Background
SIRE was launched in 1993 in response to the Exxon Valdez spill and the wider concern that tankers calling at oil major terminals were being assessed inconsistently across charterers. By centralising inspection reports into a single repository accessible to all OCIMF Submitting Members, the programme reduced duplication, enabled trend analysis, and created a uniform baseline of expected practice across the world tanker fleet. SIRE 2.0, introduced in 2022 and built around the seventh edition Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (VIQ7), is a substantial overhaul that moves the regime away from a static checklist toward a dynamic, risk-based, behaviour-aware inspection methodology.
This article describes how SIRE 2.0 works in practice, the documentation that surrounds an inspection, the role of inspectors and the observation categorisation framework, the position of SIRE within charter party clauses and oil major vetting decisions, and the related Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID) used for offshore service vessels. Understanding SIRE is essential for tanker masters, chief engineers, operators, and shore staff handling vetting and chartering work.
SIRE 2.0 VIQ7 Fundamentals
SIRE 2.0 is fundamentally different from the SIRE 1.0 regime in three respects. First, the VIQ7 questionnaire is not a simple tick-box checklist. Each question is structured into Core, Rotational, and Conditional question sets. Core questions are asked on every inspection. Rotational questions are drawn from a pool such that consecutive inspections do not necessarily cover the same items, encouraging crews to maintain consistent standards rather than prepare for predictable areas. Conditional questions trigger when certain vessel types, voyage characteristics, or earlier responses indicate they are relevant.
Second, the assessment moves from compliance-only to a hardware, processes, and human factors model. Each question is assessed against three lenses: the physical hardware on board, the procedures and management systems supporting it, and the human element, which is the demonstrated behaviour and competence of the crew. Observations may be raised against any of the three lenses for a single question.
Third, the inspection is conducted with a tablet-based application supplied by OCIMF, with photographs uploaded directly into the report rather than annexed afterwards. This enables real-time submission and removes the previous gap between inspection and report publication.
The VIQ7 questionnaire is supported by the Vessel Inspection Questionnaire Question Library, which describes the inspection guidance for each question, and the SIRE 2.0 Inspection Guidelines, which set out the expected conduct of the inspection itself.
Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (VPQ)
The Vessel Particulars Questionnaire is a standardised data set describing the vessel that the operator maintains in the OCIMF database. It contains the vessel’s IMO number, principal particulars, classification society, flag state information, certificates including the SOLAS, MARPOL, ISM, ISPS, and MLC 2006 certificates with expiry dates, cargo system specifications, mooring equipment data, lifesaving and firefighting equipment, and crewing data.
The VPQ is updated by the operator and verified at each SIRE inspection. Discrepancies between the VPQ and the actual vessel are themselves observations. The VPQ is the basis on which charterers screen vessels before deciding whether to nominate them for inspection or to accept them on a voyage.
A complete and accurate VPQ is therefore commercially valuable. Operators of large tanker fleets generally maintain a dedicated vetting team responsible for VPQ accuracy, certificate updates, and inspection scheduling.
Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (VIQ)
The VIQ7 questionnaire covers fourteen chapters which together address every operational aspect of a tanker. The chapters cover certification and documentation; crew management; navigation and communications; safety management; pollution prevention; structural condition; cargo and ballast systems; mooring; engine and steering compartments including marine fuel oil systems and marine lubricating oil systems; general appearance; ice operations where applicable; LNG and LPG operations for gas carriers; chemical operations for chemical tankers; and additional sections for specific trades.
Each question carries inspection guidance describing what good looks like, references to the underlying regulations such as SOLAS chapters, MARPOL Annexes, the relevant IMO Resolutions, and industry guidelines including the OCIMF Mooring Equipment Guidelines (MEG4), the ISGOTT International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals, and OCIMF’s own publications on subjects from tanker management self-assessment to specific equipment categories.
The duration of an inspection is typically eight to twelve hours on board, although complex operations such as STS transfer or specific gas trades may extend it.
Inspectors: Augmented and Independent
SIRE 2.0 introduced two inspector categories. The Augmented Inspector is permitted to conduct inspections during cargo operations, including loading, discharging, ship-to-ship transfer, and bunkering. The Augmented qualification requires additional training and demonstrated experience and is the higher tier.
The Independent Inspector conducts inspections outside cargo operations, typically in port between operations or at anchor. Independent inspectors form the larger population.
Both classes are accredited by OCIMF following examination, simulator and practical assessment, and continuing professional development. Inspectors are required to remain current with VIQ7 amendments, attend recurrent training, and be observed periodically. They are bound by a code of conduct and are subject to performance monitoring through the OCIMF inspector quality programme.
Inspectors are independent contractors, not employees of OCIMF or of any single Submitting Member. A single inspector may conduct work for multiple oil majors over the course of a year. The cost of the inspection is borne by the Submitting Member commissioning it, not by the vessel.
Observation Categorisation
Observations raised during a SIRE 2.0 inspection are categorised by severity rather than the SIRE 1.0 model of simple negative observations. The categories are:
Low observations indicate minor non-conformities that do not affect the safe operation of the vessel but should be addressed within a reasonable time. Examples include minor housekeeping items, isolated documentation issues, or trivial labelling discrepancies.
Medium observations indicate non-conformities that, if left unaddressed, could escalate into safety or environmental concerns. They typically require corrective action within a defined window and may attract follow-up.
High observations indicate significant non-conformities that affect or could imminently affect safe operation, environmental compliance, or regulatory standing. A high observation typically prompts immediate corrective action by the operator and may result in the vessel being declined for charter pending remediation.
The previous SIRE 1.0 distinction between observations and concerns is replaced. The categorisation is now both more granular and more transparent.
Root Cause Analysis Requirement
A central innovation of SIRE 2.0 is the requirement that the operator submit a root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action response for each observation, regardless of severity. The RCA must address the immediate cause, the underlying or systemic cause, and the corrective and preventive actions taken. The methodology used is at the operator’s discretion, but recognised techniques include 5-Why analysis, fishbone diagrams, and the Tripod or BowTie method.
The operator’s RCA submission becomes part of the inspection report record and is visible to Submitting Members alongside the original observations. A pattern of weak RCAs across a fleet is itself a vetting concern, because it suggests that the management system is not learning from inspection findings.
The intent is to shift the regime from a culture of fixing the symptom before the next inspection to a culture of genuine continuous improvement. Whether the cultural shift is achieved depends on the operator and on the rigour of the master and chief engineer in supporting the shore-side analysis with accurate operational data.
Oil Major Vetting
The SIRE database is read by oil major vetting departments, charterers, and traders before each fixture. A typical vetting decision considers the most recent SIRE inspection report (which is valid for 12 months but ideally less than 6 months old), the VPQ, the operator’s TMSA self-assessment under the Tanker Management and Self Assessment programme, the casualty and incident history accessed through industry databases, the port state control detention record from Tokyo, Paris, and other MoU databases, and the operator’s overall fleet performance.
Vetting outcomes range from approval, conditional approval (subject to specific remedial action), one-voyage approval, to rejection. The criteria differ between oil majors. Some apply quantitative scoring of observations against fleet-average benchmarks, others apply more qualitative judgement supplemented by interviews with the operator’s marine superintendent.
Repeated rejections by major charterers translate directly into reduced commercial opportunity for the vessel and operator, so a strong SIRE record has measurable economic value. Conversely, a track record of high-severity observations across a fleet undermines the operator’s ability to secure mainstream tanker employment.
Charter Party SIRE Clauses
Modern tanker charter parties typically include a SIRE clause requiring the vessel to have a current SIRE inspection report at the time of fixture and during the currency of the charter. The form of the clause varies. Some demand a SIRE valid for the entire voyage; others require the vessel to be acceptable to specific oil majors, named in the clause; others demand the operator participate in the OCIMF Submitting Members exchange of reports.
Failure to maintain a current SIRE report can put the vessel offhire under a time charter, give rise to claims for damages, or in extreme cases entitle the charterer to cancel the charter. Where the vessel is fixed against an oil major nomination and is rejected by that major’s vetting team, the failure may be the owner’s responsibility under the charter, with significant cost consequences.
The clauses interact with the statement of facts and the laytime and demurrage regime: time spent rectifying SIRE observations is normally for the owner’s account.
OVID for Offshore Vessels
The Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID) is OCIMF’s parallel programme for offshore support vessels (OSVs), anchor handlers, platform supply vessels, accommodation units, and similar offshore service tonnage. The structure mirrors SIRE: a vessel particulars questionnaire, an inspection questionnaire (the OVIQ), an accredited inspector pool, and a database of reports accessible to Submitting Members.
OVID accommodates the operational characteristics that distinguish offshore vessels from tankers, including dynamic positioning systems, anchor handling and towing equipment, helideck operations, well intervention equipment, and accommodation barge specifics. The OVIQ chapters reflect these systems alongside the standard maritime safety and environmental items.
Offshore charterers, principally oil and gas operators with offshore production assets, use OVID for vetting in the same manner that tanker charterers use SIRE.
VIQ6 to VIQ7: The Transition
The transition from VIQ6 (the final SIRE 1.0 questionnaire) to VIQ7 (the SIRE 2.0 questionnaire) was the most significant change in the programme since its inception. Key differences include:
The introduction of Core, Rotational, and Conditional question categories replacing the previous fixed questionnaire. The hardware-process-human element triple-lens assessment for each question. The mandatory RCA submission for all observations. The tablet-based real-time inspection application replacing the previous Word document and PDF workflow. The categorisation of observations into Low, Medium, and High replacing the binary observation/concern distinction. The expanded inspector accreditation regime distinguishing Augmented from Independent. The integration of behavioural assessment, particularly around bridge resource management, engine room watchkeeping, mooring operations, and cargo operations.
The transition required substantial reinvestment by operators in crew training, particularly to support the human element assessment, and in management system documentation to support the RCA workflow. Larger operators completed transition relatively smoothly; smaller operators with thin shore staff faced more difficulty.
OCIMF continues to issue VIQ7 amendments through formal change notices, and operators monitor these for changes that affect inspection preparation. The TMSA, the classification society survey calendar, and the vetting calendar are all coordinated by the operator’s vetting team.
Related Wiki Articles
- Marine Cargo Damage Investigation
- Marine Tank Cleaning and Crude Oil Washing
- Marine Inert Gas Systems
- SOLAS Convention
- MARPOL Convention
- ISM Code
- ISPS Code
- MLC 2006
- Port State Control
- Classification Society
- Statement of Facts
References
- OCIMF, Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE) 2.0 Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (VIQ7)
- OCIMF, SIRE 2.0 Inspection Guidelines
- OCIMF, Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (VPQ)
- OCIMF, Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA) 3
- OCIMF, Mooring Equipment Guidelines, Fourth Edition (MEG4)
- OCIMF/ICS/IAPH, International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT), Sixth Edition
- OCIMF, Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID) Vessel Inspection Questionnaire
- IMO SOLAS Convention, consolidated edition
- IMO MARPOL Convention, consolidated edition
- IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code
- IMO International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
- IMO Resolution A.1052(27), Procedures for Port State Control