Please refer to our previous Technical Information No.161 dated 10th May 1995. The Brazilian Government (DPC) has recently issued Decree No.0007 on Condition Survey for aged bulk carriers which has come into force on 26th June 1995.The procedures for the Condition Surveys which we noted through the information from our Rio de Janeiro Office as well as our clients are as mentioned below.

1. Application of Condition Survey
(1) Ship's age is counted from the "Year of built" mentioned in the Register Book issued by the Lloyd's Register of Shipping.
(2) Condition Survey shall be applied at the first entry into a Brazilian Port after 26th June 1995.
In case where this Condition Survey is carried out with satisfactory result, the Condition Survey at next entry into ports may be exempted for one (1) year and the relevant "Exemption Certificate" be issued by the DPC.
You are suggested that the relevant documents are to be submitted to the DPC prior to the applicable Condition Survey.
(For the relevant documents, see para. 3. (1) below)

2. Submission of Application for Condition Survey
(1) Application for Condition Survey is to be submitted to any of the Classification Societies recognized by DPC (NK, ABS, BV, DNV, GL, LRS and RINA) but not to the Society with which the vessel is registered.
(2) The desired survey date & port are to be noticed to the DPC at least three (3) days before the survey.



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3. Preparation for Condition Survey
(1) Following documents are to be prepared on board.
A. Detailed survey report of the last drydocking and/or of the last special survey with the thickness gauging reports.
B. Survey status with outstanding recommendations, if any, issued by the Classification Society of the vessel.
C. All statutory certificates required by the International Conventions to which Brazil is signatory, as well as the class certificates and registry certificates.
D. Documents that certify the firm name of the shipowner, operator, cargo owner (not applicable to passenger ships), ship insurance company, cargo insurance company (not applicable to passenger ships) and P & I club.
E. General Arrangement Plan, Shell Expansion Plan, Midship Section Plan, Transverse and Longitudinal Bulkhead Plan and Construction Profile Plan, all with the approved stamp of the Classification Society.
(2) Firms of thickness gauging to be arranged prior to the survey.(For details of firms, see the attached sheet) It would be desirable that the ship is provided with the thickness gauging instrument.
(3) All the water ballast tanks are to be empty and ventilated for access.

4. Content of Condition Survey
According to the past experiences, contents of the condition survey are as followings.
(1) Document Check :
Checking the documents mentioned in para. 3.(1) above.
(2) Extent of Condition Survey :
Internal examination of all cargo holds and some water ballast tanks in addition to the Class Annual Survey items (mainly hull part).
(3) Thickness Gauging :
Gauging of approx. two hundred points.
(4) Survey Time :
About five (5) or six (6) hours (in a certain case three days were experienced)
(5) Others :
An inspector of DPC has attended on board together with the Surveyor to the Classification Society.


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5. Survey Report (Statement)
Upon completion of the Condition Survey, a Survey Report of the attached form be issued by the Classification Surveyor to the DPC and to the own