Statutory Certificate

A statutory certificate is one issued to show a ship meets the requirements of an international convention, as distinct from a class certificate that attests to compliance with a classification society’s rules. The main statutory certificates flow from SOLAS (the safety certificates under Chapter I), MARPOL (the IOPP and IAPP certificates), the 1966 Load Lines Convention (the International Load Line Certificate), and the Tonnage Convention 1969. They are issued by the flag administration or a Recognized Organization acting on its behalf under SOLAS I/6. The Harmonized System of Survey and Certification aligns their survey windows and validity to a common cycle.