Ship surveys

• Surveys improve ship safety and protect seafarers
• Scope and scheme of surveys
• Surveys under the German flag
• Ship safety and maritime labour law
• Navigational and radio equipment & equipment according to COLREG
• Frequency of the surveys for navigational and radio equipment
• Compass adjustment
• Recognized bodies for testing of navigational and radio equipment

Surveys improve ship safety and protect seafarers

Upon delivery or change of flag of a ship, and on ships in service, periodical surveys by the flag state administration or by a recognized organization (classification society) are required. These surveys form the base for the issuance of ship safety certificates and their renewal or extension of validity. By means of the surveys flag states ensures compliance of ships under their flag with the requirements regarding ship safety or working and living conditions on board.

Scope and scheme of surveys are specified by international conventions

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has adopted mandatory regulations for the safety of seagoing ships with several international conventions. In particular the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) provides in chapter I of its annex detailed requirements for survey and certification of ships. The IMO has compiled the scope and scheme of all ship safety surveys in the resolution A.1186(33).

Surveys under the German flag

The following two institutions are in charge of surveys on merchant ships under the German flag:

• the Ship Safety Division of the BG Verkehr, and
• the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH)

The ship safety division is in charge of all surveys regarding ship safety and maritime labour law, except surveys of navigational and radio equipment for which the BSH is responsible.

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Surveys regarding ship safety and maritime labour law

No special application is required for the surveys regarding ship safety and maritime labour law (except for navigational and radio equipment). The ship safety division arranges automatically for surveys when it receives an application for changing to the German flag or an announcement of newbuilding. Many surveys, especially abroad, are performed by surveyors of recognized organisations.

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Survey of navigational and radio equipment as well as navigational lights

For any newly constructed, modified or refitted ship, plan approval of the ship's navigational and radio equipment as well as navigational lights should be conducted prior to a survey. This plan approval serves to prepare the on-board survey and may helps to avoid otherwise necessary and expensive modifications.  

The plan approval is followed by the initial survey. The initial survey verifies whether the approved plans were followed when the navigational and radio equipment was installed, the equipment meets the approved conditions and functions correctly. The functional testing of pieces of equipment is generally done on board. Replicate tests, which are performed periodically, focus not only on the correct functioning of the equipment, but also on modifications which could have been made since the previous survey.

The list of inspections/review according to BfP and BfA indicates which navigation equipment requires plan approval or on-board survey.

Please use the following form:

• Application for on board survey and plan approval of navigational and radio communication equipment
• Guide - Electronic Forms

Please submit the required documents in time. This minimizes the risk of costly modifications to faultily arranged items of equipment.

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Frequency of the surveys for navigational and radio equipment

For ships flying the German flag, the German Ship Safey Ordinance (Schiffssicherheitsverordnung, SchSV) mostly refers to internatioal conventions with regard to surveys. These conventions, such as SOLAS and Torremolinos, regulate the surveys of navigational equipment independent of the type of equipment but dependent on the respective ship type: Passenger ships annually, fishing vessels of more than 24 m length biannually, other ships quinquennially and after substantial maintenance or renewal work.

The different kinds of GMDSS radio equipment are surveyed annually as part of the radio survey. Here only ships of traditional build are the exception having an interval of at the most five years and an intermediate survey between the second and the third year prior to the expiry date of the safety certificate. Radio equipment on commercially-used recreational craft is usually only subject to an initial inspection.

The surveys are carried out by the BSH in accordance with the „Bedingungen für die Prüfung der Aufstellung/Anbringung von Navigations- und Funkausrüstung sowie Ausrüstung nach COLREG 72“ (BfA) (Conditions for arrangement).

The list of inspections/review according to BfP and BfA indicates which navigation equipment requires plan approval or on-board survey.

Please use the following form:

• Application for on board survey and plan approval of navigational and radio communication equipment
• Guide - Electronic Forms

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Compass adjustment

Standard-magnetic compasses and steering-magnetic compasses which are permanently fitted on board of ships under the German flag must be adjusted before they are put into service and at least every two years thereafter so that the maximum deviation complies with the limits of the technical standard DIN ISO 25862:2021-01 (Annex G, Section G.1). Proof of regulation must be carried on board in the form of a deviation table. The ship’s master must check the deviation regularly and keep a record of the check results for the past twelve months.

Please click here for the list of recognized compass adjusters.

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Recognized bodies for testing of navigational and radio equipment

The BSH may authorize other bodies to perform parts of ship surveys and individual laboratory tests. This requires a recognition by the BSH. Recognition by the BSH will only occur upon application (in German only) and according to the "Conditions for recognition for institutions" (Anerkennungsbedingungen für Einrichtungen) by BSH. 

Please click here for a list of recognized bodies for testing of navigational and radio equipment.

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