Vessel Certificates

A large part of the certificates are issued as interim certificates on the day of changing flag and handed to the master on board. Usually surveyors of recognized organizations perform the change of flag survey and issue the interim certificates.

Legal or statutory requirements legally mandate the standards of construction, safe operation and management of ships. A country’s maritime laws set the legal requirements for operation within their jurisdiction, and the specific regulations establish the standards needed to meet the expectations of the law.

A vessel that does not meet the standards is non-compliant with the regulation, and might be breaking the law, depending on the structure of the regulations. A ship’s non-compliance with a regulation or standard may require any of several solutions or defaults.

Kindly note that this is not an exhaustive list; but a general list of important shipping certificates and documents

• Cargo Record Book
• Oil Record Book
• International tonnage certificate
• Minimum safe manning document certificate
• Medical fitness certificate
• Compliance and Safety Management Certificate (ISM Code)
• International Load Line Certificate
• Dangerous Cargo Carrying Certificate