Barbados issues a bulletin regarding the authorization of service providers

The Barbados Maritime Ship Registry has issued a bulletin regarding the authorization of service providers.

This bulletin was issued on 30 June 2023 and is addressed to all shipowners, operators, officers, flag state inspectors, and recognized organizations.

Purpose

Beginning 1 January 2020, a service provider, or manufacturer acting as a service provider, must be authorised by the Barbados Maritime Ship Registry (BMSR) according to MSC.402(96) under the provisions of Regulation 20.11.5 of Chapter III of SOLAS prior to providing maintenance, examination, testing, overhaul or repair of:

• Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats)
• Rescue boats
• Fast rescue boats
• Launching appliances
• On-load and off-load release gear for lifeboats (including primary and secondary means of launching appliances for free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and davit-launched life rafts.

This bulletin provides guidance on examination, testing, servicing, maintenance, and repairs of the items listed above, on board Barbados flagged vessels.

Barbadian Authorisation of Service Provider (BASP)

The BMSR does not approve service providers but only authorises a service provider with an authorisation document, the Barbadian Authorisation of Service Provider (BASP).

The BASP is specific to the vessel requiring servicing of any of the items listed above and is only valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

The BASP is valid subject to the following conditions:

• The service provider shall hold a valid Approved Service Supplier Certificate (ASSC) issued by a Barbados Recognised Organisation (RO) verifying that the provider meets the requirements of MSC.402(96).
• Service engineers shall have valid Qualification Certificates issued by the equipment manufacturer or by the Approved Service Provider to whom this BASP was issued. The Qualification Certificate must define the service engineer’s level of qualification and the scope of the certification (e.g. makes and types of equipment).
• A copy of the BASP shall be attached to each service or maintenance report issued by the authorised service provider to the vessel.
• A copy of the Qualification Certificate for the service engineer(s) who inspects and/or services the equipment shall also be attached to the report.

BASP Application

Requests for a BASP shall be submitted by email to ops@barbadosmaritime.com prior to the servicing and shall be accompanied by a valid ASSC of the service provider.

The application shall be accompanied by:

• The previous BASP issued for the same Service Provide and vessel;
• Otherwise, the equipment last service certificate for the vessel proposed;
• A Copy of the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate (CS SEC) for the vessel proposed;
• The ASSC.

The ASSC shall always be full and must state the list of the equipment the service provider is certified, i.e., manufacturer and model of the equipment.

The managers shall make sure that the ASSC’s list includes the equipment fitted on board the vessel on which the service is to be carried out.

In case the ASSC’s list does not include the equipment fitted on board, then the managers and/or service providers shall provide a statement from the RO that issued the CS SEC.

The RO statement shall be based on template as per below (please see the attached document), on the RO letterhead, signed stamped and dated not longer than 6 months from the date of application.

References

• International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended (SOLAS)
• IMO Resolution MSC.402(96) - Requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear.

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

Barbadian Authorisation of Service Provider