Compliance & inspections

# Certificates Live

A quick-reference catalog for every statutory and class certificate: regulation, validity, issuing body and related surveys. For an operational deep dive into each survey cycle, see the Survey & Certification module.

## Catalog of main certificates

Certificate | Regulation | Validity | Issuing body | Related surveys
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
IOPP — International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate | MARPOL Annex I | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Annual, Intermediate, Renewal
IAPP — International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate | MARPOL Annex VI | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Annual, Intermediate, Renewal
IEE — International Energy Efficiency Certificate | MARPOL Annex VI, Ch. 4 | No fixed expiry (verified once for EEXI, updated if the ship changes) | Flag Administration / RO | Initial EEXI verification, endorsement if necessary
ISPP — International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate | MARPOL Annex IV | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Annual, Intermediate, Renewal
SMC — Safety Management Certificate | ISM Code / SOLAS Ch. IX | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO (ISM audit) | Intermediate audit between year 2-3
DOC — Document of Compliance | ISM Code / SOLAS Ch. IX | 5 years (the Company's, not the individual ship's) | Flag Administration / RO | Annual audit of the Company
ISSC — International Ship Security Certificate | ISPS Code / SOLAS Ch. XI-2 | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Intermediate verification between year 2-3
MLC Certificate — Maritime Labour Certificate | MLC 2006 | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Intermediate verification between year 2-3
Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate | SOLAS Ch. I / II-1 / II-2 | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO (Class) | Annual, Intermediate, Renewal
Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate | SOLAS Ch. I / III | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Annual, Renewal
Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate | SOLAS Ch. I / IV | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Annual, Renewal
International Load Line Certificate | Load Line Convention 1966/1988 Protocol | 5 years | Flag Administration / RO | Annual, Renewal
International Tonnage Certificate | Tonnage Convention 1969 | No expiry (unless the ship undergoes structural modifications) | Flag Administration / RO | None (reissued only if tonnage changes)
Certificate of Class | Classification Society rules | 5 years (HSSC cycle) | Classification Society (RO) | Annual, Intermediate, Renewal, Docking/Bottom Survey

Most statutory certificates today follow the unified five-year cycle of the HSSC (Harmonized System of Survey and Certification): read more on the mechanism in the HSSC topic.

## Certificate extension

In exceptional circumstances (e.g. a ship unable to reach a port with a survey available), a certificate may be extended for a maximum of 3 months, always calculated from the original expiry date, never from the date of the request. A common error in calculating this window has in the past led to detentions for certificates mistakenly believed still valid: read more in Case Study #8 (IT).

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