Tanker pre-vetting is an internal-style or independent mock inspection that mirrors how an oil major or other tanker charterer will examine the ship. It is ordered by tanker managers, and sometimes by owners with a new acquisition or a ship returning to trade, who want to find problems before an inspection report is created.
The reference is the OCIMF Ship Inspection Report Programme, SIRE, which was launched in 1993 as a tool to address concern about sub-standard tankers. Participation is voluntary, but in practice many oil companies, traders and terminal operators will look at SIRE reports when deciding whether a tanker is acceptable. SIRE 2.0 is the current form of the programme, with a restructured questionnaire and an inspection that is more focused on observation and on crew interviews than on document counts. Chemical tankers face an equivalent in CDI-Marine inspections.
A competent pre-vetting surveyor will be trained on the present version of the questions and the inspector's guidance. During the visit they follow the same sequence: bridge and navigation, cargo and ballast systems, pumproom, cargo control room, mooring deck, engine room, and accommodation, with interviews held in each place. They check the condition of pressure/vacuum valves, gas detection calibration, inert gas plant, mooring brakes and lines, the permit-to-work system, and the readiness of emergency drills.
Ask whether the surveyor has worked as an actual tanker inspector, how they will score findings, and whether you can see the draft before it is finalised. The point is a candid report, so avoid scheduling that allows the crew to prepare in advance.
You receive an observation list, ranked by how likely each item is to be raised in a real inspection, photographs, and suggestions for how to correct it. A follow-up visit can verify closure.
Typical observations are worn mooring brake linings, inconsistent permit-to-work records, uncalibrated gas instruments, and officers unable to explain the hazards of the cargo on board.
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