China MSA Requirement for Damage Control Booklets
Following a recent case in China where the China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) issued a deficiency (Code 17) requesting a Damage Control Booklet to be provided onboard before allowing the ship to sail, Owners/ Operators of cargo ships constructed on or after 1 February 1992 and trading in Chinese ports should from now on ensure that a Damage Control Booklet (in addition to the Damage Control Plan) is available onboard. Where it is found that such booklet is not available, Owners/ Operators should produce the booklet, using MSC.1/Circ.1245 as guidance, and using a copy of, and based on, the Damage Control Plan already available onboard. The Damage Control Booklet in these situations is not required to be submitted to Class for approval.