Liberia: Safety inspection guidelines for Liberian vessels

Liberia Maritime Authority's updated notice ensures safety and compliance for Liberian-flagged vessels via regular inspections.

This document was published on 20 March 2024.

The marine notice establishes clear protocols for different types of inspections based on vessel characteristics and operational purposes.

Applicability:

The notice applies to all vessels flying the Liberian flag or those entering the Liberian registry. This ensures that all vessels under Liberian jurisdiction adhere to safety standards.

Requirements:

Initial Safety Inspections: These are mandatory inspections that occur during specific events such as registration, reactivation, change of ownership, or significant structural alterations. The goal is to ensure that vessels meet safety standards before they enter service or undergo significant changes.

Annual Safety Inspections: All Liberian vessels must undergo these inspections annually, except for certain exemptions such as unmanned barges, pleasure yachts not carrying passengers for hire, fishing vessels, and cargo vessels under 500 gross tons.

Bi-annual Safety Inspections: Passenger vessels, especially high-speed ferries, must undergo safety inspections every six months. More frequent inspections may be necessary if there are concerns about passenger safety or security.

Periodic Safety Inspections: Special-purpose or uniquely constructed vessels may require inspections at intervals shorter than one year.

Special Safety Inspections: In addition to regular inspections, vessels may undergo special or unscheduled inspections at any time to address specific concerns.

Nautical Inspectors:

Inspections are conducted under the supervision of appointed Nautical Inspectors. These individuals are responsible for ensuring that vessels comply with safety regulations.

Procedures:

Owners and Masters are responsible for scheduling inspections by contacting the Audit and Inspection Coordination Division. They must provide information about the vessel's location, estimated time of arrival, and agent details.

Additionally, vessels can be inspected by prior arrangement with a Nautical Inspector in the port where the vessel is available.

Contact with the Audit and Inspection Coordination Division is essential to prevent duplication of efforts and ensure follow-up when necessary.

Annexes:

Three annexes provide additional resources for owners and Masters to facilitate the inspection process: Annex I - Guidance for Masters, Annex II - Sample Inspection Form, Annex III - Tankers Checklist.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):