19 Fall 2024 Proceedings of construction, with regular correspondence between the MSC and shipyard engineers on how the draft plans must be addressed to achieve full compliance. Step 3: Structural Fire Protection Exam The first in-person attendance is generally the Structural Fire Protection (SFP) exam, which takes place about four to six months ahead of the scheduled vessel delivery. At this stage, marine inspectors from the local OCMI, along with MSC staff engineers, verify that plan review comments are being addressed, space categorization construction matches the submitted plans, and SFP installation is satisfactory. SFP is particularly impor- tant as fires pose the greatest risk to safety of life at sea, and its primary purpose is to slow the spread of fire to better facilitate containment or provide more time for evacuation. Once installed, bulkhead or ceiling paneling will likely prevent the SFP from ever being seen again, making it imperative to verify the correct materials were installed in accordance with manufacturer’s speci- fications. Because this is the first time the Coast Guard attends the vessel construction, this visit is also used as an opportunity to evaluate the oversight process of the shipyard itself. As Needed: Marine Evacuation System Depending on the configuration of the vessel, inspectors may also need to witness a marine evacuation system (MES) deployment. The MES is an alternative lifesav- ing system that replaces life rafts and supplements life- boats with an inflatable apparatus. First developed in 1979, they have since gone through several technologi- cal innovations that have resulted in improved safety and reliability. They function by enabling many passen- gers to quickly evacuate via a chute into an inflated life In addition to marine evacuation systems, marine inspectors, shown here in Belfast, Northern Ireland, also witness tests on life rafts and other lifesaving systems. Coast Guard photo by LT Devin Greenwell Coast Guard marine inspectors observe structural fire protection installation at the Monfalcone Shipyard in Trieste, Italy. Coast Guard photo by LT Sam Morrison raft below. The rafts are then towed by a rescue boat to the nearest safe haven. A typical life raft can accommo- date up to about 150 passengers, whereas some marine evacuation systems (MES) can carry more than 1,000 passengers in a relatively small vessel footprint. The systems are designed to be easily operated by only a few crewmembers, but the evolution requires many synchro- nized events to happen correctly for a deployment to be considered satisfactory. If so equipped, the MES is one of the primary lifesaving systems relied upon in an abandon-ship scenario, so the Coast Guard is required to witness a full deployment of the system before the ship can operate in the United States. Step 4: Assessment Roughly two weeks prior to scheduled delivery, marine inspectors conduct an in-person assessment of construc- tion progress. This visit is meant to evaluate the readi- ness of the ship for the Initial Certificate of Compliance (ICOC) Exam. At the assessment, marine inspectors gage the overall status of the vessel’s main machinery, navi- gational, lifesaving, and fire protection systems. Much of this assessment relies upon the professional relation- ships established between the Coast Guard and the ship- yard, and understanding the typical pace of construction each yard is capable of. The attending marine inspector will determine if the vessel is far enough along to pro- ceed with the exam, or if it must be rescheduled. Step 5: Initial Certificate of Compliance Finally, the ICOC Exam takes place just before the vessel
