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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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...

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...

Why do we blow through engine before starting ?

The engine is blown through on air before starting it : a) To Blow out through indicator cock any residual exhaust gas or other products of combustion trapped inside the cylinder after shutting the engine. b) To check if any jacket cooling water from cylinder head or turbocharger or any other source, has leaked while the engine was shut and collected on top of piston. If while blowing through, water comes out of indicator cock or relief valve, we need to investigate and rectify the fault before starting the engine. It is imperative that the engine is blown through before starting. There have been cases where the generator engine has been started from control room without bothering to blow th...

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