Maritime declarations of health
The Master of a ship must ascertain the state of health onboard before arrival at the first port of call in a state.
The Master must deliver a Maritime declaration of health to the competent authority upon arrival or in advance before arrival if the state requires so. The declaration should be countersigned by the ship’s surgeon if carried.
A Maritime declaration of health is a must always except when the State does not require it.
The Master of the ship or the ship’s surgeon carries the obligation to provide relevant information to the competent authority about the health condition onboard during an international voyage.
The format of the declaration should be in conformation to the model provided in the annex of IHR.
It is the discretion of the State to decide which vessels must submit the Maritime declaration of health.
A State may decide to dispense with submission of the declaration by all ships that arrive in it’s ports.
A State may require only those ships arriving from affected areas or those ships which might carry infection or contamination to submit the declaration.
The State conveys information on these requirements through the shipping operators or their agents.