Registry of Seamen
Ship Register
Industry
Hydrography and Cartography
General Information
Pre-registration Inspection
Initial Surveys
Annual Flag State Inspections
Additional Flag State Inspections
Ship Security Certification
General Information
Procedure of supervision of Latvian ships is prescribed in regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers Nr. 439 “Regulation on implementation of Flag State Control on Ships” issued on 07 June 2011.
Ships of gross tonnage 500 and more engaged in international trade have to be under supervision of a classification society recognized by Maritime Administration of Latvia. Classification societies carry out surveys of the ships and issue ship certificates in accordance with requirements of international legal acts, as well as grant ship’s class and issue Certificate of Classification. Maritime Safety Inspectorate carries out additional inspections of these ships.
Owners of vessels of gross tonnage less than 500 or/and solely engaged in domestic voyages can choose whether the ship is supervised by a recognized classification society or Maritime Safety Inspectorate. If the owner chooses a classification society, Maritime Safety Inspectorate carries out additional inspections.
Pre-registration Inspection
Before registration of a ship in the Latvian Ship Registry, the owner of the ship shall submit to Maritime Safety Inspectorate all ship’s certificates that have been issued according to the requirements of international legal acts. Maritime Safety Inspectorate compiles information from international databases regarding the ship and results of the inspections and may, if appropriate, require additional information from the previous flag state. The submitted information and certificates are reviewed and if reasonable doubt arises regarding compliance with requirements of international legal acts, the owner shall be required to present the ship for an inspection. As a rule the pre-registration inspection is requested for ships more than 10 years of age. Pre-registration inspection is to be carried out by surveyors of Maritime Safety Inspectorate and is limited by evaluation of technical conditions of the vessel. The inspection can be arranged to suit the trading pattern of the ship to avoid any demurrage.
As a result of the document review and survey of the ship Maritime Safety Inspectorate will consider possibility to register the ship in Latvian Ship Registry.
Documents to be submitted:
- Filled in form Annex I „Information required to Maritime Safety Inspectorate
- Copies of all statutory and class certificates (in electronic format).
- Copies of class survey reports for last 12 months.
- Latest ships photos.
- Filled in form Annex IV „Request for pre-registration/initial inspection” if applicable.
Initial Surveys
After registration of the ship in Latvian ship register Maritime Safety Inspectorate will issue the Certificate of Minimum Safe Manning and Registration card of EPIRB.
Each ship must be surveyed before it commences service under Latvian flag. Initial Flag state survey is to be carried out by surveyors of Maritime Safety Inspectorate. The inspection can be arranged to suit the trading pattern of the ship to avoid any demurrage.
If the ship is under supervision of a classification society, Maritime Safety Inspectorate carries out the initial inspection after all flag change surveys and audits are completed by classification society and all statutory certificates has been issued on behalf of Latvia. The ship is manned according Latvian Certificate of Minimum Safe Manning, the ISM Company of the ship is certified on behalf of Latvia. The aim of the initial survey is to ensure that the ship, its crew, operation and maintenance meets all international and national requirements.
If the ship is supervised by Maritime Safety Inspectorate, MSI carries out the initial inspection of the ship according to the regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers Nr. 49 issued on 29 January 2008 “Regulation on Ship Safety” taking into account requirements of applicable international conventions and regulations of classification societies.
Documents to be submitted:
- Filled in Form Annex II “Information required for issuing of Certificate of Minimum Safe Manning”.
- Filled in Form Annex III “Information required for registration of 406 MHz Cospas-Sarsat EPIRB”.
- Filled in form Annex IV „Request for pre-registration/initial inspection”.
- Stability information of the vessel.
- LRIT conformance test report.
- General Arrangement Plan.
- Fire Control Plan.
- Safety Plan if available.
Annual Flag State Inspections
All Latvian ships are subject to annual Flag State Inspections. The Owner of a ship or the ISM Company shall apply for the annual inspection and may schedule it to convenient port and time. The scope of the inspection is to satisfy, that the vessel meets international and national standards in all respects.
If the ship is supervised by Maritime Safety Inspectorate, MSI carries out the annual and intermediate inspections of the ship according to the regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers Nr. 49 issued on 29 January 2008 “Regulation on Ship Safety” .
Additional Flag State Inspections
If there is credible information about the non-conformity of the Latvian ship to the requirements of international and national regulatory enactments or enhanced survey regime the has been applied to the ship, Maritime Safety Inspectorate has the right to carry out additional Flag State inspections.
If the Latvian ship has been detained in result of Port State Control or Flag State Control inspection or significant deficiencies have been listed, which may affect the ship safety, human safety or may cause pollution of the Marine Environment, or the master of Latvian ship or the Latvian shipowner has not reported an accidental damage in accordance with Regulation 11c of Chapter I of the SOLAS convention and therefore an emergency situation or environmental pollution could have occurred or people could have been killed, as well as if the crew of the Latvian ship has violated the requirements international or national regulatory enactments, Maritime Safety Inspectorate shall determine an enhanced survey regime and additional requirements to the ship and the shipping company which it manages.
The enhanced regime is applied for two years. The enhanced regime may be cancelled, if after two year period activities of the particular ship and the Company are in line with applicable national and international requirements.
Ship Security Certification
Maritime Safety Inspectorate carries out ISPS inspections to vessels of gross tonnage 500 and more involved in international shipping, and to coasting cargo and passenger vessels. Additional information can be obtained at Maritime Safety Inspectorate.
Contacts
