Danish Quality Shipping Promoted by Inspection Campaigns Abroad
Every year, the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) performs flag State inspections of ships abroad that are flying the Danish flag. In 2017, the number of control inspections will be increased to 60.
Just before the 2016 Christmas and New Year's holidays, the Danish Maritime Authority carried out a two-week campaign in the USA to promote Danish quality shipping. The campaign took place in Houston and New York, respectively.
The purpose of the campaign was to promote quality shipping under the Danish flag, inter alia to create good relations with the Port State Control authorities in the USA and with other players who are in contact with Danish shipping. The campaign also covered surveys of Danish ships calling at the two port areas during the said period.
During the surveys of the ships, focus was on the work performed by the classification societies on behalf of the Danish Maritime Authorities (RO monitoring), occupational health, the ships' safety level and general condition as well as a forward-looking dialogue with the crews about how to perform well in future Port State Control inspections.
Chief Ship Surveyor Annemette Knagaard from the Danish Maritime Authority: "The Danish Maritime Authority performs control inspections of Danish-flagged ships abroad in order to assist Danish shipowners so that they can improve their performance and get an idea of what other countries' port State control officers are looking for. The inspections are made in close cooperation with the shipowner and crew where the survey is carried out by means of a constructive and safety-promoting dialogue."
During the campaign in the USA, ships from four different shipowners were surveyed. In addition, the Danish Maritime Authority visited the classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), whose headquarters are in Houston, as well as United States Coast Guard (USCG) in both Houston and New York.
In 2016, the Danish Maritime Authority has carried out similar inspection campaigns in Singapore, Gothenburg, Algeciras and Rotterdam as well as in the Chinese cities of Yan Sang Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen. A total of 44 control inspections have been made on board Danish ships abroad.
