What is Enhanced Survey Programme

(ESP)?
By Anish | In: Maritime Law | Last Updated on September 22, 2021

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The history of the types of ships such as bulk carriers and tankers is filled with accidents and
disasters, both of small-scale and gruesome types. Many of these accidents were a result of
faulty machinery or lack of safe handling practices which forced the maritime authorities to
introduce a particular survey type know an ESP or Enhanced Survey Programme.

IMO adopted a resolution A 744 (18) in 1994 SOLAS conference with guidelines on the
Enhanced survey programme for inspection and surveys of bulk carriers and tankers.

Related Reading: 9 Common Hazards Of Dry Bulk Cargo On Ships

What is Enhanced Survey Programme?

Enhanced survey programme is a guideline for shipping companies and owners to prepare their
ships for special surveys to maintain the safety of the vessel while at sea or at a port. A survey
programme (a Planning document for surveying and paperwork) is to be developed by the
owner and is to be submitted to the recognised authorities such as classification societies, 6
months before the survey.

Related Reading: List of inspections and surveys deck officers on a ship must be aware of
Enhanced Survey programme is developed in such a way that it can be integrated with other
surveys which are performed at following intervals:

– Annual

– Intermediate Survey

– Dry Dock Survey

– Renewal Survey

For a company to comply and perform an ESP or an enhanced survey program, it needs to
design an enhanced survey programme, which must include the step by step planning to
implement the special survey. It can be said that the ESP is conducted to check the watertight
integrity of the ship by inspecting the following areas of the ship:

– Close-up survey of the structures such as Shell, frames, bulkheads etc.

– Thickness measurement of hull

– Inspecting and Testing of Cargo Tanks

– Inspecting and Testing of Ballast Tanks

– Inspection and Testing of Hatch Covers and Coamings

– Inspecting and Testing fuel tanks, side and double bottom Tanks

Related Reading: Inspecting Tanks On Board Ships

What to check in ESP?

• Ship’s structural damage or deformation

• Corrosion
• Condition of Hull
• Pitting
• Condition of Coating
• Watertight Integrity of ship

After the survey, following reports are made by the inspector, whose copies are to be kept and
maintained onboard as part of necessary documentation:

1. Reports of structural surveys

2. Condition evaluation report
3. Thickness measurement reports

As mentioned earlier, the Enhance Survey Programme (ESP) is designed to monitor the
different types of ships listed below for their construction and safe operation:

• Oil tankers which are single and double hull: Oil tankers constructed with integral tanks
and are intended primarily to carry oil in bulk. The oil tankers can be of both single and
double hull construction, as well as tankers with alternative structural arrangements,
e.g. mid-deck designs.

Related Reading: Understanding Design Of Oil Tanker Ships

• Single and double-side skin bulk carriers: Ships with a single deck, double bottom,
hopper side tanks and topside tanks and with single or double side skin construction in
cargo length area and intended primarily to carry dry cargoes in bulk.

Related Reading: Understanding Design Of Bulk Carriers

 • Ore carriers: Ore Carriers with a single deck, two longitudinal bulkheads and a double
bottom throughout the cargo length area and intended primarily to carry ore cargoes in
the centre holds only.

Combination carriers (OBO ship): Combination ship are constructed with a single deck, two
longitudinal bulkheads and a double bottom throughout the cargo length area and intended
primarily to carry ore cargoes in the centre holds or of oil cargoes in the centre holds and wing
tanks.

• Chemical tankers: The Chemical tanker ship with integral tanks and intended primarily
to carry chemicals in bulk. They can be of single or double hull construction, as well as
tankers with alternative structural arrangements.

Related Reading: Stowage Plan Guide For Chemical Tankers

A new chapter XI is added for special measures to enhance maritime safety under this
resolution. According to these guidelines, it has 2 Annexes:

• Annex A: Guidelines on enhancing survey programme of inspection during survey of

bulk carrier.

• Annex B: Guidelines on enhancing survey programme of inspection during survey of

oil tankers.

Each annex A & B has 9 chapters which are almost similar. The only dissimilarities being
operational and constructional aspects of both type of vessels i.e. oil tankers and bulk carriers.

The chapters can be briefly described as:

Chapter 1: General application, documentation onboard to be completed prior to the inspection

which is to be served as basis for surveys.

Chapter 2: Describes how Enhanced survey to be carried out during the periodical surveys
along with timings and conduct of enhance surveys and requirements of dry-docking.

Related Reading: Dry Docking of Ships: Understand Stability and Docking Plan

Chapter 3: Describes enhanced inspection carried out during annual surveys which includes
cargo holds and tank pressure testing.

Chapter 4: Deals with intermediate surveys in addition to the annual survey requirements.

Chapter 5: Discuss the needed preparation for surveys, condition and equipment for surveys,
access to the surveyed structure and conduct of survey at sea or at anchor

Chapter 6: Immediate and thorough repairs to damages and wastages.

Chapter 7: Discuss the requirement of onboard documents supplied and maintained by the
owner that must be available to the surveyor and requirements for survey report file, supporting
documents, review of document by surveyor.
Chapter 8: Discuss the process of reporting and evaluation of survey, acceptability and
continued structural integrity, a condition evaluation report of the survey and results to be
issued to the owner.

Chapter 9: Reporting and evaluation of surveys, acceptable and continued structural integrity;
a condition evaluation report of the survey and results to be issued to the owner.

These are the chapters mentioned in both the Annexes. To know more about ESP refers
SOLAS.

What are the Inspection Interval and Requirements under ESP?

♣ On bulk carrier ships and tanker ships of 20,000 tons deadweight and above, at least two
class surveyors must carry out the special survey once the vessel is 10 years old during all the
renewal surveys.

♣ On single side skin bulk carriers of 100,000 tons deadweight and above, at least two
exclusive Surveyors must jointly perform the Intermediate Survey between 10 and 15 years of
ships’ age

♣ The survey in the dry-dock to be integrated as a part of the renewal survey with a minimum
of two inspections of the outside of the ship’s bottom during the five-year period of the
certificate. In all cases, the maximum interval between bottom inspections should not exceed
36 months.

Related Reading: Hull Of A Ship – Understanding Design and Characteristics

♣ For a new ship, the renewal survey can be started at the fourth annual survey and can be
progressed during the succeeding year with an aim to complete the survey by the fifth-
anniversary date. The thickness measurement should not be held before the fourth annual
survey.

♣ In any survey, i.e. renewal, intermediate, annual or other surveys having the scope of the
preceding ones, thickness measurements of structures in areas where close-up surveys are
required should be carried out simultaneously with close-up surveys.

How To Design an Enhanced Survey Programme?

The Shipping company will draw a planning document which will be submitted to the
recognised classification society for approval.

The essential data provided in the plan are:

• Necessary ship information and particulars

• Main structural plans (scantling drawings), including information regarding the use of
high tensile steels (HTS)
• Plan of holds and tanks
• List of holds and tanks with information on use, protection, and condition of the coating

Related Reading: Procedure For Designing A Ship’s General Arrangement

 • Requirements for the survey (e.g., data regarding hold and tank cleaning, gas freeing,
ventilation, lighting, etc.)
• Provisions and methods for access to structures
• Equipment for survey
• Appointing the holds, tanks and other areas for the close-up survey
• Appointing of sections for thickness measurement
• Appointing of tanks for tank testing.
• Damage experience related to the ship in question.

The Plan approval and survey takes place once the Class assesses the report in the following
pattern:
What is the role of ship’s Crew In ESP?

– The Master of the ship needs to report the results of the inspection and record the same in
the ship’s logbook. The data recorded should clearly identify the tank, compartment or cargo
hold subjected to testing along with a date, time and outcome of the inspections carried out
during the testing

– Before the survey is carried out, a Survey planning meeting within the ship crew and
another one with the surveyor and the owner’s representative (usually the ship crew) to be
conducted to ensure clear communication between all parties during inspection

Related Reading: How team meetings help in improving safety and efficiency of the ships?

– If during the survey, a qualified individual is present for thickness measurement, all-party
meeting to be carried out before the investigation to ensure the safe and efficient conduct of
the survey

– The crew needs to comply with various SOLAS regulations under ESP and provide
permanent or temporary staging and passages through structures to ensure surveyor has access
to all the areas under inspection

– Equipment for the survey (for thickness measurement etc.) is usually carried by the
surveyor or by the appointed shore representative but other small required equipment and tools
to be arranged and kept ready by the ship’s crew

– The crew must arrange a communication system between the survey party in the survey
space and the responsible officer on deck

– If the survey is carried out at sea in a boat or life raft, proper communication and life-saving
equipment like lifejacket must be readily available on deck for all participants

– One responsible officer must accompany the surveyor in enclosed space for survey only
after all enclosed space entry precautions have been followed

Related Reading: Confined Space Guide

– Ship Officer must ensure that the survey report file is maintained as a part of the onboard
documentation.

– Apart from the survey report, following supporting documentation to be maintained by the
ship’s crew under ESP which will be helpful for the surveyor for conducting the next survey:

• Ship’s main structural plans of the cargo hold and ballast tank Previous repair history
of ship structure
• Previous repair history of cargo and ballast tanks
• Previous inspections report by ship’s personnel concerning structural deformation
(cracks, leakages in bulkheads and piping etc.)
• Coating condition of tanks and other ship structures including the corrosion prevention
system
• Guidance for reporting the defect
• Any additional information that would help to identify critical structural areas and/or
suspect areas requiring inspection

Survey Report
The result of the survey mainly targets the Structural condition of each compartment with
information on the following identifications:

– Corrosion with a description of the location, type and extent

– Areas with substantial corrosion

– Cracks/fractures with a description of position and scale

– Buckling with a description of location and extent

– Indents with a description of location and extent

– Identification of compartments where no structural damages/defects are found.

Related Reading: Why Do Ships Fail At Mid Ship Region?

The report is usually supplemented by sketches and photos as proof and reference. The
thickness measurement report must be verified and signed by the surveyor controlling the
measurements on board.

The surveyor will provide the report with remarks to the owner or owner’s representative on
actions required to conclude the survey (i.e. concerning Overall surveys, Close-up surveys,
renewals, repairs, and conditions of class).