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• Belize Flag Administration has issued Circular Letter No. TD-IMM-GOB001-19 (copy attached) informing that wef 1 March 2019, all Belize registered vessels, regardless of age, which are detained twice in the Tokyo MOU in the past 12 months will immediately enter into Occasional Survey Program for a period of 24 months starting from the date of detention.

• The Occasional survey is to be performed by the RO that issued the statutory certificates. In case the vessel is holding statutory certificates issued by different RO, the occasional survey is to be carried out by the RO that issued the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate, Load Line Certificate, Safety Equipment Certificate, or the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate.

• The scope of such occasional survey will be equivalent to Annual Surveys and will cover verification of all conditions as far as practicable related to construction, security, pollution prevention, maritime safety, maritime labor and compliance with all national and international regulations applicable to the vessel.

•  If deficiencies are found at the time of the occasional survey, they will need to be rectified before departure of the detention port unless an extension is granted by Administration due to exceptional circumstances.

• On satisfactory completion of Occasional Survey, RO will issue a Statement, valid for six (6) months. Occasional Survey can be advanced with the purpose to make it concurrent with the annual, intermediate, or renewal survey, but it may not be delayed for these same reasons.

• In case, the RO has issued the vessel Statutory Certificates within a thirty (30) days timeframe, Administration can accept the submission of a Statement from the RO stating that the vessel is found in compliance with this circular, which will have a validity of six months.

• Those vessels subject to the requirements established in this circular, which do not perform the obligatory occasional survey or that are detained two (2) times within a six months period or three (3) times within twelve (12) months period by a Maritime Authority member of the Tokyo MOU will be fined and cancelled from the registry.

• Apart from the requirement of an Occasional Survey for vessels which are detained twice in the Tokyo MOU in the past 12 months, Administration also requires that all vessels operating within Tokyo MOU or intending to call any Tokyo MOU ports, must comply with all requirements stated in Merchant Marine Notice 15-02 regarding PSC Analysis of Detentions and submit relevant PSC Checklist and Crew List to the Administration prior proceeding to any Tokyo MOU port.

• Ship owners/ operators and masters of Belize flagged vessels are advised to be guided by the attached IMMARBE Circular Letter.

Enclosure:

• IMMARBE Circular Letter TD-IMM-GOB001-19.

• IMMARBE Merchant Marine Notice MMN-15-02.

Disclaimer:

This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.

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