The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Oil Pollution) Regulations 1996

Issue and duration of Certificate

7.—(1) When it is in order to do so the Secretary of State, or as the case may be a Certifying Authority, shall issue to the ship an appropriate Certificate which—

(a) in the case of an oil tanker of 150 GT and above and any other ship of 400 GT and above which is engaged in voyages to ports or offshore terminals under the jurisdiction of other Parties to the Convention, is an IOPP Certificate; and

(b) in the case of any other oil tanker of 150 GT and above and any other ship of 400 GT and above, is a UKOPP Certificate.

(2) The Secretary of State may request through a proper officer or otherwise, the Government of a Convention country to survey a United Kingdom ship and, if satisfied that the provisions of the Convention are complied with, to issue or authorise the issue of an IOPP Certificate to the ship.

(3) A Certificate so issued shall contain a statement that it has been issued in accordance with such a request, and it shall have the same effect as a Certificate issued under paragraph (1).

(4) The Secretary of State may at the request of a Government of a Convention country survey a ship registered in that State and if satisfied that the provisions of the Convention are complied with, issue an IOPP Certificate to that ship; a Certificate issued in accordance with such a request shall contain a statement that it has been so issued and shall have the same effect as if it was issued by that Government and not by the Secretary of State.

(5) (a) The IOPP Certificate for ships other than oil tankers and the IOPP Certificate for oil tankers shall be in the form prescribed by the Convention. The UKOPP Certificate for Ships other than oil tankers and the UKOPP Certificate for oil tankers shall be in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State. These Certificates shall be valid for a period not exceeding five years from the date of issue.

(b) The Certificates referred to in the subparagraph (a) above shall be supplemented by a Record of Construction and Equipment in the case of an international certificate in the form prescribed by the Convention, and in the case of a United Kingdom certificate in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State.

(6) A Certificate shall cease to be valid—

(a) if without the approval of the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, a Certifying Authority significant alteration has been made to the construction, equipment, systems, fitting arrangements or material required by the Regulations, other than the direct replacement of such equipment or fittings;

(b) in the case of an IOPP Certificate, if the intermediate survey is not carried out within the period specified in regulation 6; or

(c) when the ship transfers to the flag of another State.

(7) The appropriate Certificate shall be kept on board every United Kingdom ship which is either an oil tanker of 150 GT or above or any other ship of 400 GT or above, and shall be available for inspection at all reasonable times.