Condition Survey
The CAP is applicable to oil tankers and bulk carriers of 15 years of age and above, and may well be used for ships at other ages and for other types of ships.
Purpose
The purpose of CAP is to provide applicants with a document and statement of ship’s actual condition such as structural strength, machinery, and maintenance of ship’s life, etc., which could be used towards cargo owners and/or authorities in connection with entry into new charters or renewal of existing ones beyond expire dates. The main purpose of CAP is to evaluate and report the vessel’s condition above minimum class standard. The scope for CAP is more comprehensive than for class surveys with respect to extent and analysis of thickness measurements, structural strength evaluation, and reporting. Although CAP inspections may be carried out at the same time with class surveys, and a joint CAP/Class team may be on board, CAP is reported completely separate
Benefits of CAP
1. Provides an independent evaluation of the condition of your ship.
2. Helps you demonstrate the operational reliability of your ships, regardless of their age.
3. Leads to preferential chartering opportunities and the potential for increased earnings.
4. Helps in the early identification of deficiencies, maximizing on-hire time and reducing unplanned maintenance.
5. Assists in maximising residual asset value.
Composition of CAP
CAP consists of two modules, one is CAP for hull structures (HCAP) and the other is CAP for machinery/cargo systems (MCAP).
1. HCAP is to include check of documents and records, overall, internal and close-up surveys, thickness measurements and analysis, as well as strength assessment including longitudinal strength calculations, re-assessment of scantlings and fatigue strength assessment.
2. MCAP includes a check of documents and records, an overall survey of machinery/cargo systems, function test, oil sample analysis and vibration measurement.
CAP-HULL RATING
• Rating Level 1: “Very Good Condition”
Items examined and measured found with only superficial reductions from “as new” or current rule scantlings. No maintenance or repair required.
• Rating Level 2: “Good Condition”
Items examined and measured found to have deficiencies of a minor nature not requiring correction or repair and/or found to have all thicknesses significantly above class limits.
• Rating Level 3: “Satisfactory Condition”
Items examined and measured either found to have deficiencies, which do not require immediate corrective action or found to have thicknesses, which although generally above class renewal levels, do exhibit substantial corrosion.
• Rating Level 4: “Unsatisfactory Condition”
Items examined and measured either found to have a deficiency or deficiencies which may affect the ship’s potential to remain in class, or found to have, in some areas, thicknesses which are at or below the class renewal levels.
Condition Assessment Programme for Hull Structures (HCAP)
The following documents and records are to be checked prior to the commencement of CAP survey:
1. Valid certificates of the ship (statutory certificate and class certificate)
2. Vessel repair history of the ship (including alterations or modifications, properties of deficiencies and repair methods)
3. Vessel survey records of the ship (special survey, annual survey, intermediate survey and docking survey)
4. Latest report of thickness measurement
5. Previous CAP reports, if any.
The hull items assessed are:
1. Ballast tanks
2. Void spaces
3. Cargo tanks
4. Hull external structure
Structural strength
Each tank/space assessment is based on ratings of the main structural elements i.e. fore transverse bulkhead, aft transverse bulkhead, side shell, longitudinal bulkhead, deck (deck head), bottom, and internal structure. Strength assessment of hull structures consists of three parts, i.e. longitudinal strength calculation and fatigue strength assessment (optional). The overall rating for each tank/space/area is based on the overall structural/survey average rating of each structural element. The main deck, bottom and ship sides are to be rated in a similar way as tanks/spaces.
Thickness measurement
Thickness measurement is to be carried out by a recognized thickness measurement company under the direction of CAP inspector.
The main purpose of the analysis of thickness measurements is to establish the extent of general corrosion for each structural element to be rated. A statistical analysis of thickness
diminutions will be carried out against original “as-built” scantlings.
Visual assessment of structural condition
The purpose of a visual inspection is to assess the extent of defects and local corrosion (including pitting, grooving, edge corrosion). Void spaces are to be surveyed at least in the scope of the overall inspection. All fatigue critical details i.e. details identified in fatigue assessment calculations are to be close-up surveyed.
The visual inspection is divided into items:
1. Cracking
2. Local corrosion (including pitting corrosion, grooving corrosion and edge corrosion)
3. Deformation
4. The condition of anodes as applicable.
5. Any other local defect.
The visual inspection rating is carried out based on the result of the above inspection. In general, the lowest of the cracking, local corrosion and deformation rating is decisive towards the final result of visual inspection rating.
