Compliance with the regulations on board Dutch ferries is generally in order. This follows from inspections by the Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) in 2012 and 2013.
The ferries were checked on compliance with technical, crew, equipment and safety regulations.
Ferries Inspected on 61 Issues
The ILT inspected 58 ferries on 61 issues. The inspectorate checked, for instance, whether there were enough life vests and fire extinguishers on board and whether these complied with regulations. In addition, it was verfied if the ships clearly indicated the maximum number of passengers on board.
Other points of inspection included the setup of the installation for sound signals, batteries, anchors, binoculars, proper stickering of the battery box and the filler neck of the fuel tank.
On average, the ferries deviated from regulation on two to three points. The number of deviations varied between zero and 21. Most deficiencies concerned the electrical installation, giving sound signals and possibly needed threaded anchors.
The ILT will continue ferry inspections in 2014.
