Do Ships Have Inspections?

Companies ship their cargo around the world every day without thinking of the vessel it moves on. They do not worry about how much fuel is used or if the container ship is running smoothly, they just worry about when their shipping cargo will arrive at destination. In reality if the ship is not in good working condition and containers are not loaded properly, it will not be good for anyone. This is why ships of carrying a certain tonnage get inspected. There are both international maritime laws as well as maritime laws for specific countries that all ships must comply with in order to carry cargo into their waters.

These inspectors come aboard the ships and are looking to see that safety standards for the crew are met including life saving equipment and will check for compliance of training and certifications. They are also able to board regarding the cargo itself that is being shipped. In fact there is the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) that enforces compliance with laws regarding international containers. Although the U.S. has more strict codes than other countries, many ships aim to comply with U.S. laws so that there are no issues that could delay the ship when coming in to port. Much like other vehicles, it is important that container ships are in compliance with laws to ensure that they are safe for people and the environment that they will be running through.