CHAPTER IIVERIFICATION ACTIVITIES
SECTION 1 Assessment of monitoring plans
Article 6Site visits
1.
The verifier shall carry out site visits in order to gain sufficient understanding of the procedures described in the monitoring plan and validate that the information therein is accurate.
2.
The verifier shall determine the location or locations of the site visit after taking into consideration the place where the critical mass of relevant data is stored, including electronic or hard copies of documents of which the originals are kept on the ship, and the place where data-flow activities are carried out.
3.
The verifier shall also determine the activities to be performed and the time needed for the site visit.
4.
By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the verifier may waive a site visit provided that one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
(a)
it has sufficient understanding of the ship's monitoring and reporting systems, including their existence, implementation and effective operation by the company;
(b)
the nature and level of complexity of the ship's monitoring and reporting system are such that a site visit is not required;
(c)
its ability to obtain and assess all requisite information remotely.
5.
If the verifier waives a site visit pursuant to paragraph 4, it shall provide justification for not performing site visits in the internal verification documentation.