SHIP SANITATION CERTIFICATE ISSUES REQUIRING FEEDBACK
Circular Ref: 0(22)63
Issue Date: 06 Dec 2022
Some Members have recently brought up major issues regarding the renewal of Ship Sanitation Certificates, issued by World Health Organisation, WHO, which have been brought to the notice of the ICS.
The main issues raised were:-
1) Lack of health officials to attend vessels to renew certificates in some ports.
2) Limited hours of work in some ports, working from 9-5pm Monday to Friday only.
3) If the Certificate has expired some ports refuse to allow cargo work to commence until it is either renewed by port health officials or extended by one month (max possible) by the ships flag state.
4) Refusal to renew certificates early, certificates only last for 6mths and health officials in some ports refuse to renew, unless there is only a month remaining.
5) Many ports of call are not IHR listed, having no WHO Heath Officials, making it impossible to renew certificates in a timely manner. ( Excluding all Ports in the USA, which does not recognise the WHO Sanitation Certificate)
The ICS has requested wider feedback so they can bring these matters to the attention of the WHO. The ICS is an NGO at the WHO and although they don’t have a vote are listened on technical matters.
The ICS particularly wants to know the following:-
A) Ports of Call where difficulties are experienced, excluding ports in the USA. items 1 to 4 above
B) Ports of Call which are Not IHR listed. Item 5 above
HKSOA will consolidate the information received into a report for the ICS which will be anonymised, ships names will not be mentioned.
I look forward to receiving your feedback shortly.