STAND-BY VESSELSSTAND-BY VESSELS

STAND-BY VESSELS

GENERAL

The duties of stand-by vessels must be laid down in the operator’s Safety Management Plan so as to avoid confusion as to what is expected of the stand-by vessel. Copies of the Safety Management Plan should be available on dedicated stand-by vessels as well as on any other support vessel that may be required to take over the duties of the stand-by vessel at particular times.

The time of taking over and being relieved of stand-by duty should be noted in the log and the vessel last appointed as stand-by should remain in that capacity until officially relieved of the duty.

Stand-by vessels on duty must have adequate clear deck space for any foreseeable emergency and to cope with the duties as laid down. Adequate clear deck space would normally mean that not more than one third of the deck space is taken up with cargo or material and that there is access for the full length of the deck. Both port and starboard rescue zones must be kept clear.

Vessels required to perform other duties should be officially relieved of the stand-by duty by another vessel before conducting other operations. A vessel performing cargo operations, surveys, anchor handling or towing should not also be expected to be the stand-by vessel

The operator's Safety Management Plan should detail particular operations that require a vessel on close stand-by and all such operations should be suspended if a vessel is not available to perform the function.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

The operator's Safety Management Plan should set out in detail any special equipment that is required to be carried by the stand-by vessel. Such equipment should also be available on board any other support vessel before it is engaged as the stand-by vessel.

Any special equipment supplied to vessels for the stand-by role should have attached full operating instructions to enable vessel crews to operate the equipment safely and efficiently for its intended purpose.

Training should be conducted on board or ashore with the crews to ensure that they are familiar with any special equipment that is supplied for use in the stand-by mode.

FAST RESCUE CRAFT

Stand-by vessels should have a rescue craft and trained crew ready for immediate use at all times while the vessel is the designated stand-by vessel.

The rescue craft must be of a type approved for the purpose and maintained in a fit condition for use.

Crews assigned to rescue craft should be regularly exercised in a variety of conditions to ensure that the response time and efficiency is as good as possible. Records of various training and drills should be maintained on board.

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