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Authorization and Recognition of Competent Surveyor

• Pursuant to section 7 of the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance (Cap. 548) ("Ordinance"), the Director of Marine may authorize in writing a person, or a person belonging to a class of persons, who is not a public officer to be a surveyor for the purpose of the Ordinance, subject to such conditions, if any, as he thinks fit and specified in the authorization. Such authorized person is either the Authorized Surveyor as individual person or the Authorized Surveyor employed by an appointed Classification Society ("Authorized Organization").
• Pursuant to section 7A of the Ordinance, the Director of Marine may recognize in writing any government authority for the purposes of carrying out any survey and approving any plan of any local vessel for the purposes of the Ordinance subject to such conditions, if any, as he thinks fit. Such government authority is called the Recognized Authority.
• The list of the Authorized Surveyors, Authorized Organizations and Recognized Authorities, as amended from time to time, is promulgated on the Marine Department website: http://www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/pub-services/pdf/lvs_list.pdf

Note: "Competent surveyor" in relation to the carrying out of any survey or the approval of any plan of any local vessel, means (a) an authorized surveyor; or (b) a recognized authority.

Plan Approval and Vessel Survey

• A Competent Surveyor may undertake the approval of plans and survey of specific classes of local vessels in accordance with the scope of services specified under their individual authorization or recognition. The scope of service can be found in the above Marine Department website.
• Any owner or agent of local vessels requiring to comply with Part 3 and Part 4 of the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (Safety and Survey) Regulation (Cap. 548G), may engage Competent Surveyors to conduct approval of plans and survey for their vessels.

Notice of Engagement and Declaration of Survey

• The owner or an agent of a local vessel is required to complete a "Notice of Engagement" form if Competent Surveyor is engaged to conduct the approval of plans and survey of the vessel. The form should be duly signed by the Competent Surveyor as an indication of his acceptance of the engagement. The owner or agent should, as soon as practicable after the engagement and in any event before the approval of plans or survey is carried out, notify the Director of Marine about the engagement by sending a copy of the completed "Notice of Engagement" form to the Local Vessels Safety Section.
• After the approval of plans or survey of a local vessel has satisfactorily carried out, the Competent Surveyor is required to issue and submit the "Declaration of Survey" in a specified form, attached with all necessary document and records, to the Local Vessels Safety Section within 14 days after the date of completion of the approval of plans or survey.

Audit Check

• In accordance with section 7 or 7A of the Ordinance, the Director of Marine may carry out an audit check on any survey carried out or plan approved by the Competent Surveyor.

Enquires

• For enquiries, please contact the Senior Surveyor of Ships / Local Vessels Safety at telephone number 2852 4430 or Facsimile number 2542 4679.