The Netherlands published an instruction regarding the transfer of ships to the Netherlands' registry

The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has published an instruction regarding the transfer of ships to the Netherlands' registry.

This document was published on 26 May 2023 and entered into force on the same date.

Article 2.4.2 of Annex 1 to the Agreement regulates the recognition of statutory certificates when transferring ships to the Netherlands' registry.

The Recognized Organization (RO) ensures compliance with certificate specifications and approves required plans/documents.

This Instruction provides guidance on ships without full-term certificates, specific Netherlands' requirements, procedures to follow, and non-compliance.

The RO assesses reasons for lacking certificates and proposes actions, such as issuing certificates or conducting additional surveys.

Specific Netherlands' rules are checked, and ship owners apply for certificates from the Netherlands' government.

The RO informs the ship owner and NSI if the ship is compliant.

The transfer process depends on the losing register's recognition status.

Plans/documents are reviewed, inspections may occur, and deviations are reported.

For non-convention ships, initial surveys and compliance verification are necessary.

Non-compliance requires proposals and recommendations.

Alternative design routes and special considerations are also addressed.

Annex 1 lists approved documents for flagging-in ships, and drawings are reviewed based on conventions or non-convention requirements.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

ItoRO no. 06 - Transfer of ships to Netherlands' registry