Appendix 10 - Guidelines for Port State Control under Tonnage 1969
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Assembly - IMO Resolution A.1155(32) – Procedures for Port State Control, 2021 – (Adopted on 15 December 2021) - Annex – Procedures for Port State Control, 2021 - Appendix 10 - Guidelines for Port State Control under Tonnage 1969

Appendix 10 - Guidelines for Port State Control under Tonnage 1969

 1 The International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969 (TONNAGE 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 1974, MARPOL and STCW 1978, 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 TONNAGE 1969 for the following ships:

  • .1 for the purpose of SOLAS 1974:

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

    • .2 in respect of SOLAS 1974 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; and

  • .2 for the purpose of MARPOL, ships of less than 400 tons gross tonnage (as determined under the national tonnage rules) the keels 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 and in the footnote to the figure of the gross tonnage in the relevant SOLAS 1974 and MARPOL certificates.

4 The port State control officer (PSCO) should take the following actions as appropriate when deficiencies are found in relation to TONNAGE 1969:

  • .1 if a ship does not hold a valid International Tonnage Certificate, the ship loses all privileges of TONNAGE 1969, 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, 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 TONNAGE 1969 do not include the provision for detention of a ship holding a valid International Tonnage Certificate.


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