Changes in dry bulk carrier inspection triggers announced

Effective 01 January 2018 RightShip’s age trigger for a bulk carrier inspection for vessels over 8,000 dwt will change from 18 years to 14 years, after which an annual acceptable RightShip inspection will be required, according to the company. The observations of Inspectors feeds back into the vetting process, providing critical control to improve safety.

This change from the current age inspection trigger of 18 years reflects the changing market conditions of the bulk carrier fleet, and has been done with consideration of the following:

• International Union of Marine Insurance figures reveal an increase in total bulker losses in the 15 – 19 age bracket in the period 2012-16
• It is important that this inspection is conducted prior to third special survey in order to identify focus areas for consideration later in the vessel’s life, and
• The influx of new builds in the early 2000’s has raised questions about the effective working life of vessels and accelerated pace of scrapping. Accordingly, decisions regarding maintenance and standards are being made earlier, highlighting the importance of physical validation at an earlier stage.