OCIMF
OCIMF is a voluntary association of oil companies having an interest in the marine
transportation and terminalling of crude oil, liquefied natural gas, liquefied
petroleum gas, their derivatives and related organic compounds. Essentially, it is
concerned with the safe conduct of these operations and the prevention of pollution.
It represents its membership before intergovernmental, governmental and other
organisations. OCIMF is incorporated in Bermuda with a branch office in London. The
current membership of OCIMF embraces 82 companies and groups worldwide.
THE OCIMF SHIP INSPECTION REPORT (SIRE) PROGRAMME
SIRE is a strictly voluntary programme (“Programme”) whereby OCIMF Members and
certain other entities, submit to OCIMF, their vessel inspection reports (“Reports”
or “Report”) to OCIMF (Collectively, “Submitting Companies”) OCIMF distributes such
reports to OCIMF Members and certain qualifying non-OCIMF Members (collectively
referred to herein as “Programme Recipients”). The Programme, to which this Document
relates, is a revision to earlier versions of the SIRE Programme, first introduced
by OCIMF in November 1993.
Uniform Vessel Inspection Procedure
The Programme requires that participating Submitting Companies follow a uniform
Vessel Inspection Procedure. This procedure has two elements i.e., an Inspection Element
and a Report Element.
The Inspection Element includes use of a detailed Vessel Inspection
Questionnaire (VIQ) document that contains questions dealing with safety and pollution
prevention. Ship Inspectors who are employed, or contracted by submitting companies must
(with certain exceptions) answer these questions. The VIQ Questions are, in many cases,
accompanied by guidance notes and/or references to source documents. Their purpose is to
aid the ship Inspector’s response to the VIQ Questions. The VIQ is compiled electronically
and requires the combined use of a computer and specialised OCIMF software.
The Report Element is in abbreviated form and consists of an electronic
conversion of the ship Inspector VIQ responses into a uniform Report format.
Vessel Operator Report Involvement
Submitting Companies submit their Inspector’s electronic VIQ response into an automated
Internet-based computer system (“SIRE System”). Upon receipt in the SIRE System, the VIQ
response is automatically converted into an electronic Report in the required uniform format
and then electronically stored in the System. Under the Programme, the operator of the
vessel (“Operator”) that is the subject of a Report, is provided with a paper or electronic
copy of the Report by the OCIMF Member (by email, postal mail, courier or facsimile) and
afforded the opportunity to give written comment on the Report to both the inspecting OCIMF
Member and to the SIRE System. Any vessel Operator comment on the Reports must be sent to
the OCIMF Member submitting the Report and to OCIMF. The means of communicating such comments
to both the foregoing entities may be electronically, or by facsimile. If the comments are
provided electronically, submission may be made directly to the SIRE System Internet site.
If the comments are submitted by facsimile, they must be submitted to OCIMF’s dedicated
facsimile number. Upon receipt at the SIRE System, electronically submitted Operator comments
are directly stored with the relevant Inspection Report in the SIRE System. If the comments
are made using facsimile, these are first converted into electronic data, and then stored
with the relevant inspection report in the SIRE System.
As the Report is an abbreviated and reformatted version of the ship Inspector response to
the VIQ, the Operator should have in its possession a full paper (blank) copy of the Vessel
Inspection Questionnaire (VIQ) Document (3nd Edition-2004) at or prior to the time the Operator
receives this Document and its annexed Report.
Report Output
The SIRE System automatically matches any Operator comment received with the relevant Report.
The result is that a requesting Programme Recipient should receive both the Report and the matching
Operator comment.
Reports, together with any matching Operator comments, are made available to Programme
Recipients in electronic form only.
VPQ and the Programme
OCIMF has published a Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (“VPQ”) which asks numerous questions
relating to ship particulars and required or customary on board documents of a permanent or
semi-permanent nature, primarily related to safety and pollution prevention. This document is
separate and apart from the above-discussed Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (VIQ).
The original VPQ was incorporated as an optional element under the SIRE Programme, however Operator
participation was a strong preference. When used in conjunction with this revised SIRE Programme, this
VPQ is a mandatory requirement to be answered by the Operator and then submitted to the SIRE System in
electronic form.
Once entered into the SIRE System, a VPQ response will be made available (in electronic form) to
Programme Recipients.
To best complement an inspection under the Revised Programme, a complete and current VPQ Response
(in either electronic or paper form) should be on board at the time of a ship inspection and have been
sent to the SIRE System for inclusion in the Revised Programme. The SIRE System will accept a VPQ
response for a ship regardless as to whether or not a Report for that ship has been submitted to
the SIRE System.
Programme Index
The SIRE System creates and feeds a SIRE Internet based database. An index giving outline
information about the Reports, Operator comments and VPQ responses received under the SIRE
Programme is provided on the Internet site.
Programme Hardware/Software
A participating Submitting Company will need a computer with Internet access, and utilise specialised
OCIMF provided software to perform electronic aspects of the input portion of the Programme namely,
- the transmission of the completed VIQ to the SIRE System for conversion therein into an electronic Report;
- the conversion of the VIQ into an electronic VIQ response to be provided by electronic means to the vessel
Operator for Operator comment, or
- the conversion of the VIQ into a paper Report to be provided to the ship Operator by means of facsimile,
courier or postal mail services, for Operator’s comment.
OCIMF will provide the necessary specialised software free of charge to the participating Submitting Companies.
OCIMF will not provide computers.
System Security
To help ensure that access to Programme Output is available only to bona fide Programme Participants, Programme
Participants will be issued with System User Identification Numbers and Passwords for entry to the SIRE System and
for electronic access to Programme Index.
Programme Composite Guidelines
Annexed hereto as Application Document “1” is a copy of the detailed Composite Guidelines (without the
Attachments to such Guidelines) governing the conduct of the Revised Programme.
DISCLAIMER
OCIMF DOES NOT WARRANT OPERATOR IDENTITY AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHOICE OF SHIPS INSPECTED, THE INSPECTORS
CHOSEN, THE PERFORMANCE OF THE INSPECTIONS OR THE CONTENT OF THE REPORTS, OPERATOR COMMENTS AND/OR VPQ RESPONSES
DISTRIBUTED UNDER THE REVISED PROGRAMME. OCIMF IS INVOLVED ONLY IN THE RECEIPT, ORGANISATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF
THE FOREGOING PROGRAMME OUTPUT. OCIMF DOES NOT REVIEW OR EVALUATE SUCH OUTPUT AND EXPRESSES NO OPINION CONCERNING
ITS ACCURACY. WHILE OCIMF MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT REPORTS AND OPERATOR COMMENTS ARE RECEIVED, ORGANISED
AND DISTRIBUTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SIRE COMPOSITE GUIDELINES OCIMF ACCEPTS NO LIABILITY FOR FAILURE TO DO SO.