Statutory Surveys, Audits and Certification for Hong Kong Registered Cargo Ships

1. Hong Kong Marine Department (MD) has authorized nine Recognized Organizations (ROs) to carry out statutory surveys and audits for Hong Kong registered cargo ships and to issue the related certificates.

Recognized Organizations and Recognized Security Organizations

2. The following Recognized Organizations (ROs) and Recognized Security Organizations (RSOs) are authorized to carry out statutory surveys and audits for Hong Kong registered cargo ships and issue provisional or full term trading certificates on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR):-

  1. American Bureau of Shipping (ABS);
  2. Bureau Veritas SA (BV);
  3. China Classification Society (CCS);
  4. DNV AS (DNV);
  5. Korean Register (KR);
  6. Lloyd's Register Group Limited (LR);
  7. Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK);
  8. RINA Services S.p.A. (RINA); and
  9. Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS)*

Acceptance of Materials and Equipment

3. MD accepts materials and equipment complying with the test procedures/standards and performance specifications laid down by IMO. In general, materials and equipments approved by a maritime authority for use on its registered ships or approved by the authorized ROs or RSOs of MD are acceptable to be used on cargo ships registered in Hong Kong.

Exemption Certificates

4. The Director of Marine (the Director) maintains the prerogative in granting exemptions from the requirements of the Hong Kong Merchant Shipping Regulations and the international conventions, and to issue exemption certificates for the first time to Hong Kong registered ships. However, for operational conveniences to all parties, all subsequent renewal of these exemption certificates may be issue by ROs or RSOs as apprpriate and tie in with the renewal of the related trading certificates. The Director need not be consulted on the renewal of such exemption certificates unless the conditions stated by the Director in the original exemption certificate cannot be fulfilled.

Application for Certificates issued by Marine Department