THE ESP CODE – 2011

THE ESP CODE – INTRODUCTION

What is Enhanced Survey Programme?

ESP is a guideline for shipping companies and owners to prepare their ship for
special surveys to maintain the safety of the ship while at sea or at port.

In particular, the Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships require a
Survey Planning Questionnaire and a Survey Programme to be prepared by the
Owner at least six months in advance of the intermediate or special survey and
submitted for agreement.

The Programme is to include proposals for the Special Survey, including the means
of providing access for close-up survey and thickness measurement. The Survey
will not commence until a Survey Programme has been agreed.

Owners are advised that they may submit a Survey Programme for Intermediate
Survey subject to their survey & docking planning, for approval.

A new chapter XI is added for special measures to enhance maritime safety under
this resolution.

According to these guidelines, it has 2 Annexes:

• Annex A: Guidelines on enhance survey programme of inspection during

survey of bulk carrier.

• Annex B: Guidelines on enhance survey programme of inspection during

survey of oil tankers.

Each annex A & B has 9 chapters which are almost similar. The only dissimilarities
being operational and constructional aspects of both type of vessels i.e. oil tankers
and bulk carriers.

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 THE ESP CODE – 2011

The chapters can be briefly described as:

Chapter 1: General application, documentation onboard to be completed prior to

the inspection which is to be served as basis for surveys.

Chapter 2: Describes how Enhanced survey to be carried out during the periodical
surveys along with timings and conduct of enhance surveys and requirements of
dry-docking.

Chapter 3: Describes enhanced inspection carried out during annual surveys which
includes cargo holds and tank pressure testing.

Chapter 4: Deals with intermediate surveys in addition to the annual survey

requirements.

Chapter 5: Discuss the needed preparation for surveys, condition and equipment
for surveys, access to the surveyed structure and conduct of survey at sea or at
anchor.

Chapter 6: Immediate and thorough repairs to damages and wastages.

Chapter 7: Discuss the requirement of onboard documents supplied and

maintained by owner that must be available to the surveyor and requirements for
survey report file, supporting documents, review of document by surveyor.

Chapter 8: Discuss the process of reporting and evaluation of survey, acceptability

and continued structural integrity, a condition evaluation report of the survey and
results to be issued to the owner.

Chapter 9: Reporting and evaluation of surveys, acceptable and continued

structural integrity; a condition evaluation report of the survey and results to be
issued to the owner.

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 THE ESP CODE – 2011

Definitions

Suspect areas are locations showing substantial corrosion and/or are considered
by the surveyor to be prone to rapid wastage.

Substantial corrosion is an extent of corrosion such that assessment of corrosion

pattern indicates wastage in excess of 75% of allowable margins, but within
acceptable limits.

Coating condition is defined as follows:

Good - condition with only minor spot rusting;

Fair - condition with local breakdown of coating at edges of stiffeners and weld
connections and/or light rusting over 20% or more of areas under consideration,
but less than as defined for

Poor - condition with general breakdown of coating over 20% or more of areas
or hard scale at 10% or more of areas under consideration.

Critical structural areas are locations which have been identified from
calculations to require monitoring or from the service history of the subject ship or
from similar or sister ships to be sensitive to cracking, buckling or corrosion which
would impair the structural integrity of the ship.

Close up survey is a survey where the details of structural components are within
the close visual inspection range of the surveyor, i.e. preferably within reach of
hand.

Compiled by: Capt. Naveen C Tewari, ARI Saket. New Delhi. (05/21) 3
 THE ESP CODE – 2011

DEVELOPMENT OF SURVEY PROGRAMME

In developing the Survey Programme, the following documentation is to be

collected and consulted with a view to selecting tanks, areas, and structural
elements to be examined:
• survey status and basic ship information;
• documentation on-board
• main structural plans (scantlings drawings), including information regarding
the use of high tensile steels;
• relevant previous survey and inspection reports from both Classification
Society and the Owner;
• information regarding the use of the ship’s tanks, typical cargoes and other
relevant data;
• information regarding corrosion prevention level on the new-building;
• information regarding the relevant maintenance level during operation.

DOCUMENTATION ON BOARD

The following documentation is to be placed on board and maintained and updated

by the owner for the life of ship in order to be readily available for the survey party.

Survey Report File: This file includes Reports of Structural Surveys, Executive
Hull Summary and Thickness Measurement Reports.

Supporting Documents: The following additional documentation is to be placed

on board, including any other information that will assist in identifying Suspect
Areas requiring examination:

• Survey Programme as required by 4.2 until such time as the Special Survey
or Intermediate Survey, as applicable, has been completed;
• main structural plans of cargo and ballast tanks;
• previous repair history;
• cargo and ballast history;

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 THE ESP CODE – 2011

• extent of use of inert gas plant and tank cleaning procedures;

• surveys by ship's personnel;
• structural deterioration in general;
• leakage in bulkheads and piping;
• condition of coating or corrosion prevention system, if any;
• any other information that will help identify Suspect Areas requiring survey.
Prior to survey, the completeness of the documentation onboard, and its contents
as a basis for the survey should be examined.

EQUIPMENT FOR SURVEY

The following survey equipment is to be used as applicable during the surveys:

• Torches: Torches (Flashlights) approved by a competent authority for use in

a flammable atmosphere shall be used in gas dangerous areas. High intensity
beam type is recommended for in-tank surveys. Torches are recommended
to be fitted with suitable straps so that both hands may be free.

• Hammer: In addition to its normal purposes the hammer is recommended for

use during surveys inside tanks etc. as it may be most useful for the purpose
of giving distress signal in case of emergency.

• Oxygen analyser/Multigas detector: For verification of acceptable atmosphere

prior to tank entry, pocket size instruments which give audible alarm when
unacceptable limits are reached are recommended. Such equipment shall
have been approved by national authorities.

• Safety belts and lines: Safety belts and lines should be worn where high risk
of falling down from more than 3 metres is present.

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 THE ESP CODE – 2011

PROCEDURE OF SURVEY
Ship owner shall notify the Flag State and RO of its intention to proceed with the
ESP.

• RO shall issue a Survey Planning Questionnaire to the owner in the

prescribed format.

• The owner shall complete the questionnaire and send it to the RO and the
Flag State.

• Owner shall prepare a Survey Plan for the ESP, in co-operation with the RO
and the Flag State, and submit it to both of them.

• The plan shall be developed using the Model Survey Plan set out in the
appendix to this Scheme, after taking into account the overall status of the
tanker and various survey documents, as stated in this Scheme.

• Extent of the survey shall be in accordance with this Scheme and the
enhanced programme of inspections, including close-up surveys and
thickness measurements.

• At least 2 qualified exclusive surveyors of the RO, who have been trained and
are experienced in carrying out intermediate or renewal surveys, shall carry
out this survey and also supervise the taking of the thickness measurement.

• To ensure safe and efficient execution of the survey, a meeting shall be held
between the surveyors, owner’s representative, thickness measurement firm
operator and Master.

• All recommendations and conditions of class shall be rectified to the

satisfaction of the RO.

• Surveyor/s shall prepare the ESP Survey Report and forward it to RO

headquarters for review, along with photographs, sketches, scantlings, etc.

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• After review, the RO shall prepare the ESP Final Report and submit it to the
Flag State.

• The RO shall issue an Interim Statement of Compliance to the tanker in

the prescribed format, valid for 5 months or till the Statement of compliance
is issued by the Flag State, whichever is earlier.

• The Flag State shall review the final report and prepare a Review Record.

• Each of the above actions shall be completed within the prescribed time
frame, prior to the anniversary date of the delivery of the tanker.

• On satisfactory completion of the above actions, the Flag State shall issue a
Statement of Compliance to the tanker in the prescribed format, valid for
5 ½ years, along with the final report of the RO and the review record of the
State.

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