Appendix 10 – Guidelines for Port State Control Under the 1969 Tonnage Convention

  1 The International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969, which came into force on 18 July 1982, applies to:

• .1 new ships, i.e. ships the keels of which were laid on or after 18 July 1982; and

• .2 existing ships, i.e. ships the keels of which were laid before 18 July 1982, as from 18 July 1994,

 except that for the purpose of application of the SOLAS, MARPOL and STCW Conventions, the following interim schemes indicated in paragraph 2 may apply.

  2 In accordance with the interim schemes adopted by the Organization^footnote, the Administration may, at the request of the shipowner, use the gross tonnage determined in accordance with national rules prior to the coming into force of the 1969 Tonnage Convention, for the following ships:

• .1 for the purpose of SOLAS:

  • .1 ships the keels of which were laid before 1 January 1986;

  • .2 in respect of SOLAS regulation IV/3, ships the keels of which were laid on or after 1 January 1986 but before 18 July 1994; and

  • .3 cargo ships of less than 1,600 tons gross tonnage (as determined under the national tonnage rules) the keels of which were laid on or after 1 January 1986 but before 18 July 1994;

• .2 for the purpose of STCW, ships falling under the categories of paragraphs 2.1.1 and 2.1.3 above, except that for the purpose of 1995 amendments to STCW the interim scheme does not apply (see regulation I/15.3 of the 1995 STCW amendments); and

• .3 for the purpose of MARPOL ships of less than 400 tons gross tonnage (as determined under the national tonnage rules) the keel of which were laid before 18 July 1994.

  3 For ships to which the above interim schemes apply, a statement to the effect that the gross tonnage has been measured in accordance with the national tonnage rules should be included in the "REMARKS" column of the International Tonnage Certificate (1969) and in the footnote to the figure of the gross tonnage in the relevant SOLAS, MARPOL and STCW certificates.

  4 The PSCO should take the following actions as appropriate when deficiencies are found in relation to the 1969 Tonnage Convention:

• .1 if a ship does not hold a valid International Tonnage Certificate (1969), the ship loses all privileges of the 1969 Tonnage Convention, and the flag State should be informed without delay;

• .2 if the required remarks and footnote are not included in the relevant certificates on ships to which the interim schemes apply, this deficiency should be notified to the master; and

• .3 if the main characteristics of the ship differ from those entered on the International Tonnage Certificate (1969), so as to lead to an increase in the gross tonnage or net tonnage, the flag State should be informed without delay.

  5 The control provisions of article 12 of the 1969 Tonnage Convention do not include the provision for detention of a ship holding a valid International Tonnage Certificate (1969).