Notice of the General Office of the Provincial Government on Issuing the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Classification Inspections by Foreign Vessel Inspection Agencies in Hainan Free Trade Port

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Ship and Offshore Facility Inspection, the Notice of the State Council on Temporarily Adjusting the Implementation of Relevant Administrative Regulations in the China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (State Letter [2020] No. 88) and the Regulations on Ship Inspection Management, and in light of the actual situation of Hainan Free Trade Port, in order to regulate the classification inspection activities of Chinese international ships registered in Hainan Free Trade Port by foreign ship inspection companies. The foreign ship inspection companies mentioned in the preceding paragraph refer to ship inspection companies established by foreign ship inspection agencies in the People's Republic of China.

Article 3 The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration is responsible for the supervision and management of the classification inspection activities of Chinese international ships carried out by foreign ship inspection companies.

Article 4 Foreign ship inspection companies shall carry out classification inspection business within the business scope permitted by the Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China.

Article 5 Foreign ship inspection companies shall carry out inspection work in strict accordance with the relevant requirements of my country's classification inspection, its classification specifications and relevant standards.

Article 6 Foreign ship inspection companies providing classification inspection services for Chinese international ships shall adhere to the principles of safety, fairness, integrity and convenience.

Article 7 Foreign ship inspection companies shall submit the classification specifications and certificate formats to the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration for filing before conducting specific classification inspections. Foreign ship inspection companies shall report to the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration on the classification inspection work carried out in the Hainan Free Trade Port before December 31 each year. The report content shall include the ship list and the types of classification inspections. When a foreign ship inspection company revokes the classification inspection certificate, it shall report to the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration in a timely manner.

Article 8 The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration shall provide work convenience for foreign ship inspection companies applying for registration in the Hainan Free Trade Port and create good conditions for them to carry out classification inspection business within the prescribed business scope.

Article 9 The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration may provide convenient, intelligent and efficient services and supervision and management of foreign ship inspection companies and their classification inspection activities through remote inspection or entrusted inspection.

Article 10 The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration shall conduct the following supervision on the classification inspection of foreign ship inspection companies:

(i) The validity of the qualifications of foreign ship inspection companies;

(ii) The implementation of the mandatory requirements of my country's laws and regulations on the classification inspection activities of foreign ship inspection companies;

(iii) Reports and complaints involving classification inspections;

(iv) Other matters to be supervised in accordance with the law.

Article 11 The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration's supervision of foreign ship inspection companies includes but is not limited to:

(i) Verification of relevant information reported by foreign ship inspection companies;

(ii) Inspection of the control procedures, management systems and implementation of foreign ship inspection companies to ensure the quality of classification inspections;

(iii) Inspection contents stipulated by relevant laws and regulations.

Article 12 Foreign ship inspection companies shall cooperate with the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration in the supervision and investigation of ship classification inspections.

Article 13 If the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration finds problems with the ship classification inspection, it shall notify the foreign ship inspection company that conducted the inspection. Among them, if the following major issues of ship classification inspection are involved, they shall be reported to the Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China at the same time, and the Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China shall handle it in accordance with relevant regulations:

(i) Inspection and certification of ships that should be scrapped;

(ii) Inspection and certification of ships that are illegally built or significantly rebuilt;

(iii) Issuance of certification for ships that have not been inspected.

Article 14 Foreign ship inspection companies shall analyze and rectify the problems found by the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration and report the rectification to the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration.

If major issues of classification inspection are involved, the rectification shall be reported to the Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China at the same time.

Article 15 If a foreign ship inspection company conducts classification inspection activities in violation of relevant management regulations or relevant requirements of these Measures, the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration may order it to correct it. If it refuses to correct it, the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration shall report it to the Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China for handling in accordance with relevant regulations.

Article 16 If the ship inspection personnel of a foreign ship inspection company conducts classification inspection activities in violation of relevant management regulations, the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration may order it to correct it. If the person refuses to make corrections, the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration will list him/her in the maritime bad credit information and handle it in accordance with relevant regulations.

Article 17 This measure shall come into force on November 1, 2021. The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration shall be responsible for interpreting this measure in conjunction with the Provincial Department of Transportation, and any matters not covered shall be implemented in accordance with relevant national laws and regulations.