In accordance with International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC-72), control of technical condition of containers should be exercised in compliance with two programs:
1. PEP - Periodical Examination Program
2. ÀÑÅÐ - Approved Continues Examination Program
Periodical Examination Program supposes rigid administrative control of terms for submission of containers to the next scheduled examination.
Examination of new containers should be carried out by an inspector from a Classification Society responsible for compliance of containers with requirements of the CSC. Inspection of containers by an inspector should be carried out either in a special depot equipped with facilities for canting of the container, or on a site where it is possible to carry out a complete inspection of the container. Strict time frames are set for a scheduled examination: for a new container - 5 years after its construction, and then every 2.5 years.
In actual practice, usage of such a scheme for control of Container Park leads to the situation when containers with the overdue date of inspection have to be removed of service by the container owner and delivered to the place of inspection for periodic examination, which leads to considerable time and financial losses.
The world practice shows that container owners almost everywhere deviate from PEP and use more convenient program ACEP.
More advanced procedure of monitoring the technical condition of containers is continues examination program (Approved Continues Examination Program, ACEP). It supposes that a container owner by himself or with the assistance of relevant independent surveyor company carries out the routine inspection of his containers in service.
Terms of inspection when using continues examination program are limited by the same five years from the date of container construction and 30 months after the first five years, but a container owner has an opportunity to move them flexibly depending on the current situation, plan the inspection of containers ahead in the place and at the time convenient for the container owner. The container owner does not have to wait for the expiration of the last examination and does not have to remove a container of commercial service. The date of the next inspection of the container should be calculated from the date of its last inspection.
Using of ACEP significantly simplifies the inspection of containers, reduces wasteful out-of-service time of containers, reduces Container Park maintenance costs and at the same time provides control and responsibility of all parts of the company-container owner for safe maintenance of containers and observance of examination dates required by the CSC.
The introduction of continues examination program by means of ACEP system will bring container transport on the new level. One of the most significant advantages of this system is its relatively low cost. Adoption of the new system does not require significant investments and therefore ACEP can be used by companies with a relatively small Container Park.
Currently, the only company in Russia which operates and controls its Container Park in accordance with ACEP is TransContainer. Assistance in developing ACEP and transferring of the Container Park to the new program was rendered by our company.
The specialists of "Russian Register" J.S.C., with the assistance of International Staff Training Center (ISTC), has performed the following works:
- has developed ACEP for the Container Park of “TransContainer” OAO;
- has performed training and certification of container specialists;
- has spelled out the procedures and the documents providing safe maintenance and operation of containers;
- has performed revision of normative and technical documentation relating to repairs, inspections and accounting of the Container Park, elaboration and adoption of the relevant procedures, personnel training, analysis of company standards and their improvement.
Federal Transport Oversight Service of Russia has considered and approved continues examination program (ACEP) for containers submitted for consideration by “TransContainer” OAO.
