Electronic Certificates in Port State Control
How port State control officers accept electronic ship certificates under IMO FAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2 and A.1206(34) paragraphs 1.7.12 and 2.2.3.
Electronic certificates are ship certificates issued and held in electronic form. IMO Resolution A.1206(34), the Procedures for Port State Control, 2025, defines valid certificates in paragraph 1.7.12 as issued electronically or on paper, and paragraph 2.2.3 accepts electronic certificates that follow the IMO Guidelines in FAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2, with viewing on a computer on board counting as carriage.
The full article will cover the FAL Guidelines, verification against issuing Administrations’ databases, the treatment of certificates such as the ISPP Certificate under Annex IV Regulation 14 , and wider port State control practice.