The key certificate at a fleet/company level is the DOC Document of Compliance. This must be held and be valid at all times, or all vessels the Company operates must stop trading. The DOC is subject to annual audit by Flag or the RO, on a 90 day window before or after the anniversary date of the certification (other than on renewal, where the window is only prior to expiry of the certificate). Failure to complete this certificate invalidates the certificate. 

Every vessel must hold system certification issued by the Flag or RO covering safety management, ship security and maritime labour conditions. These certificates are subject to intermediate audit.

Every vessel must hold the required statutory certificates appropriate to its size, type and trade. These must be maintained valid at all times, and requires surveys must be completed on time. Where defects occur that could impact these statutory certificates, the Company must inform Flag or the RO and request either a dispensation to proceed, a survey leading to short term certification or some other action.

Every vessel must hold all require Classification certificates appropriate to size, type and trade.

Where survey, audit or inspection is required to maintain the validity of a certificate, this must be arranged by the Company well in advance of the due date. Where a window is provided for these activities, the target is to complete the required actions by the anniversary (i.e. avoiding use of the post date window).

If surveys are not planned before the anniversary date, this should be considered an Issue and reported as such in SafetyCulture.

The Company is required to maintain a record of mandatory certification. Certificates are to be recorded as follows:

Statutory Certificates
Where these are issued by the RO, the Company is to check that these are properly filed in the RO's certificate portal (eg. BV Move).

Where these are not issued by the RO, the Company is to upload these to the RO's Client Certificates module in the RO's certificate portal (eg. BV Move).

Classification Certificates
The Company is to check that these are properly filed in the Society's certificate portal (eg. BV Move). Where these are not properly filed, the Company is to request the Society correct their record.

Equipment Certificates
These are to be filed in SMMS.

Where a new certificate is issued by Flag, RO or any other party, it is to be assumed that this invalidates all previously issued similar certificates. Further, it is to be assumed that once a certificate has been invalidated by the issuance of a replacement, it cannot be "reactivated". For example, where a short term certificate is issued in place of a full term certificate, completing the reuired actions for the full term certificate does not make it valid once again.

Therefore, whenever a new certificate (of any type) is issued, the one it replaces is to be withdrawn from all records of certificates.

At daily calls, the Company is to check the certificate records to ensure required certificates are valid. 

At monthly calls, the Company is to check a sample of required certificates with QR Codes and confirm they are showing valid in the relevant portals.

This sub-section is to be implemented by 01.01.2025.

The Company is to prepare an annual plan of actions (surveys, audits, inspections etc) required to maintain the validity of mandatory certification. This should be shared with all involved.