Port health requirements
Requirements of ship SanitationA ship must carry a valid Ship Sanitation Control Certificate or a Ship Sanitation Exemption Certificate at all times. The validity period for both certificates is six months. If the inspection or control measures were not possible to be accomplished at a port, the validity may be extended by one month.
The port state may proceed to take action as per the provisions of the IHR if the ship fails to produce a valid Ship Sanitation Control Certificate or a Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate or if the ship shows evidence of public health risk.
It would be ideal for the ship and holds to be empty when the control measures are carried out. It should be carried out before loading if the ship is in ballast condition.
The certificate is then issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format as per the IHR.
A Ship Sanitation Control Certificate is issued which includes a note of the evidences found and the control measures taken.
A Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate is issued by the competent authority if the ship is found to be free of any infection or contamination including vectors and reservoirs.
A Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate is issued only when the holds of the ship are empty and it is possible to carry out a thorough inspection.
The competent authority will make a note in the certificate if any conditions under which the control measures were carried out were not ideal to obtain satisfactory results.