Regular inspections
Article 5
1. Member States shall once in every 12-month period, carry out: (a) an inspection, in accordance with Annex II; and (b) an inspection during a regular service, taking place not before 4 months but not later than 8 months after the inspection referred to in point (a) and covering the items listed in Annex III and what, in the professional judgment of the inspector, constitutes a sufficient number of the items listed in Annexes I and II to ensure that the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft continues to fulfill all the necessary requirements for safe operation. A pre-commencement inspection in accordance with Article 3 shall be considered to be an inspection for the purposes of point (a). 2. The inspection referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1 may, at the discretion of the Member State, be carried out at the same time as, or in conjunction with, the annual flag State survey provided that the relevant procedures and guidelines for surveys as specified in HSSC or procedures designed to achieve the same goal are followed. 3. Member States shall carry out an inspection in accordance with Annex II each time the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft undergoes repairs, alterations and modifications of a major character, or when there is a change of management, or a transfer of class. However, in the case of a change of management, or transfer of class, the Member State may, after taking account of inspections previously carried out in respect of the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft, and provided that the safe operation of the ro-ro passenger ship or craft is not affected by this change or transfer, exempt the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft from the inspection required by the first sentence of this paragraph.