Intermediate Survey
The mid-cycle check that replaces one of the Annual Surveys with a more extensive examination: its fixed window (second/third year) makes it stricter than crews often assume.
Operational Explanation
The Intermediate Survey replaces one of the Annual Surveys within the five-year cycle with a more extensive check, typically focused on items requiring a deeper mid-cycle verification than the simple general annual check (e.g. certain safety installations, specific structural aspects depending on ship type).
Unlike the Annual Survey, the Intermediate Survey window is not ±3 months from a single date, but two distinct windows: ±3 months from the second anniversary date or ±3 months from the third. Between the two there is a gap of about six months in which the survey cannot be credited: the opposite of the flexibility the phrase «wide interval» suggests that in fact requires more careful planning, precisely because the "wide" window is sometimes managed with less rigor than a fixed deadline.
Regulatory Reference
Requirements set out in Resolution A.1207(34) (Survey Guidelines under HSSC): the Intermediate Survey must be conducted within one of the two prescribed windows, with a technical scope specific to the type of certificate and ship.
The Convention basis is SOLAS Regulation I/10(a)(iii), in the 1988 Protocol text, which for the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate provides: “an intermediate survey within three months before or after the second anniversary date or within three months before or after the third anniversary date”, and that this survey “shall take the place of one of the annual surveys”. The same wording is carried into the Survey Guidelines under HSSC, sections 4.3.1 and 4.4.1.
A point of vocabulary that generates errors: for the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate, Regulation I/8(a)(iii) sets the same calendar, word for word, but calls it a periodical survey, not intermediate. They are two names for the same window on different certificates, and citing I/8 for an «Intermediate Survey» is wrong.
Scope of Application
Under SOLAS it is a cargo-ship institute. The intermediate survey is required by Regulation I/10(a)(iii) for the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate; the same window applies to the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate, except that Regulation I/8(a)(iii) calls it a periodical survey. Passenger ships do not have one: Regulation I/7(a)(ii) subjects them to a renewal survey once every 12 months. Technical scope requirements vary by certificate type (e.g. Cargo Ship Safety Construction, IOPP) and ship type.
“Every certified ship” holds only if you look at the MARPOL certificates, which have their own intermediate survey regime with their own tonnage thresholds and do not exclude passenger ships; it does not hold for SOLAS, and it is under SOLAS that this page cites its Regulations.
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Verify the specific technical scope required for the Intermediate Survey of the certificate in question, according to ship type.
- Schedule the survey within the expected window (typically second/third year), not leaving it until the end of the interval for minimal safety margin.
- Prepare the specific technical documentation required (e.g. verification of particular installations, targeted structural inspections).
- Where possible, coordinate the Intermediate Survey with other planned maintenance activities to optimize downtime.
- Record the outcome and plan the closure of any conditions found before the next survey.
Practical Example
Planning example: Intermediate Survey for the IOPP certificate scheduled at month thirty of the five-year cycle (the middle of the permissible window), to leave a margin in case rescheduling becomes necessary due to the ship's commercial commitments.
What Typically Goes Wrong
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate Survey planned as if it had the same window as the Annual Survey, i.e. ±3 months around every anniversary date | Survey placed outside its window: the Intermediate window is ±3 months around the second or the third anniversary date (SOLAS I/10(a)(iii)) | Keep two distinct rows in the calendar: the Annual has a window at every anniversary, the Intermediate has one only, and you must choose which of the two anniversaries to use |
| Intermediate Survey scheduled close to the maximum limit of the permissible window | No margin to handle unforeseen events, risk of exceeding the window | Schedule the Intermediate Survey around the middle of the permissible window, not at its limit |
| Specific technical scope of the survey not verified in advance | Surprises over the documentation or tests required when the surveyor arrives | Verify the specific technical scope for the certificate and ship type well in advance |
| No coordination between the Intermediate Survey and other planned maintenance activities | Missed opportunities to optimize ship downtime | Coordinate the Intermediate Survey with other planned maintenance activities whenever possible |
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Do not wait until the maximum limit of the window to schedule the Intermediate Survey: always leave a safety margin.
- Verify the specific technical scope required well in advance, not when the surveyor arrives.
- Always try to coordinate the Intermediate Survey with other planned maintenance activities.
Preparation checklist
Educational checklist. This summary supports learning and preparation only. It does not replace the vessel’s approved procedures, manuals, statutory documents, company SMS, or applicable official requirements. Completing it demonstrates neither compliance nor readiness for an inspection: it shows that a list has been read, not that the ship is in order. Always verify the current documents carried on board.
- Specific technical scope of the Intermediate Survey verified in advance
- Survey scheduled with margin relative to the maximum limit of the window
- Specific technical documentation prepared
- Coordination with other maintenance activities assessed
- Conditions found planned for closure before the next survey
FAQ
Related Topics
Last substantive revision of this page: 19 August 2026 · page fingerprint 36a6a5afb034