What is Flag State ? Authority and responsibility of the flag State?

The Flag State of a ship is the State under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed. Flag State denotes the government whose flag the ship is entitled to fly.
Normally a vessel will usually bear the flag of the country with which she has closest connections. Although other considerations such as commercial interestor in some cases the terms of a ship’s chartering government contracts could determine the flag to be flown by a vessel.

The Flag state has the authority and the responsibility to enforce international maritime regulations over vessels registered under its flag, including those relating to inspection, certification and issuance of safety and pollution prevention documents

Flag States also have the responsibility of implementing and enforcing rules adopted by other inter governmental bodies, including International Labour Organization ( ILO)and International oil pollution compensation (IOPC)Fund.
The IOPC fund ensures that the victims of any major oil pollution incident receive adequate compensation without undue delay.

Flag States shall be responsible for over seeing the International Safety Management Code through the issue of ship’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC).Further the flag state will oversee
the maritime Security, seafarer’s competence standards , employment standards, safe manning and seafarer’s working hours ,casualty investigation, Movement of ships between flags,
repatriation of sea farers , participate in Flag State audits of the IMO and ILO meetings.

The primary responsibility for ensuring that the ships comply with applicable regulations and standards lies with the Flag State .Port State Control is no stand can never substitute for the proper exercise of Flag State responsibility, but is regarded as measure complementary to the Flag State Control

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Difference Between A, B & C-Class Divisions?

IMO Symbol A Class Division IMO Symbol B Class Division SOLAS has tables for structural fire protection requirement of bulkheads and decks. The requirements depend on the spaces in question and are different for passenger ships and cargo ships. The Administration has required a test of a prototype bulkhead or deck in accordance with the Fire Test Procedures Code to ensure that it meets the above requirements for integrity and temperature rise. Types of Divisions: "A" Class "B" Class "C" Class "A" Class: "A" class divisions are those divisions formed by bulkheads and decks which comply with the following criteria: They are constructed of steel or equivalent material They are suitably stiffened They are constructed as to be capable of preventing the passage of smoke and flame to the end of the one-hour standard fire test. they are insulated with approved non-combustible materials such that the average tempera...

Bilge Injection Valve

Bilge Injection is a valve that enables the engine room bilges to be pumped out directly overboard in the event of an emergency such as flooding. The valve is normally fitted to the end of a branch connection with the main sea water suction line. This enables large main seawater cooling pumps to be used as a bilge pump in an emergency. Emergencies like fire and flooding involve the use of seawater. If there is a fire, seawater is the biggest resource of water available in the sea. Similarly, if it involves flooding of the engine room, cargo spaces or any other place on the ship for that matter; you would again require pumping the sea water out of the ship. In both these cases, you require pumps. There are two valves in close proximity namely main injection valve and bilge injection valve. Both of them have their own independent controls. The diameter of the bilge injection valve is kept nearly 66% of the main valve diameter which draws water directly from the sea th...

Load Line & Why it is Important

Merchant ships have a marking on their hull know as the Plimsoll line or the Plimsoll mark, which indicates the limit until which ships can be loaded with enough cargo, internationally, the Plimsoll line on a ship is officially referred to as the international load line. Every type of ship has a different level of floating and the Plimsoll line on a ship generally varies from one vessel to another. All vessels of 24 meters and more are required to have this Load line marking at the centre position of the length of summer load water line. There are two types of Load line markings:- Standard Load Line marking – This is applicable to all types of vessels. Timber Load Line Markings – This is applicable to vessels carrying timber cargo. These marks shall be punched on the surface of the hull making it visible even if the ship side paint fades out. The marks shall again be painted with white or yellow colour on a dark background/black on a light background. ...

Marine Engineering

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