Oman’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) has signed an agreement with Emirates Classification Society, Tasneef, authorising it to inspect the small ships that are not abiding by the international conventions in GCC countries
Tasneef was appointed alongside British and Italian classification societies, Lloyd’s Register and RINA, and will be authorised to conduct technical surveys for ships that carry the Omani flag, and issue international certificates and accreditation for ship safety, anti-pollution compliance, collision prevention, cargo thresholds and more.
The agreement aims to help ensure that all ships and vessels are compliant with the safety requirements of the GCC.
Commenting on the importance of this agreement, Tasneef CEO Rashed Al Hebsi said, “We are proud of gaining the trust of the Sultanate of Oman and for this opportunity to work on the ships that fall under the agreement. Tasneef is expecting to open its Oman branch by the end of this year and will therefore be handling the required inspections and certifications.”
Undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs in MOTC Saeed bin Hamdoon bin Saif Al Harthy also highlighted that signing this agreement with the confirmed international classification societies accommodates the requirements of Omani maritime laws and international maritime safety conventions.
Under the agreement, Tasneef will handle the inspection of ships that are not abiding by the international conventions as well as the issuance of technical certificates. These are small ships with a total length of 12 metres and a total tonnage of less than 500 tonnes. These standards have been agreed from the GCC in the year 2012, wherein GCC countries approved a list of safety standards for ships that are not covered by the international conventions, and applied the formulated specifications to vessels that are registered and operating within the GCC.
