MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SHIPPING (SHRI G. K. VASAN)
(a) & (c): The information is at Annexure.
(b): There is no maximum permissible time limit prescribed as per prevailing Statutory
Administration and Class Regulations. The vessels are laid up for Annual Passenger Survey
(APS) on expiry of their `A` Certificate as required by regulations and their period of
repairs and surveys depends on various aspects a few of which are given below:-
(i) Non availability of a suitable Dry-Dock at the required instance – in certain cases,
the Mainland-Island big sized vessels have to be dry docked either at Mainland or Colombo
at the closest possible places. Due to limited number of dry-dock facilities, these always
remain heavily booked and the ships have to wait for their turn. With due permission from
Statutory Authorities i.e. Directorate General of Shipping, at times, SCI have to skip the
dry-docking and do repairs afloat so as to make the vessel available for operations.
(ii) Scope of repair work and surveys due at the time of APS –except M.V. Swaraj Dweep,
all of the vessels are comparatively very old in age which results in increased repair
due to various survey recommendations and extended time periods.
(iii) Delay in procurement of spare parts – many of the ships machineries are old and outdated
which results in innumerable difficulties and delays experienced while procuring the required
spares. Despite all constraints, maximum efforts are always put in by SCI to complete the APS
of vessels as early as possible so as to restore the essential passenger services which
otherwise get interrupted while the vessel is under APS.
