Operational Guide · Registers & Logbooks

# Renewal Survey and Certificate Renewal

The moment when the five-year cycle closes and starts again: how to keep the extension (meant as an exception) from becoming standard practice that masks structural planning delays.

renewal survey certificate renewal HSSC extension

## Operational Explanation

The Renewal Survey is the most extensive check in the HSSC cycle, conducted every 5 years, which fully renews the certificate's validity after a thorough compliance verification. It must be completed before the current certificate expires, but the Survey Guidelines allow it to be conducted up to 3 months before expiry, with the new certificate still running from the original expiry date (not from the date of early completion).

Extending a certificate (up to 3 months, or 1 month for ships on short voyages) is intended as an exceptional measure to complete the Renewal Survey when operational circumstances prevent it at the exact expiry date, not as a routine planning tool.

## Regulatory Reference

Resolution A.1186(33) (Survey Guidelines under HSSC): the Renewal Survey may be conducted up to 3 months before the expiry of the certificate in force, with the new 5-year validity calculated from the original expiry date; extending validity (up to 3 months, or 1 month for ships on short voyages) is permitted only to allow completion of the survey.

## Scope of Application

Every certificate subject to the HSSC five-year cycle, for every certified ship.

## Procedure / How to Complete It

1. Plan the Renewal Survey well ahead of the certificate's expiry, ideally coordinating it with a dry dock entry if required by the type of certificate.
2. Conduct the survey within the permissible window (up to 3 months before expiry), completing all verifications required for renewal.
3. Verify that the new certificate is correctly dated from the expiry of the previous one, not from the date the survey is actually completed.
4. If exceptional circumstances prevent completion before expiry, request the formal extension before the certificate expires, not after.
5. Update the ship's overall HSSC calendar after every completed Renewal Survey.

## Practical Example

Correct example: Renewal Survey completed 6 weeks before the expiry of the IOPP certificate, with the new certificate dated from the original expiry, ensuring continuity of validity with no gap.

## Real Cases

The recurring, systematic use of the 3-month extension — rather than as an exceptional measure — to manage structurally late scheduling of Renewal Surveys has in several cases been flagged by classification societies as a pattern that reduces the Company's safety margin and increases the risk of exceeding even the maximum extension limit in the event of further unforeseen delays.

## Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it
--- | --- | ---
The 3-month extension used systematically as a planning practice, not as an exception | Reduced safety margin, risk of exceeding even the maximum limit in the event of further delays | Plan the Renewal Survey to complete it before the original expiry, reserving the extension for genuinely exceptional circumstances
Extension request submitted after the certificate has already expired | Certificate already expired, a much more serious situation than a timely extension request | Always request the extension before expiry, never after
New certificate mistakenly dated from the date the early survey was completed, rather than from the original expiry | A calendar error that propagates through subsequent cycles | Always verify that the new certificate's date follows the correct rule (original expiry, not survey date)

## PSC Observations

PSCOs carefully check renewal dates and any extensions granted; a pattern of recurring extensions across several of the same ship's certificates can be read as a signal of suboptimal certification management.

## Operational Tips

- Always plan the Renewal Survey to complete it before the original expiry date; do not rely on the extension as a default plan.
- If you anticipate needing an extension, request it in advance, never after the certificate has expired.
- Always verify that the new certificate is correctly dated per the HSSC rule (original expiry, not completion date).

## Checklist

- Renewal Survey planned well ahead of the expiry date
- Survey conducted within the permissible window (up to 3 months before)
- New certificate correctly dated from the original expiry
- Extension, if needed, requested before expiry
- Overall HSSC calendar updated after renewal

## FAQ

How far ahead of expiry can the Renewal Survey be completed?
Up to 3 months before the expiry of the certificate in force, with the new certificate still running from the original expiry date, not from the date of early completion.
Is a certificate extension always granted on request?
No: it is an exceptional measure, granted by the Flag Administration or the recognized organization to allow completion of the Renewal Survey when operational circumstances prevent it, not a routine planning tool.
What happens if the Renewal Survey is not completed by expiry and no extension has been requested?
The certificate expires and the ship is left without valid certification, a very serious condition that typically makes it impossible to operate until the survey is completed and the new certificate issued.
🎬 Additional photos, videos and interactive diagrams for this topic will be available in a future version of the platform.

## Related Topics

Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC)Condition of Class and Recommendations

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