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In order to guarantee the safety of crews, passengers
and the environment, section 316 of the Canada Shipping Act stipulates that,
subject to sections 405 to 407, the great majority of Canadian merchant ships
must be inspected to obtain an inspection certificate attesting to their
seaworthiness.
These ships must be inspected while under construction
and at specific intervals thereafter, depending on their type, tonnage and place
of operation.
To prevent problems, “technical” inspectors examine
and approve construction plans submitted by designers to ensure project
compliance with regulations before ships are built or modified. They must also
closely inspect structural drawings and specifications, details about intact
stability and, in cases of damaged stability, drawings and specifications of
engines, propulsion machinery and mechanisms, electrical systems and
installations, fire suppression equipment and rescue equipment. (The ship’s
materials and equipment will have been pre-approved through prototype tests.)
During shipyard inspections, ship inspectors check the structure and the
propulsion machinery for safety and reliability, and ensure that fire
suppression, rescue, navigation and communications equipment is in good working
order. They are also responsible for ensuring that officers’ qualifications
comply with regulatory requirements.
Once they have determined that the ship is safe and complies with applicable
regulations, they issue an inspection certificate attesting to the ship’s
seaworthiness. These certificate(s) must be in plain view on board the ship.
Any ship involved in a marine casualty must be inspected to ensure that it has
been restored to a condition of seaworthiness before putting out to sea. These
inspections are also carried out for marine casualties involving one or more
foreign vessels and have an impact on harbour control and pollution prevention
activities.
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