All personnel should have been assessed to the

appropriate level within the company competence assurance and assessment scheme

– Is there an in-house competence scheme

covering diving personnel?

Diving supervisors All diving supervisors should hold the

appropriate IMCA (air or bell) diving supervisor (or comparable) certificate as set out in

IMCA D 013

Life support technicians All life support personnel should hold the appropriate IMCA (air or bell) diving supervisor (or comparable) certificate as set out in

IMCA D 013

Divers All divers should hold an appropriate IMCA-recognised diver training certificate as set out in IMCA D 05/10

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C ROV Spread

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry ROV operations

ROV operations The vessel should have in place procedures for ROV operations in accordance with IMCA R 004

– Check that document is available onboard

ROV plant and equipment

ROV system assurance An ROV audit in accordance with IMCA R 006

should be available onboard

– Is a completed IMCA R 006 available for the

ROV system on the vessel?

ROV personnel ROV team competence All personnel should have been assessed to the

appropriate level within the company in-house competence assurance and assessment scheme

– Is there any in-house competence scheme for

ROV personnel?

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D Helideck

Ref Subject Requirement Checks Status Verification/Notes Expiry Helideck and associated plant and equipment

Helideck certification The vessel's helideck should be inspected and approved in accordance with the relevant national requirements

– Is there an appropriate inspection certificate in place?

– Is it in date?

Helideck refuelling systems Refuelling facilities, where fitted, should comply with the relevant national requirements

– Is there an appropriate refuelling facility available?

Helideck personnel

Helideck team

competence

All personnel should have been assessed at the

appropriate level within a company scheme developed in accordance with the IMCA

guidance on competence assurance and assessment

Helideck landing officers A certified (in accordance with local regulations) helicopter landing officer should be onboard the

vessel at all time

– Is there an HLO onboard? – Does the HLO hold an appropriate certificate

which is in date?

Helideck team members Crews should include three crew members in addition to the HLO to be certified (in

accordance with local regulations) as helideck team members