From Next Year, Non-Open Precision Inspection Introduced for Fishing Vessel Engines Under 5 Tons... Engine Open Inspection Exempted Until 2020

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Establishes 'Non-Opening Precision Inspection Guidelines for High-Speed Engines of Fishing Vessels' on the 16th
Reduced Inspection Costs and Duration... Easing Burden on Fishermen

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] Starting next year, if safety is confirmed through a non-opening precision inspection conducted every five years, the existing 10-year cycle opening inspection can be exempted for up to 20 years. Compared to the existing engine opening inspection, costs will be significantly reduced and the inspection period will be drastically shortened from 7 days to 1 day, greatly easing the burden on fishermen.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 12th that it will establish the 'Non-Opening Precision Inspection Guidelines for High-Speed Engines of Fishing Vessels,' which stipulate the procedures and methods for non-opening precision inspections of fishing vessel engines, on the 16th, and will prioritize the introduction of non-opening precision inspections for vessels under 5 tons starting January 1 next year.

Under current regulations, fishing vessels under 10 tons are required to undergo mandatory engine opening inspections every 10 years. Inspection costs range from 4 million to 20 million KRW depending on the size, placing a heavy burden on fishermen. Additionally, since the inspection involves removing and fully opening the engine, it takes about 7 days during which fishing operations cannot be conducted.

In response, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries revised the 'Fishing Vessel Act Enforcement Rules' in September this year to provide a legal basis for conducting non-opening precision inspections instead of costly and time-consuming engine opening inspections that burden fishermen. The ministry is now establishing detailed inspection procedures and methods through the new guidelines for high-speed engines of fishing vessels.

With this system improvement, for vessels under 5 tons, starting January 1 next year, if safety is confirmed through a non-opening precision inspection every 5 years, the opening inspection can be exempted for up to 20 years. This will reduce costs and inspection time, and the ministry expects concerns about engine damage during reassembly after opening inspections to be alleviated. The ministry plans to analyze engine accident statistics and trends after introducing non-opening precision inspections and consider gradually expanding the application to vessels up to 10 tons.

Fishing vessel owners wishing to receive non-opening precision inspections can apply to the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority, the delegated inspection agency, when their engine opening inspection is due after January 1 next year. Engine manufacturers or maintenance businesses must obtain prior approval of the non-opening precision inspection plan from the authority before conducting the inspection, and after the inspection, submit the inspection report and related supporting documents to the authority.

Choi Yong-seok, Director of Fisheries Resources Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "The implementation of non-opening precision inspections is expected to reduce inspection costs by about 17 billion KRW annually, increasing benefits for fishermen," adding, "We will continue to improve the system to ensure the safety of fishing vessels while enhancing efficiency in the fishing industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.