Knowledge base index

AFS Convention and biofouling management11 articles

The Anti-Fouling Systems Convention and biofouling management

• detailedAnti-Fouling Compliance During a Port State Control Inspection
• comparisonAnti-Fouling Paint Types and How They Work
• comparisonBiofouling Requirements in New Zealand and California
• howHull Coating Changes at Dry Dock and the Documentation Trail
• detailedHull Fouling, Fuel Consumption, and the Carbon Intensity Indicator
• detailedIn-Water Cleaning and Its Regulation in Port
• cornerstoneThe Anti-Fouling Systems Convention Explained
• detailedThe Cybutryne Amendments and the 2023 Compliance Deadline
• detailedThe IMO Biofouling Guidelines and the Biofouling Management Plan
• detailedThe Organotin Ban and Why Tributyltin Was Prohibited
• detailedThe Record of Anti-Fouling Systems and Its Supporting Declaration

Ballast Water Management Convention20 articles

The Ballast Water Management Convention and the Ballast Water Record Book

• detailedAn Electronic Ballast Water Record Book Under MEPC.312(74)
• detailedBallast Operations Recorded in Both the Oil Record Book and the Ballast Water Record Book
• detailedBallast Water Deficiencies and Detentions Since 2017
• detailedBallast Water Exchange Areas, Distances, and Depth Criteria
• comparisonBallast Water Exchange Methods: Sequential, Flow-Through, and Dilution
• comparisonBallast Water Management in the United States Under the Coast Guard Rule
• detailedBallast Water Management Systems and the BWMS Code
• howBallast Water Record Book Entry Categories and Worked Examples
• detailedBallast Water Sampling and Analysis During Port State Control
• howContingency Measures When a Ballast Water Treatment System Fails
• detailedExemptions Under Regulation A-4 and Same-Risk-Area Arrangements
• detailedSediment Management and Ballast Tank Cleaning
• detailedSystem Design Limitations and Operation Outside Them
• cornerstoneThe Ballast Water Management Convention Explained
• detailedThe Ballast Water Management Plan and Its Approval
• comparisonThe Ballast Water Record Book Compared With the Oil Record Book
• cornerstoneThe Ballast Water Record Book: Entries, Signing, and Retention
• detailedThe D-1 Ballast Water Exchange Standard
• detailedThe D-2 Ballast Water Performance Standard
• comparisonTreatment Technologies: Ultraviolet, Electrochlorination, and Filtration

Bunkering operations and fuel quality13 articles

Bunkering operations and fuel quality

• detailedBunker Fraud, Short Delivery, and the Evidential Value of the Record
• howBunker Quantity Survey and the Quantity Dispute
• comparisonBunkering Alternative Fuels: LNG, Methanol, and Biofuel Blends
• detailedCatalytic Fines: Aluminium Plus Silicon and Engine Damage
• howCommingling Fuels and Compatibility Testing
• detailedFlashpoint and the 60 Degree Limit for Fuel on Board
• howFuel Changeover Between Sulphur Grades and Tank Accounting
• howFuel Sampling Points and the MARPOL Delivered Sample
• cornerstoneISO 8217 and the Marine Fuel Specification
• howOff-Specification Fuel: Notification, Debunkering, and Records
• howThe Bunkering Plan, the Checklist, and the Pre-Transfer Conference
• howThe Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report
• detailedWater Content, Sediment, and Fuel Stability

Casualty investigation and incident reporting12 articles

Casualty investigation, incident reporting, and the evidentiary life of a record

• howChain of Custody for Electronic Records After an Incident
• howCompany Internal Investigation and Root Cause Analysis
• detailedInterviewing Seafarers and the Protection of Testimony
• howMandatory Casualty and Incident Reporting to the Flag State
• glossaryMarine Casualty, Very Serious Casualty, and Marine Incident Defined
• howReporting an Oil Pollution Incident Under MARPOL Protocol I
• howSecuring Evidence After a Casualty
• cornerstoneThe Casualty Investigation Code Explained
• detailedThe Marine Safety Investigation Report and GISIS
• detailedThe Substantially Interested State and Cooperation Between Investigators
• howVoyage Data Recorder Data Preservation and Download
• detailedWhen a Record Book Becomes Evidence in a Criminal Prosecution

Chartering and commercial documents14 articles

Chartering, cargo documents, and commercial compliance

• cornerstoneBills of Lading: Receipt, Contract, and Document of Title
• detailedBunker Clauses in Charterparties and Fuel Quality Disputes
• comparisonCharterparty Types: Voyage, Time, and Bareboat
• howClausing a Bill of Lading and the Letter of Indemnity Problem
• detailedCompliance Warranties and the Commercial Value of a Clean Record
• howLaytime, Demurrage, and the Statement of Facts
• detailedMate's Receipts, Cargo Manifests, and the Onboard Document Set
• detailedOff-Hire and Whether a Detention Puts a Ship Off-Hire
• detailedSafe Port and Safe Berth Warranties
• detailedSanctions Compliance, Vessel Screening, and Trade Restrictions
• comparisonThe Hague-Visby, Hamburg, and Rotterdam Regimes Compared
• detailedThe Notice of Readiness and When a Ship Is Legally Ready
• detailedThe Time Charterparty and the NYPE Form
• detailedThe Voyage Charterparty and the GENCON Form

Classification, flag State and type approval50 articles

Flag state administration and delegation

• detailedDelegation to Recognized Organizations
• comparisonFlag state inspection versus Port State Control
• howHow a flag administration approves an electronic record book
• detailedLetter of authorization: what a flag delegates to which RO
• comparisonMajor flag registries and their eRB acceptance policies
• comparisonOpen registries versus national registries
• cornerstoneThe flag state: duties under UNCLOS and IMO instruments

IACS and the classification societies

• detailedABS: American Bureau of Shipping classification overview
• detailedBureau Veritas marine classification overview
• detailedClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) overview
• detailedDNV: scope, rules, and type-approval authority
• detailedHow a class society becomes a Recognized Organization
• comparisonIACS members versus non-IACS classification societies
• detailedKorean Register (KR) overview
• detailedLloyd's Register: classification and statutory delegation
• detailedOther IACS members: CCS, IRS, PRS, CRS
• detailedRINA classification overview
• detailedThe IACS Unified Requirements and how they bind member societies
• cornerstoneWhat is IACS and why it matters for shipboard software

IACS cyber requirements E26 and E27

• detailedComputer Based System (CBS) classification under E27
• detailedCyber type approval for software products
• faqDoes my eRB need to meet E26/E27
• checklistE26/E27 supplier documentation a software vendor must provide
• howHow E26 and E27 apply to onboard compliance software
• cornerstoneIACS UR E26 and E27: cyber resilience for ships
• detailedIEC 62443 and the IACS cyber requirements
• detailedUR E26: cyber resilience of ships
• detailedUR E27: cyber resilience of on-board systems and equipment

Statutory versus class surveys

• detailedPort State Control and electronic record books
• cornerstoneStatutory surveys versus class surveys explained
• glossarySurvey types: initial, annual, intermediate, renewal, additional
• detailedThe harmonized system of survey and certification (HSSC)
• howThe role of the surveyor in accepting an electronic record book
• detailedWhat a classification survey covers
• detailedWhat a statutory survey covers

The IOPP certificate and its survey cycle

• detailedBunker Delivery Note retention and the IOPP/MARPOL record set
• cornerstoneElectronic Oil Record Books: IMO MEPC.312(74) and the eRB framework
• detailedIOPP certificate and the Condition Assessment Scheme
• cornerstoneThe IOPP certificate: what it is and what it covers
• detailedThe IOPP survey cycle: annual, intermediate, renewal
• detailedThe Oil Record Book under MARPOL Annex I
• faqWhat invalidates an IOPP certificate

Type approval for electronic record books and equipment

• detailedDNV Type Approval Programme 1-433.20 explained
• checklisteRB type-approval checklist
• howHow to prepare an eRB for type-approval testing
• howMaintaining type approval: retention surveys and revisions
• detailedSoftware type approval and the cyber requirements
• cornerstoneType approval for an electronic record book: the complete guide
• comparisonType approval versus product certificate versus statement of compliance
• glossaryWhat is a type-approval certificate

COLREGs and the navigation record set13 articles

COLREGs and the navigation record set

• howBridge Resource Management and the Master-Pilot Exchange
• cornerstoneCOLREG 1972 Explained: Structure and Application
• detailedConduct of Vessels in Restricted Visibility
• detailedLights and Shapes: Identifying a Vessel at Night
• detailedNarrow Channels and Traffic Separation Schemes
• howNavigational Equipment Failure Reporting
• howPassage Planning: Appraisal, Planning, Execution, and Monitoring
• detailedRisk of Collision and Action to Avoid Collision
• detailedRule 5 Lookout and Rule 6 Safe Speed
• detailedSound and Light Signals
• detailedThe Bell Book, Movement Book, and Engine Movement Record
• detailedThe Deck Logbook: Statutory Content and Retention
• detailedThe Steering and Sailing Rules in Sight of One Another

Compliance reporting and shore filings79 articles

Bunker Delivery Note, sampling, and fuel records

• detailedBunker Delivery Note: content and retention
• howFuel Oil Non-Availability Report (FONAR)
• detailedIn-use and onboard fuel sampling points
• howMARPOL representative fuel sample: sealing and landing

CII and operational rating

• cornerstoneCarbon Intensity Indicator (CII): rating and reporting
• comparisonCII and DCS: how the rating uses reported data
• howCII corrective action plan after D or E rating
• detailedCII rating boundaries A to E
• detailedCII reference lines and reduction factors
• howHow to calculate attained CII
• detailedSEEMP Part III and the CII implementation plan

Cross-cutting and platform

• checklistCompliance reporting calendar: annual deadlines
• detailedElectronic record books: legal equivalence
• cornerstoneOnboard records vs shore filings: the full map
• checklistRecord retention periods: a single reference table
• faqWho is responsible: master, company, RO, flag

EU MRV and FuelEU Maritime

• detailedDocument of Compliance for EU MRV onboard
• detailedEU MRV and the EU ETS for shipping
• detailedEU MRV emissions report and verification
• detailedEU MRV monitoring plan: assessment and updates
• comparisonEU MRV vs IMO DCS: same data, two regimes
• cornerstoneEU MRV: monitoring, reporting and verification explained
• detailedFuelEU Maritime GHG intensity reporting

Flag State, port State, and pre-arrival notifications

• detailedAdvance notification of waste delivery (EU)
• detailedBallast Water Record Book and reporting
• detailedFlag State reporting of incidents and deficiencies
• detailedMaritime Single Window and FAL forms
• detailedPort State Control inspection and record availability
• cornerstonePre-arrival notifications: who files what and when
• detailedSulphur and ECA reporting at port entry

Garbage Record Book (Annex V)

• howElectronic Garbage Record Book acceptance
• glossaryGarbage categories A to J for the GRB
• detailedGarbage Management Plan and placards
• detailedGarbage Record Book Part I and Part II entries
• cornerstoneGarbage Record Book: complete guide
• detailedGRB retention and discharge to port reception
• detailedSpecial Areas and garbage discharge restrictions

IMO Data Collection System (DCS) and Annex VI fuel data

• howChange of ship or company mid-year under DCS
• detailedDCS data: what to collect onboard each year
• detailedDCS submission deadline and the Statement of Compliance
• cornerstoneIMO Data Collection System: how fuel reporting works
• detailedSEEMP Part II and the DCS data collection plan
• faqWho files the DCS report: company, RO, or flag

Maritime Compliance Reporting and Record-Keeping

• detailedBallast Water Management System Operational Logs
• detailedBiofouling Management Plan and Record Book
• checklistBuilding a Pre-Arrival Document Pack for a Port Call
• howEvidence Retention After a Suspected Pollution Incident
• detailedExhaust Gas Cleaning System Records and Washwater Monitoring
• howFleet-Level Anomaly Detection Across Oil Record Books
• detailedFuelEU Maritime Compliance Balance, Banking, Borrowing and Pooling
• howKeeping the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan Current
• howLitigation Hold on Electronic Shipboard Records
• detailedMARPOL Article 8 and Protocol I: Reporting an Incident Involving Oil
• howMonthly Compliance Reporting From Ship to Shore
• detailedNational Operational Contact Points for Pollution Reports
• detailedPort Reception Facility Charges and the Indirect Fee
• detailedRecords Requested by Charterers and Vetting Inspectors
• howReporting an Inadequate Port Reception Facility
• detailedThe Anti-Fouling System Certificate and Declaration
• detailedThe European Union Emissions Trading System Surrender Obligation for Shipping
• detailedThe Garbage Record Book Part II and Cargo Residues
• detailedThe IMO Greenhouse Gas Framework and MARPOL Annex VI
• howThe Initial Pollution Report and Its Supplementary Reports
• detailedThe NOx Technical File and the Record Book of Engine Parameters
• detailedThe Ozone-Depleting Substances Record Book
• howThe Record of Fuel Oil Changeover for Emission Control Areas
• detailedThe Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan for Noxious Liquid Substances
• detailedThe Statement of Fact and Port Documents as Corroborating Evidence
• detailedThe Waste Delivery Receipt: Content, Retention and Use
• howVerification of Onboard Records During an External Audit

Oil Record Book (Annex I)

• detailedElectronic Oil Record Book: approval and acceptance
• howHow to make a correct ORB entry without errors
• glossaryOil Record Book codes A to I explained
• cornerstoneOil Record Book Part I and Part II: complete guide
• detailedOil Record Book Part I: machinery space operations entries
• detailedOil Record Book Part II: cargo and ballast on oil tankers
• faqORB and PSC: the most cited deficiency
• detailedORB retention period and where to keep the book
• howSludge and bilge water reconciliation in the ORB

Electronic record books and MEPC.312(74)85 articles

Amendment control and retention

• howExporting eRB Records to a Durable Format (PDF/A)
• howHow to Amend an Entry in an Electronic Record Book
• howRecord Retention After the eRB System Is Decommissioned
• detailedRetention Periods for Electronic Record Books
• detailedWhy You Cannot Delete an eRB Entry

Cornerstone and foundational concepts

• cornerstoneElectronic Record Books Under MEPC.312(74): The Complete Guide
• glossaryeRB Glossary: Core Terms Defined
• detailedThe Legal Basis for eRBs: MARPOL Amendments Entering Into Force 1 October 2020
• detailedWhat Is an Electronic Record Book (eRB)?
• detailedWhich Record Books Can Be Electronic Under MARPOL
• detailedWhy MEPC.312(74) Was Adopted: From Paper to Electronic

Data integrity and tamper-evidence

• detailedData Integrity Requirements for Electronic Record Books
• howData Loss Protection and Back-Up Obligations
• detailedHashing and Cryptographic Integrity for eRB Entries
• howHow Audit Trails Satisfy MEPC.312(74)
• detailedPreventing Unauthorized Amendment of Records
• detailedTamper-Evidence in an eRB: What MEPC.312(74) Demands

Electronic Record Books and IMO Resolution MEPC.312(74)

• howCapturing the Ship's Position in an Electronic Entry
• detailedCertificate Expiry and the Validity of Entries Already Signed
• howChange of Flag With an Electronic Record Book in Service
• detailedCrew Personal Data in an Electronic Record Book
• howFailure of an Electronic Record Book Terminal at Sea
• howFalling Back to Paper and Returning to the Electronic Record
• howFitting the Electronic Record Book Into the Safety Management System
• detailedLanguage and Display of an Electronic Record Book
• detailedLate and Retrospective Entries in an Electronic Record Book
• detailedLong-Term Validation of Signatures Across the Retention Period
• howLoss or Compromise of a Signing Credential
• detailedMandatory Fields, Selection Lists, and Free Text in an Electronic Entry
• howMaster Verification of a Completed Period in an Electronic Record Book
• detailedNon-Repudiation and Why a Shared Login Fails MEPC.312(74)
• detailedOne System, Several Books: Multi-Annex Electronic Record Keeping
• detailedOperating an Electronic Record Book Without Connectivity
• detailedPower Loss, Uninterruptible Supply, and Entry Durability
• howProducing a Printed Record for an Inspector Who Requests Paper
• detailedRead-Only Inspection Mode and Session Logging
• detailedRegional Port State Control Acceptance of Electronic Record Books
• howSale of the Vessel and Transfer of Electronic Records
• detailedSequential Numbering and Gap Detection in an Electronic Record
• detailedShore Access to Onboard Records and the Separation From Authorship
• howSigning Credentials for Shipboard Officers: Issue, Custody and Revocation
• howSoftware Updates to an Approved Electronic Record Book
• detailedThe Electronic Ballast Water Record Book
• detailedThe Time Source Behind an Electronic Record Book Entry
• howTime Zone and Coordinated Universal Time in Record Book Entries
• detailedUnited States Acceptance of Electronic Record Books
• detailedValidation Rules That Prevent an Internally Inconsistent Entry
• howVerifying a Digital Signature as a Port State Control Officer
• detailedVersion Control and Change Management of Record Book Software
• detailedVulnerability Management and Security Testing of a Record Book System
• detailedWhat a Page Means When the Record Book Has No Pages
• detailedWithdrawal or Suspension of a Declaration of Conformity

Flag-state approval, Declaration of Conformity, and type approval

• detailedCyber-Resilience Expectations for eRB Systems (IACS UR E26/E27)
• checklistDeclaration of Conformity Template and Required Fields
• comparisonDNV, Lloyd's Register, and ABS eRB Approval Compared
• detailedeRB Type Approval by Classification Societies
• detailedHow a Flag State Approves an Electronic Record Book
• detailedThe Declaration of Conformity Explained
• comparisonThe Difference Between Flag Approval and Type Approval

Inspection access and port state control

• detailedDetentions and Deficiencies Linked to Record Books
• detailedeRB and the Declaration of Conformity at Inspection
• howMaking the eRB Readable Without Special Equipment
• howPresenting an eRB During Port State Control
• checklistWhat a PSC Officer Checks in an Electronic Oil Record Book

Per-Annex electronic record books

• comparisonElectronic Oil Record Book Part I vs Part II
• checklistMandatory MARPOL Operations That Must Be Recorded
• detailedThe Electronic Cargo Record Book (Annex II)
• detailedThe Electronic Garbage Record Book (Annex V)
• detailedThe Electronic ODS Record Book and Fuel Changeover Record (Annex VI)
• detailedThe Electronic Oil Record Book (Annex I)
• detailedThe Electronic Record Book of Engine Parameters (NOx Technical Code)

Transition, adoption, and operations

• howClosing Out the Paper Record Book at Cutover
• detailedCommon Mistakes When Adopting an eRB
• faqFrequently Asked Questions About Electronic Record Books
• howHow to Transition a Vessel From Paper to an eRB
• detailedOperating Instructions That Must Ship With an eRB
• comparisonPaper vs Electronic Record Books: Inspector's Perspective
• comparisonPaper vs Electronic Record Books: Officer's Perspective
• detailedRunning Paper and Electronic Record Books in Parallel
• howTraining Officers to Use an Electronic Record Book

User identification, signing, and access control

• detailedElectronic Signing of eRB Entries: What Counts as a Signature
• howGranting Inspectors Read Access Without Edit Rights
• detailedMaster and Officer Signing Responsibilities
• howRole-Based Access Control for eRBs
• detailedUser Identification in an Electronic Record Book

EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime16 articles

EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and the regional carbon regimes

• howCalculating the Greenhouse Gas Intensity of the Energy Used On Board
• detailedCompliance Balance, Banking, Borrowing, and Pooling Under FuelEU
• comparisonEU ETS and FuelEU Maritime Compared: Two Instruments, One Fleet
• cornerstoneFuelEU Maritime Explained: The Greenhouse Gas Intensity Limit
• detailedHow a Tamper-Evident Record System Supports Emissions Verification
• howOpening a Maritime Operator Holding Account and Surrendering Allowances
• howRecords and Data Quality Needed for Carbon Reporting
• cornerstoneThe EU Emissions Trading System for Shipping Explained
• detailedThe EU ETS Phase-In: 40, 70, and 100 Percent
• detailedThe EU MRV Regulation as Amended and the Verified Emissions Report
• detailedThe Fifty Percent Rule for Voyages Into and Out of the EEA
• howThe FuelEU Maritime Monitoring Plan and the Union Database
• detailedThe IMO Net-Zero Framework and the Regional Regimes
• detailedThe Onshore Power Supply Requirement at EU Ports
• detailedThe Shipping Company Responsible for EU ETS Compliance
• detailedTHETIS-MRV and the Public Emissions Database

FAL Convention and the Maritime Single Window11 articles

The FAL Convention, the Maritime Single Window, and maritime digitalization

• detailedAutonomous Ships and the MASS Code
• detailedE-Navigation and the IMO Strategy Implementation Plan
• detailedElectronic Certificates and the IMO Guidelines for Their Use
• comparisonElectronic Logbooks Beyond MARPOL: Where Equivalence Is and Is Not Established
• howPre-Arrival Notification Requirements and Their Timing
• detailedSingle Window Data Reuse and the Case Against Re-Keying
• detailedStowaways and the FAL Convention Provisions
• cornerstoneThe FAL Convention Explained: Facilitation of Maritime Traffic
• detailedThe FAL Forms 1 to 7 and What Each Declares
• detailedThe IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business
• detailedThe Mandatory Maritime Single Window

Glossary114 articles

Glossary

• glossary15 ppm
• glossary73/78
• glossaryAcknowledgement (Ack)
• glossaryAdministration
• glossaryAnnex (MARPOL)
• glossaryAnti-Fouling System (AFS)
• glossaryAppend-Only
• glossaryApproved Equipment
• glossaryASN.1 DER
• glossaryAudit Log
• glossaryBallast
• glossaryBilge
• glossaryBilge Well
• glossaryBook Chain
• glossaryBunker / Bunkering
• glossaryBunker Delivery Note (BDN)
• glossaryCalibration Table
• glossaryCanonicalisation
• glossaryCargo Record Book
• glossaryChief Engineer
• glossaryClass / Classification Society
• glossaryClean Ballast
• glossaryClose Gate
• glossaryCode (Oil Record Book)
• glossaryCombined Carrier
• glossaryConvention
• glossaryCrude Oil Washing (COW)
• glossaryCyber Resilience
• glossaryDeclaration of Conformity (DoC)
• glossaryDeficiency
• glossaryDesignated Person Ashore (DPA)
• glossaryDetention
• glossaryDirty Ballast
• glossaryDischarge
• glossaryDouble Hull
• glossaryECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm)
• glossaryElectro-Technical Officer (ETO)
• glossaryElectronic Record Book (ERB)
• glossaryEmission Control Area (ECA)
• glossaryExceptional Discharge
• glossaryFiltering Equipment (Oil Filtering Equipment)
• glossaryFIPS 140-3
• glossaryFlag State
• glossaryFuel Oil
• glossaryGarbage Record Book
• glossaryGross Tonnage (GT)
• glossaryGuidelines
• glossaryHarmful Substance
• glossaryHash
• glossaryHeavy Fuel Oil (HFO)
• glossaryHolding Tank
• glossaryIACS (International Association of Classification Societies)
• glossaryIACS UR E26
• glossaryIACS UR E27
• glossaryIdempotency
• glossaryIMO (International Maritime Organization)
• glossaryIncinerator
• glossaryInternational Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP)
• glossaryIOPP Survey
• glossaryISM Code (International Safety Management Code)
• glossaryKey Pair
• glossaryLubricating Oil (Lube Oil)
• glossaryMARPOL (73/78)
• glossaryMaster
• glossaryMaster Record
• glossaryMEPC (Marine Environment Protection Committee)
• glossaryMEPC.107(49)
• glossaryMEPC.108(49)
• glossaryMEPC.312(74)
• glossaryMessage-Id
• glossaryMoU (Memorandum of Understanding)
• glossaryNonconformity
• glossaryNoxious Liquid Substance (NLS)
• glossaryOil
• glossaryOil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME)
• glossaryOil Record Book (ORB)
• glossaryOil Record Book Part I
• glossaryOil Record Book Part II
• glossaryOily Water Separator (OWS)
• glossaryOutbox
• glossaryPage Signing
• glossaryParis MoU
• glossaryPort State Control (PSC)
• glossaryppm (parts per million)
• glossaryPrivate Key
• glossaryPublic Key
• glossaryQuantity Retained
• glossaryReception Facility
• glossaryRecognized Organization (RO)
• glossaryResolution
• glossaryRetained Quantity
• glossaryRevocation
• glossarySafety Management System (SMS)
• glossarySegregated Ballast
• glossarySheen
• glossarySigned Payload
• glossarySlop Tank
• glossarySludge
• glossarySludge Tank
• glossarySMS
• glossarySOLAS
• glossarySounding
• glossarySpecial Area
• glossarySulphur Cap
• glossarySurvey
• glossaryTamper-Evidence
• glossaryTank Cleaning
• glossaryTokyo MoU
• glossaryType Approval
• glossaryUllage
• glossaryUnified Requirement (UR)
• glossaryVerification
• glossaryVoid Space
• glossaryWithout Delay

Help: FAQs68 articles

Data, security, and integrity

• faqCan a deleted or hidden entry slip through ShipORB unnoticed?
• faqDoes ShipORB align with maritime cyber resilience requirements?
• faqHow are records protected if a shipboard device fails?
• faqHow does ShipORB ensure an entry sent to shore is not silently lost?
• faqHow does ShipORB keep entries tamper-evident?
• faqHow does ShipORB prove a page or book has not been altered?
• faqWhat audit trail does ShipORB keep?
• faqWhat signature method does ShipORB use for entries?
• faqWhere is ShipORB data stored, and does it leave the ship?
• faqWho can access the records in ShipORB?

Electronic record books and their acceptance

• faqAre electronic Oil Record Books legal under MARPOL?
• faqCan a ship use an electronic Oil Record Book and a paper one at the same time?
• faqCan entries in an electronic record book be edited after they are signed?
• faqDoes an electronic Oil Record Book have to be signed, and how?
• faqDoes an electronic Oil Record Book need flag State approval?
• faqDoes ShipORB carry type approval?
• faqWhat does an electronic record book have to do to satisfy MEPC.312(74)?
• faqWhat happens to the records if we switch from paper to electronic mid-life?
• faqWhat is resolution MEPC.312(74)?
• faqWhat is the "declaration" required for an electronic record book?
• faqWhat is type approval for an electronic record book?
• faqWhat standards apply to electronic record books beyond IMO guidance?

MARPOL Annex I and the Oil Record Book

• faqAre corrections to the Oil Record Book permitted, and how must they be done?
• faqDoes an accidental oil discharge have to be entered in the Oil Record Book?
• faqHow long must the Oil Record Book be kept on board and afterward?
• faqHow quickly must an entry be made after an operation?
• faqWhat are the lettered operation codes in the Oil Record Book?
• faqWhat happens if there is a false entry in the Oil Record Book?
• faqWhat is sludge and how does it relate to the Oil Record Book?
• faqWhat is the 15 ppm limit and where is it recorded?
• faqWhat is the difference between Oil Record Book Part I and Part II?
• faqWhat is the IOPP Certificate and how does it relate to the Oil Record Book?
• faqWhat is the Oil Record Book and which regulation requires it?
• faqWhat language must the Oil Record Book be completed in?
• faqWhat must be recorded when the oil filtering equipment fails?
• faqWhich operations must be recorded in Oil Record Book Part I?
• faqWho is allowed to make and sign entries in the Oil Record Book?

Port State Control and inspection

• faqCan an Oil Record Book deficiency lead to detention?
• faqDo US authorities treat Oil Record Book entries differently?
• faqHow does an electronic Oil Record Book help during a PSC inspection?
• faqHow does an inspector verify an electronic Oil Record Book on board?
• faqWhat are the major Port State Control Memoranda of Understanding?
• faqWhat does a Port State Control inspector check in the Oil Record Book?
• faqWhat evidence does an inspector cross-check against the Oil Record Book?
• faqWhat is a "magic pipe" and why does the Oil Record Book matter to it?

Pricing, procurement, and onboarding

• faqCan ShipORB be trialled before fleet-wide rollout?
• faqDo officers need special training to use ShipORB?
• faqHow is ShipORB priced?
• faqHow long does it take to switch from paper to ShipORB?
• faqWhat happens at the end of a subscription to the historical records?
• faqWhat is involved in onboarding a vessel to ShipORB?

ShipORB product and features

• faqCan an entry be corrected in ShipORB after it is signed?
• faqDoes ShipORB cover other MARPOL annexes or only oil?
• faqDoes ShipORB produce output for Port State Control?
• faqDoes ShipORB support electronic signing by the officer and master?
• faqDoes using ShipORB change who is legally responsible for entries?
• faqHow does ShipORB give the superintendent fleet visibility?
• faqHow does ShipORB prevent invalid or incomplete entries?
• faqIs ShipORB tied to a single classification society or flag?
• faqWhat is ShipORB?
• faqWhich record books does ShipORB support?

Sync, offline operation, and connectivity

• faqCan records be moved by USB if there is no satellite link at all?
• faqCan the ship and shore copies diverge or conflict?
• faqDoes an interruption during sync risk losing or duplicating an entry?
• faqDoes ShipORB need a constant internet connection to work?
• faqHow does ShipORB sync between ship and shore?
• faqIs bandwidth a problem for ShipORB on low-connectivity ships?
• faqWhat happens to entries made while the ship is offline?

Help: how-to guides51 articles

Book lifecycle and corrections

• howHow to correct an erroneous entry through the amendment workflow
• howHow to handle a lost or damaged Oil Record Book
• howHow to make a complete and signed ORB entry
• howHow to retain a completed Oil Record Book for the required period

Bunkering and fuel

• howHow to plan and record a fuel oil bunkering operation end to end
• howHow to record an in-port fuel changeover affecting tanks
• howHow to record receipt of bulk lubricating oil
• howHow to retain a Bunker Delivery Note and fuel sample

Garbage and other annexes

• howHow to record a garbage discharge in the Garbage Record Book
• howHow to record a sewage-related operation note
• howHow to record a SOx Emission Control Area fuel changeover
• howHow to record garbage landed to a port reception facility
• howHow to record the Oil Record Book Part II for an oil tanker

Inspection readiness

• howHow to cross-check ORB entries against supporting documents
• howHow to prepare the Oil Record Book for a Port State Control inspection
• howHow to run an internal ORB audit before a flag or class survey

Machinery operations and events

• howHow to handle and record a 15 ppm alarm event
• howHow to record a manual drain of machinery space oil leakage to bilges
• howHow to record a transfer of oily bilge water between holding tanks
• howHow to record an oil filtering equipment breakdown and restoration
• howHow to record routine purifier operation affecting sludge generation

Oil Record Book entries by code

• howHow to choose the correct ORB operation code for an event
• howHow to record a discharge of oily bilge water through 15 ppm equipment (code I, with code E linkage)
• howHow to record a sludge transfer to a holding tank (code C)
• howHow to record an automatic transfer from a purifier sludge tank (code C)
• howHow to record an emergency or accidental discharge of oil (code I)
• howHow to record an incineration of oil residue (code C)
• howHow to record ballasting or cleaning of fuel oil tanks (code A)
• howHow to record bunkering of fuel oil or lubricating oil (code H)
• howHow to record collection of bilge water into a holding tank (code E)
• howHow to record discharge of dirty ballast or cleaning water from fuel tanks (code B)
• howHow to record disposal to a port reception facility (code D)
• howHow to record the condition of the oil filtering equipment (code F)

ShipORB product tasks

• howHow to apply an electronic signature to an ORB entry in ShipORB
• howHow to attach supporting documents to an entry in ShipORB
• howHow to close a book and open the next book in ShipORB
• howHow to configure the vessel tank list in ShipORB
• howHow to correct an entry through the ShipORB amendment workflow
• howHow to countersign a completed page as master in ShipORB
• howHow to create a digital ORB entry in ShipORB
• howHow to export the Oil Record Book to PDF from ShipORB
• howHow to generate an inspection-ready ORB package in ShipORB
• howHow to manage officer roles and signing authority in ShipORB
• howHow to onboard a vessel in ShipORB
• howHow to reconcile retained quantities in ShipORB
• howHow to review the audit trail of an entry in ShipORB
• howHow to set up automated retained-quantity alerts in ShipORB

Tanks and soundings

• howHow to maintain an accurate tank list for the Oil Record Book
• howHow to reconcile retained quantities across entries
• howHow to record a tank capacity or service change
• howHow to take and record tank soundings

Hong Kong Convention and ship recycling13 articles

The Hong Kong Convention and ship recycling

• detailedAn Electronic Inventory of Hazardous Materials: Feasibility and Constraints
• detailedAsbestos on Board: Prohibition, Survey, and Removal Records
• comparisonHazardous Material Records and the Existing MARPOL Record Set
• howMaintaining the Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Service
• howMaterial Declarations and Suppliers' Declarations of Conformity
• detailedPart II of the Inventory: Operationally Generated Wastes
• detailedPart III of the Inventory: Stores
• howPreparing a Ship for Its Final Voyage to a Recycling Facility
• detailedShip Recycling Facility Requirements and the Facility Plan
• comparisonThe EU Ship Recycling Regulation and the European List
• cornerstoneThe Hong Kong Convention on Ship Recycling Explained
• cornerstoneThe Inventory of Hazardous Materials: Parts I, II, and III
• detailedThe Ship Recycling Plan and Facility Selection

IGF Code, IGC Code and alternative fuels13 articles

The IGF Code, the IGC Code, and alternative fuels

• detailedAmmonia as Marine Fuel: Toxicity Controls and Guidance
• comparisonCargo Containment Systems on LNG and LPG Carriers
• howCargo Operations and Record-Keeping on Gas Carriers
• detailedCrew Training for Low-Flashpoint Fuel Operations
• detailedLNG as Marine Fuel: Bunkering, Boil-Off, and Gas Freeing
• detailedMethane Slip and the Regulatory Treatment of LNG Emissions
• detailedMethanol as Marine Fuel and the Interim Guidelines
• detailedReliquefaction, Boil-Off Management, and Gas Combustion Units
• detailedThe Cargo Record Book and Gas Carriers Under MARPOL Annex II
• comparisonThe IBC Code and the IGC Code Compared
• cornerstoneThe IGC Code Explained: Gas Carriers
• cornerstoneThe IGF Code Explained: Ships Using Gases and Low-Flashpoint Fuels
• howThe Risk Assessment Requirement Under the IGF Code

IMO and MEPC regulatory framework49 articles

Sub-cluster A: IMO structure and governance

• glossaryIMO Secretariat and the Secretary-General
• detailedIMO sub-committees and their work
• comparisonMEPC vs MSC: which committee owns which rule
• detailedThe IMO Assembly: composition and powers
• detailedThe IMO Council and its role
• cornerstoneThe Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) explained
• detailedThe Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) explained
• detailedThe PPR Sub-Committee and pollution prevention
• cornerstoneWhat is the IMO and how does it regulate shipping

Sub-cluster B: How IMO instruments are made, numbered, and cited

• detailedConsolidated editions and how IMO publishes amendments
• detailedEntry into force of IMO conventions
• howHow MEPC adopts a resolution: from proposal to adoption
• cornerstoneHow to read an IMO resolution citation like MEPC.312(74)
• comparisonIMO resolutions vs circulars vs conventions
• cornerstoneThe tacit acceptance procedure explained
• detailedUnderstanding the MEPC.1/Circ. series
• detailedUnified interpretations of MARPOL

Sub-cluster C: MARPOL as the parent convention

• cornerstoneMARPOL 73/78 explained: the parent pollution convention
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex I and the Oil Record Book
• detailedMARPOL Annex II and the Cargo Record Book
• detailedMARPOL Annex V and the Garbage Record Book
• detailedMARPOL Annex VI and air-pollution records
• comparisonMARPOL annexes at a glance
• detailedPort State Control and MARPOL record-book inspections
• howThe MARPOL record-book retention rule

Sub-cluster D: Electronic record books (the ShipORB core)

• checklistElectronic record book onboard documentation checklist
• detailedElectronic signatures on MARPOL record-book entries
• howFlag State approval of electronic record book systems
• cornerstoneIMO Resolution MEPC.312(74) and electronic record books
• cornerstoneMEPC.1/Circ.736 and Oil Record Book guidance
• comparisonPaper vs electronic record books
• detailedTamper-evidence and audit trails in electronic record books
• detailedThe amendments that recognized electronic record books
• howTransition from paper to electronic record books
• detailedWhat makes an electronic record book MARPOL-compliant

Sub-cluster E: SOLAS, ISM Code, and STCW touchpoints

• comparisonHow SOLAS, MARPOL, ISM, and STCW interlock
• detailedISM Code document control and record-keeping
• detailedSOLAS and electronic record-keeping equivalence
• cornerstoneSOLAS explained and its record-keeping touchpoints
• detailedSTCW and competence to operate electronic systems
• howSTCW familiarization for shipboard electronic systems
• cornerstoneThe ISM Code and documented procedures
• howThe Safety Management System and electronic records

Sub-cluster F: FAQ and quick-reference

• faqDo I still need a paper record book if I use an electronic one
• glossaryGlossary: key IMO and MARPOL terms
• faqIs an electronic Oil Record Book legal
• faqWhat does the number in parentheses mean in MEPC.312(74)
• faqWhich MARPOL annexes require a record book
• faqWho can sign an Oil Record Book entry

IMSBC and IMDG Codes15 articles

The IMSBC Code, the IMDG Code, and cargo carriage compliance

• detailedCargo Groups A, B, and C Under the IMSBC Code
• howCargo Hold Preparation, Hold Cleaning, and Washing Water Discharge
• howCoal Cargoes: Self-Heating, Gas Monitoring, and Records
• howLiquefaction, Transportable Moisture Limit, and the Can Test
• detailedMaterials Hazardous Only in Bulk and the Group B Schedules
• howReporting Loss of Packaged Dangerous Goods Overboard
• howSegregation of Dangerous Goods on Board
• howThe Container Packing Certificate and the CTU Code
• howThe Dangerous Goods List and How to Read a UN Entry
• detailedThe Dangerous Goods Manifest and the Stowage Plan
• cornerstoneThe IMDG Code Explained: Packaged Dangerous Goods at Sea
• cornerstoneThe IMSBC Code Explained: Carriage of Solid Bulk Cargoes
• detailedThe Nine Dangerous Goods Classes and Their Subdivisions
• detailedThe Shipper's Cargo Declaration and Cargo Information
• detailedVerified Gross Mass and the Two Weighing Methods

ISPS Code and maritime security19 articles

The ISPS Code and maritime security

• detailedAccess Control, Restricted Areas, and Stowaway Prevention
• detailedControl and Compliance Measures Under SOLAS XI-2 Regulation 9
• comparisonISPS Compared With the ISM Code: Two Management Systems on One Ship
• howISPS Internal Audits and Verification of the Ship Security Plan
• detailedISPS Records: What Must Be Kept and For How Long
• comparisonISPS Security Records Compared With MARPOL Record Books
• detailedPiracy and Armed Robbery: BMP and the Ship Protection Measures
• howRecords of the Last Ten Ports of Call and Ship-to-Ship Activity
• howReporting Security Incidents to the Flag State and Coastal State
• detailedSecurity Levels 1, 2, and 3 and What Changes at Each
• detailedSecurity Training, Drills, and Exercises: Frequency and Records
• detailedSOLAS Chapter XI-2: Special Measures to Enhance Maritime Security
• detailedThe Company Security Officer: Duties and Fleet Responsibility
• detailedThe Declaration of Security: When It Is Required and Who Signs
• cornerstoneThe ISPS Code Explained: Structure, Scope, and Legal Basis
• detailedThe Ship Security Alert System and Its Activation Points
• howThe Ship Security Assessment and How It Drives the Plan
• detailedThe Ship Security Officer: Duties and Authority
• detailedThe Ship Security Plan: Required Content and Approval

Liability, compensation and marine insurance13 articles

Liability, compensation, and marine insurance

• detailedBlue Cards and the Certificates a Convention Requires an Insurer to Support
• detailedDeliberate Acts, Falsified Records, and the Loss of Cover
• detailedFines and the Limits of P&I Cover for Pollution Penalties
• detailedGeneral Average and the York-Antwerp Rules
• detailedHull and Machinery Insurance and the Institute Clauses
• detailedLimitation of Liability Under LLMC
• detailedProtection and Indemnity Clubs and the International Group
• detailedThe Bunkers Convention and Compulsory Insurance
• detailedThe Civil Liability Convention and Strict Liability for Oil Pollution
• detailedThe HNS Convention and Why It Is Not Yet in Force
• cornerstoneThe IMO Liability and Compensation Conventions: An Overview
• detailedThe International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds
• detailedWarranties, Class Maintenance, and the Effect of a Regulatory Breach on Cover

Load Line Convention, freeboard and stability11 articles

The Load Line Convention, freeboard, and stability

• detailedConditions of Assignment and the Weathertight Integrity Regime
• detailedDamage Stability and Subdivision Under SOLAS Chapter II-1
• howDraught Surveys and Deadweight Calculation
• detailedExemptions, Equivalents, and Timber Load Lines
• detailedInformation to Be Supplied to the Master Under Load Line Regulation 10
• detailedIntact Stability: The IS Code 2008 and the Criteria a Master Applies
• howLoading Computers, Approved Stability Software, and Verification
• detailedOverloading as a Port State Control Detention Ground
• detailedReading the Load Line Mark and the Plimsoll Disc
• detailedSeasonal Zones, Areas, and Periods
• cornerstoneThe International Convention on Load Lines Explained

Maritime cyber resilience and records integrity56 articles

Audit trails and attribution

• detailedAttribution: tying every action to an accountable identity
• detailedBackups, retention, and the integrity of archived records
• howExport and hand-over: giving an inspector a verifiable copy
• howReading an audit trail as an inspector
• detailedThe audit trail: what it records and why it cannot be edited

Cornerstone and orientation

• detailedElectronic record books under MARPOL: what changed with MEPC.312(74)
• cornerstoneMaritime cyber resilience and tamper-evident records: a complete guide
• detailedWhat "tamper-evident" actually means for a ship's records
• faqWhy a maritime compliance officer should care about cryptography

Digital signatures and signing identity

• detailedDigital signatures for ship's officers: ECDSA P-256 explained
• comparisonElectronic signature vs digital signature vs wet signature
• howHow the master's countersignature works in an electronic book
• detailedNon-repudiation: proving an officer cannot disown an entry
• detailedPer-officer signing identity: who actually signed this entry
• howSigning on board with no internet: offline digital signatures
• howWhat an inspector verifies about a digital signature
• glossaryWhat is an SPKI fingerprint and why an inspector reads it

Glossary and reference

• glossaryAudit trail
• glossaryDigital signature
• glossaryECDSA P-256
• glossaryGenesis entry
• glossaryHash chain
• glossaryKey revocation
• glossaryNon-repudiation
• glossarySHA-256
• glossarySPKI fingerprint
• glossaryTamper-evident

IACS UR E26 and E27 fundamentals

• detailedCyber resilience and the ISM Code: where do they meet?
• comparisonE26 vs E27: ship-level versus equipment-level cyber resilience
• detailedIACS UR E26 explained: cyber resilience of ships
• detailedIACS UR E27 explained: cyber resilience of onboard systems and equipment
• detailedSecurity capabilities and capability levels under E27
• detailedThe role of class societies in cyber-resilience approval
• detailedWhat E26 and E27 require for logging and audit
• faqWhich ships and systems fall under E26/E27

Inspection and assurance

• howDemonstrating tamper-evidence to a surveyor in five minutes
• detailedFlag-State approval of an electronic record-book system
• checklistInspector's integrity checklist for an electronic record
• detailedPort State Control and electronic record books: what to expect
• howWhen the system says the record is invalid: triage and remedy

Key management, rotation, and revocation

• howEnrolling a new officer: issuing the first signing identity
• checklistKey compromise incident response on board
• detailedKey management for ship's officers without an IT department
• howKey revocation when an officer leaves or a key is compromised
• howKey rotation: replacing an officer's signing key safely
• detailedPrivate key storage on board: hardware tokens and secure elements
• detailedRoot of trust on a ship: who vouches for the keys
• faqWhat happens to old records when a key is revoked

Tamper-evidence and hash chains

• howDetecting a broken chain: the inspector's verification walk-through
• detailedGenesis entry and chain continuity: starting a tamper-evident log
• comparisonHash chain vs blockchain: what a ship actually needs
• detailedHow a hash chain makes an Oil Record Book tamper-evident
• comparisonPage-level versus entry-level integrity in an electronic log
• detailedTime and tamper-evidence: trusted timestamps on ship records
• howWhat happens to the chain when you correct a mistaken entry
• detailedWhat is a cryptographic hash? SHA-256 for mariners

Maritime Labour Convention 200618 articles

The Maritime Labour Convention 2006

• detailedFinancial Security for Shipowner Liability in Death or Long-Term Disability
• howFood, Catering, and Provisioning Inspections
• detailedHours of Work and Hours of Rest Under MLC Standard A2.3
• detailedMLC Port State Control Inspections and Detainable Deficiencies
• comparisonMLC Record-Keeping Compared With MARPOL Record Books
• detailedMLC Title 1: Minimum Requirements for Seafarers to Work on a Ship
• detailedMLC Title 2: Conditions of Employment
• detailedMLC Title 3: Accommodation, Recreational Facilities, Food, and Catering
• detailedMLC Title 4: Health Protection, Medical Care, and Social Security
• detailedMLC Title 5: Compliance and Enforcement
• detailedOccupational Safety and Health, Risk Assessment, and Accident Reporting
• detailedOnshore Seafarer Complaint Handling in a Port State
• detailedRepatriation Rights and Financial Security for Abandonment
• detailedThe Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Parts I and II
• cornerstoneThe Maritime Labour Convention 2006 Explained
• howThe Onboard Complaint Procedure Under MLC
• detailedThe Seafarers' Employment Agreement: Required Terms and Records
• howWage Accounts, Monthly Statements, and Allotments

MARPOL Annex I and the Oil Record Book Part I184 articles

Cornerstone and convention overview

• detailedHistory of MARPOL Annex I: From OILPOL 1954 to MEPC.314(74)
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex I Explained: Oil Pollution Prevention from Ships
• detailedMARPOL Convention Structure: The Six Annexes and Where Annex I Fits
• detailedSpecial Areas Under MARPOL Annex I
• detailedThe Antarctic Area Discharge Prohibition
• cornerstoneThe Oil Record Book Part I: Complete Guide to Machinery-Space Entries
• glossaryWhat "Oil" Means Under MARPOL Annex I
• glossaryWhat "Oily Mixture" Means Under MARPOL Annex I

Electronic Oil Record Book (e-ORB) and ShipORB

• detailedCarrying a Backup of the Electronic Record Book
• detailedClass-Society Type Approval of Recording Systems
• howCorrecting an Entry in an Electronic ORB
• detailedData Retention and Export in an Electronic ORB
• comparisone-ORB Versus Paper Oil Record Book
• detailedElectronic Signatures on ORB Entries
• detailedFlag-State Approval of an Electronic Record Book
• detailedMEPC.312(74): Guidelines for Electronic Record Books
• detailedMEPC.314(74): The 2020 Amendments Enabling e-ORBs
• howPresenting an Electronic ORB to Port State Control
• detailedTamper-Evidence Requirements for an Electronic ORB
• cornerstoneWhat Is an Electronic Oil Record Book?

Glossary cluster (term articles)

• glossaryGlossary: 15 ppm
• glossaryGlossary: Electronic Record Book
• glossaryGlossary: En Route
• glossaryGlossary: Instantaneous Rate of Discharge of Oil Content
• glossaryGlossary: IOPP Certificate
• glossaryGlossary: Nearest Land
• glossaryGlossary: Oil Content Meter
• glossaryGlossary: Oil Fuel
• glossaryGlossary: Oil Residue (Sludge)
• glossaryGlossary: Oily Bilge Water
• glossaryGlossary: Oily Bilge Water Holding Tank
• glossaryGlossary: Reception Facility
• glossaryGlossary: Retained Quantity
• glossaryGlossary: Standard Discharge Connection

IOPP Certificate, surveys, and supplements

• detailedForm A Supplement to the IOPP Certificate (Non-Tankers)
• detailedForm B Supplement to the IOPP Certificate (Oil Tankers)
• detailedIOPP Certificate Validity and the Five-Year Cycle
• detailedIOPP Surveys: Initial, Annual, Intermediate, Renewal
• howReading the Form A Supplement Against Shipboard Equipment
• detailedThe Harmonized System of Survey and Certification
• cornerstoneThe IOPP Certificate Explained

Machinery-space discharge regime (Reg 14, Reg 15, Reg 34)

• detailedBilge Discharge Inside Special Areas: Reg 15.3 Rules
• detailedReception Facilities for Oil Residues
• detailedRegulation 14: Oil Filtering Equipment Requirements
• detailedRegulation 15: Control of Discharge of Oil from Machinery Spaces
• detailedRegulation 34: Cargo-Area Discharge Criteria for Oil Tankers
• detailedShips Under 400 GT: Discharge and Retention Options
• detailedThe 1/30000 Total-Quantity Rule for Oil Tankers
• cornerstoneThe 15 ppm Standard Explained
• detailedThe 30 Litres per Nautical Mile Cargo Discharge Limit
• detailedThe Five Conditions for a Legal Bilge Discharge Outside Special Areas
• faqWhy a Bilge Discharge Must Be "En Route"

MARPOL Annex I and the Oil Record Book Part I

• detailed33 CFR 151.25: The United States Oil Record Book Regulation
• howBlank Lines, Skipped Pages, and Out-of-Sequence Entries
• howBunker Quantity Disputes: The Delivery Note Figure Against Measured Remaining on Board
• detailedChapter 8: Ship-to-Ship Oil Cargo Transfer and the STS Operations Plan
• detailedChemicals and Emulsifiers in the Bilge and Their Effect on Separation
• howClosing a Completed Oil Record Book and Opening the Next Volume
• detailedCriminal Exposure for a False Oil Record Book Under United States Law
• comparisonCubic Metres Versus Metric Tonnes: Density and the Recorded Quantity
• faqDays With No Recordable Operation: Whether a Nil Entry Is Required
• detailedDedicated Clean Ballast Tank Operation and Its Manual
• detailedDefeating the Oil Content Meter With a Clean Water Supply
• detailedDiscrepancies Between the Oil Record Book and the Engine Room Log Book
• detailedFalsified Sludge Landings and Forged Reception Facility Receipts
• detailedLoad on Top: The Procedure and the Part II Entries It Generates
• detailedMEPC.1/Circ.736 Guidance on Recording Part I Operations
• howODME Failure During a Ballast Voyage: What Is Recorded and What Is Permitted
• howOil Record Book Entries for a Ship-to-Ship Bunker Transfer
• cornerstoneOil Record Book Part II Operation Codes: Master Index
• detailedOily Water Separator Bypass Arrangements Found During Inspection
• detailedParallel Record Keeping: The Second Book Problem
• detailedPart II Code A: Loading of Oil Cargo
• detailedPart II Code B: Internal Transfer of Oil Cargo During a Voyage
• detailedPart II Code C: Unloading of Oil Cargo
• detailedPart II Code D: Crude Oil Washing Operations
• detailedPart II Code E: Ballasting of Cargo Tanks
• detailedPart II Code F: Ballasting of Dedicated Clean Ballast Tanks
• detailedPart II Code G: Cleaning of Cargo Tanks
• detailedPart II Code H: Discharge of Dirty Ballast
• detailedPart II Code I: Discharge of Water From Slop Tanks Into the Sea
• detailedPart II Code J: Disposal of Residues and Oily Mixtures Not Otherwise Dealt With
• detailedPart II Code K: Discharge of Clean Ballast Contained in Cargo Tanks
• detailedPart II Code L: Discharge of Ballast From Dedicated Clean Ballast Tanks
• detailedPart II Code M: Condition of the Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control System
• detailedPart II Code N: Accidental or Other Exceptional Discharges of Oil From the Cargo Area
• detailedPart II Code O: Additional Operational Procedures and General Remarks
• howReading and Retaining the ODME Printout
• howReconciling the Bilge Holding Tank Against Code D and Code E Entries
• howRecording a Discharge Made Under a Regulation 4 Exception
• howRecording Machinery-Space Operations During Dry-Docking and Repair
• detailedRegulation 11: Port State Control on Operational Requirements
• detailedRegulation 12A: Oil Fuel Tank Protection
• detailedRegulation 16: Carriage of Oil in Forepeak Tanks and Ballast Segregation
• detailedRegulation 29: Slop Tank Arrangements and Capacity
• detailedRegulation 30: Pumping, Piping and Discharge Arrangements on Oil Tankers
• detailedRegulation 31: The ODME Requirement in Operating Detail
• detailedRegulation 32: The Oil and Water Interface Detector
• cornerstoneRegulation 36: The Oil Record Book Part II Requirement
• detailedRegulation 4: The Exceptions That Permit a Discharge
• detailedRegulation 43: The Antarctic Heavy Grade Oil Carriage and Use Prohibition
• howSlop Tank Decanting: Settling Time, Interface, and the Discharge Decision
• detailedThe Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil Prohibition
• detailedThe Crude Oil Washing Operations and Equipment Manual
• detailedThe Oil Record Book Page Layout: Date, Code, Item Number, and Record of Operations
• howThe Oil Record Book When the Ship Changes Flag
• howThe Sludge Mass Balance: Bunkers In Against Residue Generated, Burned and Landed
• detailedThe Whistleblower Award Provision of the Act to Prevent Pollution From Ships
• detailedUnified Interpretations of MARPOL Annex I and Their Effect on Entries
• detailedUnits, Rounding, and Decimal Places in Oil Record Book Quantities
• detailedWater Content in Bunkers and Its Effect on Sludge Accounting
• detailedWhen an Entry Must Be Made: The Timing Obligation After an Operation

Oil filtering equipment, 15 ppm bilge alarm, and ODME

• detailedBilge Water Holding Tank Management
• detailedMEPC.1/Circ.677: Standard Connections and Tamper Prevention
• detailedMEPC.107(49): Revised Guidelines for Oil Filtering Equipment
• detailedMEPC.108(49): Guidelines for the Oil Discharge Monitoring System
• howOil Content Meter Calibration and Records
• detailedOil Discharge Monitoring and Control System (ODME) for Tankers
• detailedOily Water Separators: How a 15 ppm Bilge Separator Works
• howReading the 15 ppm Alarm Log During a PSC Inspection
• detailedTamper-Evidence on Oil Filtering Equipment
• detailedThe 15 ppm Bilge Alarm Explained
• detailedThe Automatic Stopping Device and Three-Way Valve

Oil Record Book Part I structure and operation codes

• detailedCode A: Ballasting or Cleaning of Oil Fuel Tanks
• detailedCode B: Discharge of Dirty Ballast or Cleaning Water from Oil Fuel Tanks
• detailedCode C: Collection, Transfer, and Disposal of Oil Residues (Sludge)
• detailedCode D: Non-Automatic Discharge of Bilge Water Accumulated in Machinery Spaces
• detailedCode E: Automatic Discharge of Bilge Water from Machinery Spaces
• detailedCode F: Condition of the Oil Filtering Equipment
• detailedCode G: Accidental or Other Exceptional Discharges of Oil
• detailedCode H: Bunkering of Fuel or Bulk Lubricating Oil
• detailedCode I: Additional Operational Procedures and General Remarks
• howCorrecting an Error in the Oil Record Book
• detailedLanguage Requirements for the Oil Record Book
• cornerstoneOil Record Book Part I Operation Codes A to I: Master Index
• checklistORB Part I Item Numbers: The Full Cross-Reference Table
• detailedRegulation 17: The Oil Record Book Part I Requirement
• detailedRetention Period for the Oil Record Book
• detailedWho Must Sign Each ORB Entry

Port State Control, deficiencies, and compliance

• checklistDetainable Deficiencies Linked to Annex I
• detailedLinking the ORB to the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
• detailedPort State Control and the Oil Record Book
• checklistPreparing the Oil Record Book for a PSC Inspection
• detailedThe Paris MoU and MARPOL Annex I Inspections
• detailedThe Role of the Designated Person Ashore in ORB Oversight
• detailedThe Tokyo MoU and Oil Record Book Checks
• detailedThe US Coast Guard and the "Magic Pipe" Prosecutions
• detailedTop Oil Record Book Deficiencies Found by PSC
• detailedWhen a False ORB Entry Becomes a Crime

Related regulations and interfaces

• detailedCrude Oil Washing and the Oil Record Book Part II
• detailedDouble-Hull Requirements for Oil Tankers
• detailedIACS UR E26 and E27: Cyber Resilience for Onboard Systems
• detailedMARPOL Annex VI Interface: Burning Sludge and the SEEMP
• detailedRegulation 37: The Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP)
• detailedSegregated Ballast Tanks and Annex I
• detailedSTCW Competence for Oil Record Book Keeping
• detailedThe ISM Code and Oil Record Book Procedures
• detailedThe Pump-Room Bottom and Oil Discharge

Retained quantities, soundings, and oil accounting

• howEstimating Quantities When Soundings Are Impractical
• detailedRetained Quantities in the Oil Record Book
• detailedSludge Tank Sounding Tables and Trim Corrections
• detailedTank Soundings and the Oil Record Book
• detailedThe Oil Accounting Cross-Check PSC Officers Run
• faqWhy Recorded Quantities Must Match Physical Soundings

Sludge and oil residue management (Reg 12)

• detailedIncineration of Oil Residue On Board
• howManaging Sludge on a Long Ballast or Laden Voyage
• comparisonOil Residue (Sludge) Versus Oily Bilge Water
• detailedRegulation 12: Tanks for Oil Residues (Sludge)
• detailedSludge Generation Rate and Fuel Oil Quality
• detailedSludge Tank Capacity Requirements
• detailedThe Sludge Tank No-Discharge-Connection Rule
• detailedThe Standard Discharge Connection for Oil Residue

Worked ORB entries (how-to)

• howHow to Record a Bilge Transfer to a Holding Tank (Code D)
• howHow to Record a Bunkering Operation (Code H)
• howHow to Record a Manual Bilge Discharge Overboard (Code D)
• howHow to Record an Accidental Oil Discharge (Code G)
• howHow to Record an Oil Filtering Equipment Failure (Code F)
• howHow to Record Automatic Bilge Discharge (Code E)
• howHow to Record Fuel Tank Ballasting (Code A)
• howHow to Record Sludge Incineration (Code C)
• howHow to Record Sludge Landed Ashore (Code C)
• howHow to Record Sludge Transferred Between Tanks (Code C)
• howHow to Write a Code I General Remark
• howReconciling a Sludge Tank Sounding With Code C Entries

MARPOL Annex II and the Cargo Record Book80 articles

Cornerstone and the Cargo Record Book

• faqCargo Record Book FAQ
• detailedCargo Record Book Operation Codes A to K
• comparisonCargo Record Book vs Oil Record Book Part II
• howCorrecting Errors in the Cargo Record Book
• detailedElectronic Cargo Record Book Approval
• howHow to Make a Cargo Record Book Entry
• detailedRetention and Inspection of the Cargo Record Book
• cornerstoneThe MARPOL Annex II Cargo Record Book Explained

Discharge criteria and conditions

• detailedBallast Water in Cargo Tanks
• detailedCold-Climate Discharge Provisions
• detailedDischarge in Special Areas (Antarctic)
• detailedDischarge of Category X Residues
• detailedDischarge of Category Y and Z Residues
• detailedDischarge Through an Underwater Outlet
• howDischarge to a Reception Facility
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex II Discharge Criteria
• detailedThe 12 Nautical Mile and 25 Metre Depth Conditions

IBC Code, certification and survey link

• comparisonCertificate of Fitness vs NLS Certificate
• detailedExemptions and Equivalents
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex II and the IBC Code
• howPumping, Piping and Stripping Survey
• detailedShip Types 1, 2 and 3 Under the IBC Code
• detailedSurveys Under MARPOL Annex II

MARPOL Annex II and the Cargo Record Book

• detailedAnnex II Regulation 3 Exemptions and Regulation 4 Exceptions
• howApplying for a Prewash Exemption at the Discharge Port
• detailedBiofuel Blends and Their Categorization
• detailedCargo Heating Requirements for Solidifying Substances
• detailedCargo Record Book Code A: Loading of Cargo
• detailedCargo Record Book Code B: Internal Transfer of Cargo
• detailedCargo Record Book Code C: Unloading of Cargo
• detailedCargo Record Book Code D: Mandatory Prewash in Accordance With the Manual
• detailedCargo Record Book Code E: Cleaning of Cargo Tanks Except Mandatory Prewash
• detailedCargo Record Book Code F: Discharge Into the Sea of Tank Washings
• detailedCargo Record Book Code G: Ballasting of Cargo Tanks
• detailedCargo Record Book Code H: Discharge of Ballast Water From Cargo Tanks
• detailedCargo Record Book Code I: Accidental or Other Exceptional Discharge
• detailedCargo Record Book Code J: Control by Authorized Surveyors
• detailedCargo Record Book Code K: Additional Operational Procedures and General Remarks
• howCargo Record Book Retention Through a Change of Trade or Flag
• detailedCargo Unloading Temperature and the Approved Manual
• howField Mapping for an Electronic Cargo Record Book
• detailedIBC Code Chapters 15 and 16: Special and Operational Requirements
• howRunning Annex I and Annex II Records in Parallel on a Product and Chemical Tanker
• howShip-to-Ship Transfer of Noxious Liquid Substances
• howShore and Contractor Tank Cleaning Operations
• detailedSigning the Cargo Record Book: Officer and Master Duties
• detailedSlop and Residue Holding Arrangements on a Chemical Tanker
• detailedTank Cleaning Additives and Cleaning Agents Under Annex II
• detailedThe MEPC.2 Circular and Provisionally Categorized Products
• howThe Water Stripping Test and the Survey Record
• detailedVegetable Oils Under MARPOL Annex II
• howWhen the Reception Facility Cannot Accept the Washings

NLS categories and the pollution-category system

• detailedCategory X Noxious Liquid Substances
• comparisonCategory X vs Y vs Z Discharge Limits Compared
• detailedCategory Y Noxious Liquid Substances
• detailedCategory Z Noxious Liquid Substances
• detailedHow a Substance Is Assigned a Pollution Category
• cornerstoneNLS Categories X, Y, Z and OS Explained
• detailedOther Substances (OS) in MARPOL Annex II
• detailedProvisional Assessment of an Unlisted Substance (Tripartite)
• howReading Chapter 17 of the IBC Code

Port State control and enforcement

• checklistCargo Record Book Deficiencies and Detention
• checklistMARPOL Annex II Compliance Checklist
• detailedPort State Control of MARPOL Annex II
• howSurveyor Endorsement of a Prewash

Prewash, stripping and ventilation procedures

• detailedEfficient Stripping Performance Test
• detailedHigh-Viscosity and Solidifying Substances
• cornerstoneMandatory Prewash Procedures
• detailedMaximum Stripping Quantities by Build Date
• howPrewash Standard and Verification
• howStripping, Draining and Discharge Sequence
• howTank Ventilation Procedures for Cargo Residues
• comparisonVentilation vs Prewash for Residue Removal
• detailedWhen Is a Prewash Required After Discharge

Procedures and Arrangements (P&A) Manual

• howApproval and Amendment of the P&A Manual
• faqP&A Manual FAQ
• detailedStandard Format of the P&A Manual
• detailedTank-Specific Stripping Quantities in the P&A Manual
• cornerstoneThe Procedures and Arrangements Manual
• detailedWhat the P&A Manual Must Contain

MARPOL Annex VI, air pollution and energy62 articles

Cornerstone and orientation

• detailedChapters of MARPOL Annex VI: How the Annex Is Structured
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex VI Explained: Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency from Ships
• detailedMARPOL Annex VI Surveys and the IAPP Certificate
• detailedWhich Ships Does MARPOL Annex VI Apply To

Energy efficiency: EEDI and EEXI

• detailedEEDI Reduction Phases and the Required EEDI
• comparisonEEDI vs EEXI: Design Index vs Existing-Ship Index
• howEEXI Compliance: EPL, ShaPoLi, and Technical Options
• cornerstoneShip Energy Efficiency Under MARPOL Annex VI Chapter 4
• detailedThe Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI)
• detailedThe Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI)

Exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers / EGCS)

• detailedEGCS Approval: Scheme A and Scheme B
• howEGCS Records and the ETM: What to Log
• cornerstoneExhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (Scrubbers) as an Equivalent
• comparisonOpen-Loop vs Closed-Loop vs Hybrid Scrubbers
• howScrubber Breakdown and Malfunction Reporting
• detailedScrubber Washwater Discharge Criteria

Fuel quality, BDN, and sampling

• checklistBDN and Fuel Sample Checklist for Bunkering
• howBDN Retention: The Three-Year Rule
• cornerstoneBunker Delivery Notes Under Annex VI
• detailedFuel-Oil Quality Requirements (Reg 18.3)
• howHow an Electronic Record Book Handles BDN Records
• detailedIn-Use and On-Board Fuel Sampling
• detailedThe MARPOL Fuel-Oil Sample (Representative Sample)
• detailedWhat Must Appear on a Bunker Delivery Note

NOx and engine certification

• detailedEIAPP Certificate: Engine Air Pollution Prevention
• faqMarine Diesel Engine Scope Under Reg 13
• cornerstoneNOx Emission Limits and the Tier I-II-III Framework
• detailedNOx Tier III in Emission Control Areas
• comparisonNOx-Reducing Technologies: SCR vs EGR
• detailedThe NOx Technical Code 2008 and the NOx Technical File

Operational efficiency: SEEMP and CII

• detailedCII Correction Factors and Voyage Adjustments
• howCII for an Electronic Record Book: Data You Must Capture
• detailedCII Rating Boundaries (A to E)
• howHow CII Is Calculated (AER and the Reduction Factor)
• howSEEMP and CII Verification Cycle
• detailedSEEMP Part I, Part II, and Part III Explained
• cornerstoneThe Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and the A-to-E Rating
• cornerstoneThe Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP)
• howWhat Happens After a D or E CII Rating

Other emission sources and PSC

• checklistAnnex VI Record-Keeping: A Master Inventory
• detailedOzone-Depleting Substances Under Annex VI
• detailedPort State Control Under Annex VI
• detailedShipboard Incineration Rules
• howThe Ozone-Depleting Substances Record Book
• detailedVolatile Organic Compounds and VOC Management Plans

Reporting: IMO DCS, EU MRV, and GHG strategy

• cornerstoneEU MRV: Monitoring, Reporting, Verification
• comparisonIMO DCS vs EU MRV: Two Reporting Regimes
• detailedMid-Term GHG Measures and the Net-Zero Framework
• detailedThe 2023 IMO GHG Strategy
• howThe DCS Statement of Compliance
• cornerstoneThe IMO Fuel Oil Data Collection System (DCS)
• detailedWhat the IMO DCS Requires You to Report

SOx and the sulphur cap

• howECA Fuel-Change Log: What an Electronic Record Book Must Capture
• detailedECA Sulphur Limit: The 0.10% Rule
• detailedEmission Control Areas (SECA and NECA): A Complete Guide
• howFONAR: Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report
• howFuel-Oil Change-Over on ECA Entry and Exit
• comparisonSulphur Cap Compliance: Low-Sulphur Fuel vs Scrubber vs LNG
• checklistSulphur Compliance Checklist for ECA Transits
• cornerstoneThe 0.50% Global Sulphur Cap (IMO 2020) Explained
• detailedThe Carriage Ban on Non-Compliant Fuel Oil
• faqWhat Counts as Compliant Fuel Oil Under Annex VI

MARPOL Annexes III, IV and V73 articles

Annex III: harmful substances carried in packaged form

• checklistAnnex III compliance checklist for the chief officer
• detailedDocumentation for packaged harmful substances
• faqExceptions for the safety of the ship under Annex III
• detailedMarking and labeling of marine pollutants
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex III explained: harmful substances in packaged form
• detailedPacking requirements for harmful substances (Annex III)
• howPort State control inspection under Annex III
• detailedQuantity limitations and prohibited substances
• comparisonSevere marine pollutant vs marine pollutant: the distinction
• detailedSmall quantity and limited quantity exemptions for marine pollutants
• detailedStowage of harmful substances under Annex III
• detailedThe IMDG Code and MARPOL Annex III: how they connect
• detailedWhat is a marine pollutant under MARPOL Annex III
• faqWhat is the marine pollutant mark and when is it required

Annex IV: sewage from ships

• checklistAnnex IV compliance checklist before port arrival
• comparisonBlack water vs gray water: what Annex IV does and does not cover
• detailedComminuting and disinfecting systems under Annex IV
• detailedDischarging treated sewage from an approved plant
• detailedDischarging untreated sewage: the 12 nm and 4 knot rules
• faqExceptions to the Annex IV discharge rules
• howHow to log a sewage discharge in an e-record book
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex IV explained: sewage from ships
• detailedPassenger ship sewage standards in special areas (MEPC.227(64) section 4.2)
• detailedPort reception facilities for sewage
• detailedSewage discharge rules: distance, speed, and treatment
• comparisonSewage discharge: special area vs non-special area
• detailedSewage holding tanks: sizing and use
• detailedSewage in the Baltic Sea Special Area
• howSewage surveys and certification under Annex IV
• comparisonSewage system equipment options under Annex IV
• detailedSewage treatment plants: type approval and standards
• detailedStandard discharge connections for sewage
• faqThe "moderate rate" sewage discharge requirement
• detailedThe International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate (ISPP)
• detailedWhat counts as sewage under MARPOL Annex IV
• detailedWhich ships must comply with Annex IV

Annex V: garbage from ships

• detailedAccidental loss of fishing gear: reporting under Annex V
• detailedAnimal carcasses: discharge rules
• detailedCleaning agents and additives in wash water
• detailedDischarging cargo residues outside special areas
• faqDischarging garbage below the lowest astronomical tide line
• detailedE-waste and operational wastes as garbage
• faqExceptions to the Annex V discharge rules
• detailedFood waste discharge rules outside special areas
• detailedFood waste in special areas: the 12 nm comminuted rule
• detailedGarbage categories A to K under MARPOL Annex V
• glossaryGarbage categories quick-reference table
• checklistGarbage compliance checklist for port State control
• detailedGarbage discharge within special areas
• comparisonGarbage discharge: outside vs inside special areas
• detailedGarbage placards under Annex V
• detailedGarbage Record Book Part I and Part II
• detailedGarbage record-keeping thresholds: which ships keep a GRB
• detailedHarmful to the Marine Environment (HME) cargo residues
• howHow to make a Garbage Record Book entry
• howIncineration of garbage and the Garbage Record Book
• cornerstoneMARPOL Annex V explained: garbage from ships
• detailedPlastics: total discharge prohibition (category A)
• detailedReception facilities for garbage in port
• detailedSolid bulk cargoes and the IMSBC Code HME declaration
• detailedThe Garbage Management Plan (GMP)
• detailedThe Garbage Record Book (GRB) explained
• detailedThe general prohibition on garbage discharge
• detailedThe list of Annex V special areas
• detailedWhat is garbage under MARPOL Annex V

Cross-annex topics

• detailedCommon MARPOL Annex IV and V deficiencies and detentions
• howDesignating a responsible person for garbage and sewage compliance
• cornerstoneElectronic record books under MARPOL: MEPC.312(74)
• howPort State control across Annexes III, IV, and V
• comparisonReception facilities across MARPOL annexes
• comparisonRecord retention periods across MARPOL annexes
• comparisonSpecial areas across MARPOL: a unified view
• detailedWhich MARPOL record books can be kept electronically

Port State Control inspections117 articles

Concentrated Inspection Campaigns

• detailedCIC on MARPOL (ORB/OWS)
• checklistHow to prepare for a CIC (checklist)
• detailedPast CIC topics and outcomes
• cornerstoneWhat is a Concentrated Inspection Campaign

Deficiency and detention coding

• detailedBanning and refusal of access
• comparisonDetention vs deficiency vs observation
• detailedMARPOL Annex I deficiency codes
• detailedPSC action codes (10, 15, 16, 17, 30, 99)
• cornerstonePSC deficiency codes explained
• detailedWhat makes a deficiency detainable

Inspection process and types

• comparison14 days vs full follow-up actions
• detailedExpanded inspection of high-risk ships
• detailedInitial inspection (Section 1.1)
• howInspection report (Form A and Form B)
• detailedMore detailed inspection and clear grounds
• checklistPreparing for a PSC inspection (checklist)
• howRight of appeal against a PSC decision
• cornerstoneThe PSC inspection process end to end
• detailedThe PSCO: role, qualifications, conduct
• howWhat happens after a detention

MARPOL Annex I and the Oil Record Book (priority cluster)

• detailedCommon ORB entry errors and how PSCOs find them
• howElectronic Oil Record Book and PSC
• comparisonElectronic vs paper Oil Record Book
• cornerstoneHow a PSCO reviews the Oil Record Book
• detailedIOPP Certificate and Form A / Form B
• detailedMARPOL Annex I detainable items
• detailedMost common MARPOL Annex I deficiencies
• detailedOil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME)
• detailedOil Record Book Part I (machinery space)
• detailedOil Record Book Part II (cargo/ballast)
• faqOil Record Book retention and signing rules
• comparisonOil Record Book vs Garbage Record Book vs other record books
• detailedOily Water Separator and 15 ppm bilge alarm
• detailedSludge and bilge holding tank management
• detailedSOPEP and Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
• detailedThe "magic pipe" and ORB falsification

Port State Control Inspections

• detailedAction Code 30 Applied to an Annex I Finding
• howAppealing a Detention or a Deficiency
• detailedCaptain of the Port Orders and the Departure Hold
• howClass Involvement in Clearing an Annex I Detention
• detailedClear Grounds Arising From the Oil Record Book Itself
• detailedCompany Performance and the Responsible ISM Company
• detailedCrew Complaints and Third-Party Information as a Trigger
• howCross-Checking Bunker Delivery Notes Against Code H Entries
• howCross-Checking Position and Navigational Records Against Discharge Entries
• detailedDeficiency Code Group 14: How Annex I Findings Are Coded
• checklistDetention Criteria Specific to Oil Filtering Equipment
• detailedDetention for a Missing or Grossly Deficient Oil Record Book
• howInspecting the Overboard Discharge Line, Flanges and Paintwork
• howInterviewing Engine Room Personnel During an Annex I Inspection
• detailedMARPOL Articles 5 and 6: The Source of the Inspection Power
• howOily Water Separator Running Hours and the Discharge Record
• detailedParis Memorandum of Understanding Inspection Time Windows
• detailedPilot and Port Authority Reports as an Inspection Trigger
• checklistPolar Code Inspection Items Relevant to Annex I
• detailedPort State Control and the ISM Code Behind an Annex I Deficiency
• detailedQUALSHIP 21 and the Reduced Examination Regime
• howReading the Oil Content Meter Data Recorder at Inspection
• howRectifying an Annex I Deficiency Before Departure
• detailedRefusal of Access: Criteria, Duration and Lifting
• howReporting a Suspected Discharge Violation to the Flag State
• howRequesting an Operational Test of the Oily Water Separator
• howSounding the Sludge and Bilge Holding Tanks in Front of the Crew
• howTaking Bilge and Sludge Tank Samples During an Inspection
• howTesting the 15 ppm Alarm and Automatic Stopping Device
• howThe Engine Room Walkthrough During an Annex I Inspection
• detailedThe European Inspection Databases and Reporting
• detailedThe No More Favourable Treatment Principle
• detailedThe Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding Information System
• detailedThe United States Coast Guard Port State Control Targeting Matrix
• detailedVessel and Crew Retention During a United States MARPOL Investigation

Regimes and Memoranda of Understanding

• detailedAbuja MoU (West and Central Africa) overview
• detailedBlack Sea MoU overview
• detailedCaribbean MoU overview
• detailedEU PSC Directive 2009/16/EC and THETIS
• detailedIndian Ocean MoU (IOMOU) overview
• glossaryList of all regional PSC MoUs
• detailedMediterranean MoU (MedMoU) overview
• comparisonMediterranean vs Black Sea MoU
• detailedParis MoU on Port State Control explained
• comparisonParis MoU vs Tokyo MoU vs USCG
• detailedRiyadh MoU (GCC) overview
• detailedTokyo MoU on Port State Control explained
• detailedUSCG Port State Control program
• detailedViña del Mar Agreement (Latin America) overview
• cornerstoneWhat is Port State Control

Ship Risk Profile and targeting

• detailedCompany performance in targeting
• detailedFlag and RO performance lists
• detailedHow PSC targeting and selection works
• howHow to lower your Ship Risk Profile
• detailedOverriding and unexpected factors
• cornerstoneShip Risk Profile explained

The Ship Risk Profile and how Port State Control targets ships

• detailed15 ppm bilge alarm
• detailedAction code
• detailedBanning / refusal of access
• detailedClear grounds
• detailedConcentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC)
• detailedDeficiency
• detailedDetention
• detailedElectronic Record Book
• detailedExpanded inspection
• detailedInitial inspection
• detailedIOPP Certificate
• detailedMagic pipe
• detailedMemorandum of Understanding (MoU)
• detailedMore detailed inspection
• detailedNew Inspection Regime (NIR)
• detailedOil Record Book (ORB)
• detailedOily Water Separator (OWS)
• detailedOverriding factor
• detailedPort State Control (PSC)
• detailedPort State Control Officer (PSCO)
• detailedQUALSHIP 21
• detailedShip Risk Profile (SRP)
• detailedSOPEP
• detailedStandard discharge connection
• detailedWhite / Grey / Black List

Salvage, wreck removal and pollution response14 articles

Salvage, wreck removal, places of refuge, and pollution response

• detailedEmergency Towing Arrangements and Towage Booklets
• detailedFirefighting, Beaching, and Damage Control Decisions in a Casualty
• detailedLloyd's Open Form and the SCOPIC Clause
• detailedPlaces of Refuge and Coastal State Decision-Making
• detailedShip-to-Ship Transfer of Oil Cargo at Sea
• howSOPEP Drills, Equipment, and the Record of Each
• howThe Master's Authority to Engage Salvors
• detailedThe Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention
• detailedThe OPRC Convention and National Response Systems
• detailedThe OPRC-HNS Protocol and Chemical Incident Response
• detailedThe Salvage Convention 1989 and the Criteria for a Salvage Award
• detailedThe Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan for Noxious Liquid Substances
• cornerstoneThe Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
• detailedThe United States Vessel Response Plan Requirement

Ship certificates and documents carried on board277 articles

Ballast water, anti-fouling, and hazardous materials

• comparisonHong Kong Convention Certificate or EU Inventory Certificate: Avoiding Double Counting
• howMaintaining the Inventory of Hazardous Materials Part I Over the Life of a Ship
• detailedThe Ballast Water Management Plan as an Approved Carried Document
• detailedThe Ballast Water Record Book
• detailedThe Cybutryne Amendments and Their Effect on the AFS Certificate
• detailedThe Declaration on Anti-Fouling System for Ships Under 400 Gross Tonnage
• detailedThe EU Ship Recycling Regulation Inventory Certificate and Statement of Compliance
• detailedThe International Anti-Fouling System Certificate Explained
• detailedThe International Ballast Water Management Certificate Explained
• detailedThe International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials
• detailedThe International Ready for Recycling Certificate
• detailedType Approval of a Ballast Water Management System and the Ship's Documentation
• detailedWhy the AFS Certificate Does Not Follow the Harmonized Five-Year Clock

Checklists

• checklistAnnual Survey Readiness Check
• checklistCertificate Set for a Bulk Carrier of 500 Gross Tonnage and Above
• checklistCertificate Set for a Chemical Tanker
• checklistCertificate Set for a Crude Oil Tanker
• checklistCertificate Set for a Gas Carrier
• checklistCertificate Set for a Passenger Ship
• checklistCertificates Required Before a First International Voyage After Delivery
• checklistCertificates to Surrender and Obtain on a Change of Flag
• checklistCrew Certificate Audit Against the Minimum Safe Manning Document
• checklistDocuments to Have Ready for a Maritime Labour Convention Inspection
• checklistOnboard Servicing Due-Date Check: Life-Saving, Fire-Fighting, and Radio
• checklistRenewal Survey and Dry-Dock Document Pack

Classification society certificates and the class survey regime

• detailedConditions of Class, Recommendations, and Memoranda
• detailedContinuous Survey of Hull
• detailedContinuous Survey of Machinery
• detailedDocking and Bottom Surveys: Two in Five Years
• detailedDual Class and What It Means for the Certificate Set
• detailedHull and Machinery Class Character Symbols and Separate Survey Status
• detailedIn-Water Survey in Lieu of Dry-Docking
• detailedSuspension and Withdrawal of Class and the Effect on Statutory Certificates
• detailedThe Boiler Survey: Two Internal Examinations in Five Years
• comparisonThe Certificate of Class Compared With the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate
• detailedThe Certificate of Class Explained
• detailedThe Class Annual Survey and Its Window
• detailedThe Class Intermediate Survey
• detailedThe Enhanced Survey Programme and Its Effect on Survey Scope
• detailedThe Extended Dry-Docking Scheme
• detailedThe Interim Certificate of Class
• detailedThe Special Survey, or Class Renewal Survey
• detailedThe Tailshaft Survey and Condition Monitoring Extensions
• howTransfer of Class Between Societies

Comparisons

• comparisonAnnual Survey Under HSSC or Annual Survey Under Class Rules
• comparisonCertificate of Registry or Certificate of Class
• comparisonExemption, Equivalent, and Dispensation Distinguished
• comparisonFlag-Issued or RO-Issued Statutory Certificates
• comparisonInterim Certificate or Short-Term Certificate
• comparisonIOPP, IAPP, and IEE Certificates Compared
• comparisonMaritime Labour Certificate or Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance
• comparisonStatutory Certificate or Class Certificate: Two Authorities, One Surveyor
• comparisonSurvey, Verification, and Inspection: Three Words for Three Regimes
• comparisonThree Documents Abbreviated DOC: ISM, Dangerous Goods, and EU MRV

Cornerstones and orientation

• comparisonCertificates, Documents, and Record Books: Three Kinds of Carried Paper
• detailedGross Tonnage Thresholds That Trigger Ship Certificates: 150, 300, 400, 500, and 5,000 GT
• detailedHow a Ship's Required Certificate Set Is Derived From Its Attributes
• cornerstoneShip Certificates and Documents Carried on Board: The Complete Reference
• detailedSupplements and Attachments That Force Re-Issue of a Parent Certificate
• detailedThe 24 Meter Length Threshold in Load Line and Tonnage Certification
• detailedThe Record of Equipment Attached to a SOLAS Safety Certificate
• cornerstoneThe Ship Certificate Lifecycle: Survey, Issue, Endorsement, Renewal, Expiry
• detailedWhere Ship Certificates Are Kept on Board and Who Is Responsible for Them
• detailedWho Issues a Ship Certificate: Flag Administration, Recognized Organization, Class Society

Crew certification carried aboard

• detailedCertificates of Proficiency Under STCW Chapter VI
• detailedDispensations Under STCW and Their Time Limits
• detailedGMDSS Operator Certificates: GOC and ROC
• detailedOnboard Familiarization and Training Records
• detailedPassenger Ship Crowd Management and Crisis Management Training Records
• howRevalidation of a Certificate of Competency
• cornerstoneSeafarer Certificates Carried on Board: What Must Be Available for Inspection
• detailedSeafarers' Identity Documents and Crew Lists
• detailedSecurity Training Certificates: SSO, Designated Security Duties, and Security Awareness
• detailedTanker Familiarization and Advanced Cargo Operations Certificates
• detailedThe Certificate of Competency Explained
• detailedThe Endorsement Attesting the Issue of a Certificate
• detailedThe Endorsement of Recognition for Service Under Another Flag
• detailedThe Minimum Safe Manning Document as the Bridge Between Ship and Crew Certification
• detailedThe Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate

Electronic certificates

• detailedDigital Signatures and Seals on Statutory Certificates
• comparisonElectronic Certificates and Electronic Record Books Are Not the Same Thing
• cornerstoneElectronic Ship Certificates Explained
• detailedFAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2: The IMO Guidelines for Electronic Certificates
• detailedFlag Administrations Issuing Electronic Statutory Certificates
• detailedKeeping the Certificate Set Available Offline for Inspection
• comparisonPaper Certificate or Electronic Certificate
• detailedPort State Control Acceptance of Electronic Certificates
• detailedPrinted Copies of Electronic Certificates and Their Status
• detailedThe Unique Tracking Number and Verification Website

Expiry, lapse, and restoration of validity

• detailedAutomatic Cessation of Validity Without a Formal Withdrawal
• howBuilding a Certificate Expiry Forecast for a Fleet
• detailedCertificate Status During Dry-Docking and Extended Repair
• detailedChange of Flag: Mass Cessation and the New Certificate Set
• detailedChange of Recognized Organization Without Resetting the Clock
• detailedInterim and Short-Term Certificates at Newbuilding Delivery
• detailedLaid-Up Ships: Suspension of Certificates and Reactivation Survey
• howPlanning Certificate Renewals Around a Dry-Docking Window
• detailedRestoration of a Lapsed Certificate After an Overdue Survey
• comparisonSingle Continuous Validity Versus Annual Renewal
• detailedThe Effect of a Missed Annual or Intermediate Survey
• cornerstoneWhat Happens When a Ship Certificate Expires

Frequently asked questions

• faqAre Crew Certificates Checked During Port State Control?
• faqCan a Ship Sail With an Expired Certificate?
• faqDoes an Electronic Certificate Have the Same Legal Standing as Paper?
• faqDoes the International Energy Efficiency Certificate Expire?
• faqDoes the International Tonnage Certificate Expire?
• faqHow Long Is a Ship Certificate Valid?
• faqHow Many Certificates Does a Ship Carry?
• faqIs a Certificate of Class a Statutory Certificate?
• faqIs the Anti-Fouling System Certificate Renewed Every Five Years?
• faqMust Original Certificates Be Kept on Board?
• faqWhat Happens if an Annual Survey Is Missed?
• faqWhat Is the Difference Between a Survey and a Verification?
• faqWhat Is the Difference Between the ISM Document of Compliance and the Dangerous Goods DoC?
• faqWhich Certificates Does a Ship Under 500 Gross Tonnage Need?
• faqWho Signs the Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Part II?

Glossary terms

• glossaryGlossary: Additional Survey
• glossaryGlossary: Anniversary Date
• glossaryGlossary: Blue Card
• glossaryGlossary: Certificate of Class
• glossaryGlossary: Cessation of Validity
• glossaryGlossary: Condition of Class
• glossaryGlossary: Continuous Synopsis Record
• glossaryGlossary: Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance
• glossaryGlossary: Electronic Certificate
• glossaryGlossary: Endorsement
• glossaryGlossary: Enhanced Survey Programme
• glossaryGlossary: Exemption Certificate
• glossaryGlossary: Freeboard
• glossaryGlossary: Gross Tonnage
• glossaryGlossary: In-Water Survey
• glossaryGlossary: Initial Survey
• glossaryGlossary: Interim Certificate
• glossaryGlossary: Intermediate Survey
• glossaryGlossary: Minimum Safe Manning Document
• glossaryGlossary: Net Tonnage
• glossaryGlossary: Periodical Survey
• glossaryGlossary: Recognized Organization
• glossaryGlossary: Recognized Security Organization
• glossaryGlossary: Record of Equipment
• glossaryGlossary: Renewal Survey
• glossaryGlossary: Statement of Compliance

How-to guides

• howHow to Calculate an Annual Survey Window From the Anniversary Date
• howHow to Check a Seafarer's Certificates Against the Manning Document
• howHow to Compile the Certificate Set for a Newly Delivered Ship
• howHow to Determine the Expiry Date After an Early Renewal Survey
• howHow to Maintain a Certificate Register on Board and Ashore
• howHow to Prepare a Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Part II
• howHow to Read the Validity and Endorsement Panel on a Statutory Certificate
• howHow to Record and Track a Condition of Class to Closure
• howHow to Request an Extension of Validity When Away From the Port of Survey
• howHow to Respond When Port State Control Finds an Expired Certificate
• howHow to Transfer a Certificate Set on a Change of Flag
• howHow to Verify an Electronic Certificate at an Inspection

Insurance and liability certificates

• detailedDirect Action Against the Insurer and Why Carriage Is Enforced
• detailedLiability and Financial Security Certificates Carried on Board
• detailedThe 2010 HNS Convention Certificate and Its Status
• detailedThe Athens Convention Passenger Liability Certificate
• detailedThe Bunkers Convention Certificate
• detailedThe Certificate of Entry With a Protection and Indemnity Club
• detailedThe Civil Liability Convention Certificate
• detailedThe Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention Certificate
• glossaryThe P&I Blue Card Explained
• detailedWhy Liability Certificates Expire on the Insurance Year, Not the Survey Cycle

ISM, ISPS, and management certification

• detailedInterim ISM Certification: Interim DOC and Interim SMC
• detailedISM Major Non-Conformity and the Route to Certificate Withdrawal
• detailedThe Continuous Synopsis Record Explained
• detailedThe Declaration of Security Between Ship and Port Facility
• detailedThe Document of Compliance Under the ISM Code
• detailedThe Interim International Ship Security Certificate
• detailedThe International Ship Security Certificate Explained
• detailedThe Safety Management Certificate Under the ISM Code
• detailedThe Ship Security Alert System and Its Documentation
• detailedThe Ship Security Plan and Records Kept Under the ISPS Code
• detailedWhy Withdrawal of the Company Document of Compliance Invalidates Every Ship's SMC

Load Line, tonnage, and hull documentation

• detailedConditions of Assignment of Freeboard
• detailedExtension of Load Line Certificate Validity
• detailedHow Gross Tonnage and Net Tonnage Are Calculated
• detailedLoad Line Marks: The Deck Line, the Disc, and the Seasonal Lines
• detailedLoad Line Zones, Areas, and Seasonal Periods
• detailedStructural Alterations That Require Re-Measurement and a New Tonnage Certificate
• detailedThe Bulk Carrier Booklet and Loading Instrument Documentation
• detailedThe Enhanced Survey Programme Survey Report File
• detailedThe International Load Line Certificate Explained
• detailedThe International Load Line Exemption Certificate
• detailedThe International Tonnage Certificate (1969) Explained
• detailedWhat Happens to the Tonnage Certificate on a Change of Flag

Maritime Labour Convention 2006 certification

• detailedFinancial Security for Seafarer Repatriation Carried Aboard
• detailedFinancial Security for Shipowner Liability in Death and Long-Term Disability
• detailedOnboard Complaint Procedures and the Documents That Evidence Them
• detailedRecords of Hours of Work and Hours of Rest
• detailedSeafarer Employment Agreements as Carried Documents
• detailedThe Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Part I
• detailedThe Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Part II
• checklistThe Fourteen Areas Inspected for the Maritime Labour Certificate
• detailedThe Interim Maritime Labour Certificate
• detailedThe Maritime Labour Certificate Explained
• detailedThe Ship's Cook Certificate and Catering Documentation

MARPOL certificates and mandatory plans

• detailedBunker Delivery Notes and Retained Fuel Samples as Carried Records
• detailedMARPOL Exemption and Equivalence Certificates
• detailedThe EIAPP Certificate: An Engine Certificate, Not a Ship Certificate
• detailedThe Garbage Management Plan and Garbage Record Book
• detailedThe International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate and Its Supplement
• detailedThe International Energy Efficiency Certificate: A Certificate With No Expiry
• detailedThe International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate
• detailedThe MARPOL Certificate Set: Six Annexes, Seven Certificates
• detailedThe NLS Certificate for Ships Carrying Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk
• detailedThe NOx Technical File and Onboard Verification of an Engine's Certification
• detailedThe Ozone Depleting Substances Record Book
• detailedThe Procedures and Arrangements Manual as a Carried Document
• detailedThe Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan as a Carried Document
• detailedThe Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan for Noxious Liquid Substances
• detailedThe Statement of Compliance for Fuel Oil Consumption Reporting
• detailedThe Statement of Compliance for Operational Carbon Intensity
• detailedThe VOC Management Plan for Tankers
• detailedWhen an Amendment to the IOPP Supplement Forces a New IOPP Certificate
• detailedWhy MARPOL Annex IV Uses Only Initial and Renewal Surveys

Port State Control and certificate verification

• detailedAn Invalid Certificate as Clear Grounds for a More Detailed Inspection
• detailedCertificate Status and the Ship Risk Profile
• detailedCrew Certificate Deficiencies Found in Port State Control
• detailedExpired Certificates as Detainable Deficiencies
• detailedMapping a Certificate to Its PSC Deficiency Code Family
• checklistPreparing the Certificate File for a Port State Control Boarding
• detailedThe Certificates a Port State Control Officer Checks First
• detailedThe USCG Targeting Matrix and Certificate-Related Points

Registration, manning, and ship identity documents

• detailedBareboat Charter Registration and the Dual-Registry Certificate Set
• detailedProvisional and Interim Registration Documents
• detailedThe Certificate of Registry Explained
• detailedThe IMO Ship Identification Number and Its Marking
• detailedThe IMO Unique Company and Registered Owner Identification Number
• detailedThe Minimum Safe Manning Document as an Event-Driven Document
• detailedThe Official Log Book and Flag-Specific Statutory Records
• detailedThe Ship Radio Station License

SOLAS safety certificates

• comparisonCertificate of Fitness or NLS Certificate: Which a Tanker Holds
• detailedEquivalent Arrangements Accepted Under SOLAS Regulation I/5
• detailedExemption Certificates Under SOLAS and Their Dependence on a Parent Certificate
• detailedNuclear Ship Safety Certificates Under SOLAS Chapter VIII
• detailedStability, Loading, and Damage Control Documents Carried Alongside the Safety Certificates
• detailedThe Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate Explained
• detailedThe Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate Explained
• detailedThe Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate Explained
• detailedThe Combined Cargo Ship Safety Certificate Under the 1988 SOLAS Protocol
• detailedThe Document of Compliance for the Carriage of Packaged Dangerous Goods
• detailedThe High-Speed Craft Safety Certificate and the Permit to Operate
• detailedThe International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk
• detailedThe International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk
• detailedThe Passenger Ship Safety Certificate and Its Twelve Month Clock
• detailedThe Polar Ship Certificate and the Polar Water Operational Manual
• detailedThe Ship Construction File for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers
• comparisonThree Separate Safety Certificates or One Combined Certificate

The Harmonized System of Survey and Certification

• detailedAdditional Surveys After Repair, Damage, or Alteration
• detailedAntedating and Post-Dating a Certificate
• comparisonEndorsement Versus Re-Issue of a Certificate
• howHarmonizing an Out-of-Sync Certificate Set
• detailedMaintaining the Condition of the Ship After Survey
• detailedPeriodical Surveys for Radio Installations
• detailedResolution A.1207(34): The 2025 HSSC Survey Guidelines
• detailedThe Anniversary Date and Why It Is Fixed for the Life of the Ship
• detailedThe Annual Survey Window: Three Months Either Side of the Anniversary
• detailedThe Five-Month Extension When a Renewal Survey Is Done but the Certificate Is Not Issued
• cornerstoneThe Harmonized System of Survey and Certification Explained
• detailedThe Intermediate Survey at the Second or Third Anniversary
• detailedThe One-Month Grace Period for Ships on Short Voyages
• detailedThe Renewal Survey and How the Replacement Certificate Is Dated
• detailedThe Three-Month Extension When a Ship Is Away From Its Port of Survey
• checklistWhich Certificates Fall Outside the Harmonized System

Trading-area and regional certificates

• detailedEPA Vessel General Permit and the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act
• comparisonPanama Canal Tonnage or Suez Canal Tonnage: Two Different Numbers
• detailedPre-Arrival Notifications and the Certificate Data They Require
• detailedThe EU Emissions Trading System Surrender Obligation for Ships
• detailedThe EU MRV Document of Compliance
• detailedThe FuelEU Maritime Document of Compliance
• detailedThe Panama Canal Tonnage Documentation
• detailedThe Suez Canal Special Tonnage Certificate
• detailedThe USCG Certificate of Compliance for Foreign Tank Vessels
• detailedThe USCG Certificate of Financial Responsibility
• detailedTrading-Area Certificates: Documents Triggered by Where a Ship Calls

Shipboard roles, the ISM Code and the SMS94 articles

Core roles and the chain of command

• comparisonMaster vs Chief Engineer: Authority and Record Boundaries
• detailedMinimum Safe Manning and How It Shapes Record Duties
• detailedOfficer of the Watch (OOW): Deck and Engine Watch Responsibilities
• detailedSecond Engineer Officer: Watchkeeping, Operations, and Entry Duties
• detailedShipboard Department Structure: Deck, Engine, and Catering
• cornerstoneShipboard Roles, the ISM Code, and Record-Keeping: Complete Guide
• detailedThe Chief Engineer: Duties, Authority, and Engine-Department Records
• detailedThe Chief Officer (Chief Mate): Cargo, Stability, and Deck Records
• detailedThe Electro-Technical Officer (ETO): Role and Record Touchpoints
• detailedThe Master's Overriding Authority and Responsibility
• detailedThird and Fourth Engineer Officers: Watchkeeping Duties

Digital identity, signing, and e-record books

• detailedAudit Trail and Tamper Evidence in Electronic Record Books
• howCrew Change and Key Handover in an E-Record-Book System
• cornerstoneElectronic Record Books Under MARPOL: The Legal Basis
• howFlag State Approval of an Electronic Record Book
• detailedHow a Digital Signing Identity Maps to a Shipboard Role
• detailedMEPC.312(74) Guidelines for Electronic Record Books
• detailedOperation Signer vs Page Approver in an Electronic Record Book
• comparisonPer-Officer Keys vs a Shared Ship Account: Why Identity Matters

FAQ and quick reference

• faqCan a cadet make an Oil Record Book entry?
• faqDoes the master sign every Oil Record Book entry?
• faqIs the DPA part of the ship's crew?
• glossaryISM and Record-Keeping Glossary
• checklistRecord-Keeping Roles at a Glance
• faqWhat happens if the ORB is not signed?
• faqWho signs the ORB if the master is incapacitated?

Record-keeping mechanics, errors, and PSC

• howBunkering Operations and the Records They Generate
• howHow to Correct an Error in a Statutory Record Book
• howHow to Make a Correct Oil Record Book Entry
• detailedOil Record Book Deficiencies in Port State Control
• howPre-Entry Verification: Operator, Signer, and Approver Roles
• detailedThe Magic Pipe and ORB Falsification: Legal Consequences

Shipboard Roles, the ISM Code, and the Safety Management System

• howAuditing the Oil Record Book: An Internal Auditor's Method
• detailedChemical Tanker Vetting and Cargo Record Keeping
• detailedCritical Equipment Designation for the Oily Water Separator
• howDelegating Entry Preparation While Retaining the Signature
• detailedEngine Room Watch Handover and Unattended Machinery Space Records
• howFamiliarizing a Newly Joined Engineer With the Record-Keeping Procedure
• detailedFlag State Documentation of Persons Authorized to Sign
• howFleet Circulars and Standing Instructions on Bilge and Sludge Management
• detailedHours of Rest and the Quality of Engine Room Records
• detailedInterim Document of Compliance and Interim Safety Management Certificate
• detailedISM Code Paragraph 2: The Safety and Environmental Protection Policy
• detailedISM Code Paragraph 7: Shipboard Operations Plans and the Record Book Procedure
• detailedMajor Non-Conformity and Its Effect on Certification
• detailedMaster's Standing Orders and Chief Engineer's Standing Orders
• detailedOpen Reporting and Near-Miss Reporting for Pollution Concerns
• comparisonOwner, Technical Manager and Superintendent: Who Answers for the Record
• howPlanned Maintenance Records for the 15 ppm Equipment
• detailedPressure to Falsify: Turnaround Time, Tank Capacity and Reporting Routes
• detailedRatings and Cadets in Oily Water Operations
• howShore Review of Oil Record Book Entries by the Technical Superintendent
• detailedTanker Vetting and the Oil Record Book
• howThe Chief Engineer Handover Note and Open Record Items
• detailedThe Company Under the ISM Code and Who Carries the Obligation
• detailedThe Designated Oily Water Separator Operator
• detailedThe Master's Refusal to Sign a Doubtful Entry
• howThe Onboard Complaint Procedure and Pollution Allegations
• howTraining Records for Oily Water Separator Operation
• howWhen the Officer in Charge Leaves the Ship Before Signing

Statutory record books and who signs them

• detailedDeck Log Book: Navigation and Bridge Records
• detailedEngine Room Log Book and Bell Book
• cornerstoneOil Record Book Part I (Machinery Space Operations): Complete Guide
• detailedOil Record Book Part II (Cargo/Ballast Operations) on Oil Tankers
• comparisonOil Record Book vs Garbage Record Book: Signing Rules Compared
• detailedRecord Book Retention Periods: A Reference Table
• detailedThe Cargo Record Book for Noxious Liquid Substances
• detailedThe Garbage Record Book: Entries and Signatures
• detailedThe Official Log Book: Statutory Entries and Witnessing
• detailedWho Signs the Oil Record Book? Master and Officer Duties

The ISM Code and the Safety Management System

• detailedCompany Responsibility and Authority Under the ISM Code
• detailedDefining Responsibility and Authority Onboard (ISM Para 5 and 6)
• howDocument Control Under the ISM Code
• detailedEmergency Preparedness and the SMS
• howISM Internal Audits and the Master's Review
• detailedNon-Conformities, Corrective Action, and the SMS
• detailedThe Designated Person Ashore (DPA): Role and Authority
• detailedThe Document of Compliance (DOC) and Safety Management Certificate (SMC)
• cornerstoneThe ISM Code Explained: Structure and Requirements
• detailedWhat Is a Safety Management System (SMS)?

The ISM Code in operational depth

• howCorrective Action and Root Cause Analysis After an ISM Finding
• detailedEmergency Preparedness Under ISM Section 8
• howIdentifying Critical Equipment and Critical Operations
• detailedInterim Documents of Compliance and Interim Safety Management Certificates
• detailedISM Code Applicability: Which Ships and Which Companies
• detailedMaintenance of the Ship and Equipment Under ISM Section 10
• howManagement of Change in a Safety Management System
• detailedNon-Conformity, Major Non-Conformity, and Observation: The ISM Finding Taxonomy
• checklistPreparing for an ISM External Audit in Thirty Days
• detailedReporting Non-Conformities, Accidents, and Hazardous Occurrences
• howRisk Assessment Under the ISM Code
• detailedThe ISM Certification Cycle: Initial, Annual, Intermediate, and Renewal Audits
• detailedThe ISM Code and the Verification of Electronic Records
• howThe Master's Review of the Safety Management System

ShipORB product knowledge base95 articles

Admin and deployment

• checklistChecklist: ship-side install and commissioning
• faqFAQ: Can I run ShipORB on the existing engine-room PC?
• faqFAQ: What happens if the vessel hardware fails?
• glossaryGlossary: Signing key
• glossaryGlossary: SQLCipher
• detailedHow SQLCipher encryption protects the book at rest
• howHow to back up and restore the ship-side database
• howHow to deploy the ShipORB ship service on vessel hardware
• howHow to handle a crew change and reassign signing duties
• howHow to manage shore tenants and user roles
• howHow to register officers and issue signing keys
• howHow to update the ShipORB ship service safely

Fleet and shore

• checklistChecklist: weekly fleet compliance review for superintendents
• faqFAQ: Can shore staff create or change ship entries?
• faqFAQ: Does the shore copy count as the official record?
• glossaryGlossary: Compliance view
• glossaryGlossary: Tenant
• detailedHow superintendents review entries without editing them
• howHow to monitor sync freshness across the fleet
• howHow to read the compliance view for a vessel
• howHow to set up a new shore user and tenant
• cornerstoneThe ShipORB fleet dashboard explained

Getting started

• glossaryGlossary: Oil Record Book Part I
• howQuick start: from install to first signed entry
• detailedShipORB roles and who does what onboard and ashore
• detailedShipORB system requirements and supported vessel hardware
• comparisonShipORB vs paper Oil Record Book
• cornerstoneWhat is ShipORB? The electronic Oil Record Book explained

Inspection and export

• checklistChecklist: PSC oil-record inspection readiness
• faqFAQ: Does the PDF satisfy the inspector if the screen fails?
• faqFAQ: How far back must the book be retained and available?
• glossaryGlossary: PDF export
• glossaryGlossary: Port State Control (PSC)
• howHow to export the Oil Record Book as a PDF for inspection
• howHow to show an inspector the book on screen
• howHow to verify the integrity of an exported PDF
• cornerstonePreparing for a Port State Control oil-record inspection
• detailedWhat an inspector looks for in the Oil Record Book

Making entries (codes A-I)

• checklistChecklist: a complete and inspection-ready Code D entry
• faqFAQ: Can two officers make entries on the same day?
• faqFAQ: What if I forgot to make an entry at the time?
• faqFAQ: Which code do I use for this operation?
• howHow to correct a mistake in an entry
• howHow to record a sludge disposal in ShipORB
• howHow to record accidental or exceptional discharge of oil (Code F)
• howHow to record additional operational procedures and general remarks (Code I)
• howHow to record ballasting or cleaning of oil fuel tanks (Code A)
• howHow to record bunkering of fuel or bulk lubricating oil (Code H)
• howHow to record collection and disposal of oil residue/sludge (Code C)
• howHow to record condition of the oil discharge monitoring system (Code E)
• howHow to record discharge of bilge water (Code D)
• howHow to record discharge of dirty ballast or cleaning water (Code B)
• cornerstoneThe ORB codes A through I explained

Onboarding a vessel and tank registry

• faqFAQ: Can I edit the tank registry after entries exist?
• glossaryGlossary: Tank registry
• howHow to build the tank and equipment registry
• howHow to onboard a new vessel in ShipORB
• howHow to set vessel particulars and IMO number correctly
• checklistOnboarding checklist for a vessel going live on ShipORB
• detailedWhy the tank registry matters for ORB entries

Signing and lifecycle

• checklistChecklist: before you close the book
• faqFAQ: Can a signed entry be changed?
• faqFAQ: What happens if a page is signed with an error in it?
• faqFAQ: Who can sign a page, and can the chief engineer do it?
• glossaryGlossary: Book close
• glossaryGlossary: Hash chain
• glossaryGlossary: Page signing
• detailedHow per-officer signing works in ShipORB
• detailedHow the SHA-256 hash chain protects the book
• howHow to close a full Oil Record Book and open the next
• howHow to sign a completed page as master
• howHow to sign an entry as the officer in charge
• cornerstoneThe page-signing and book-close lifecycle

Sync and offline

• checklistChecklist: pre-departure sync and offline-readiness check
• faqFAQ: Does the vessel need internet to make entries?
• faqFAQ: How does ShipORB avoid duplicate entries after reconnect?
• faqFAQ: Will entries be lost if the link drops mid-sync?
• glossaryGlossary: Durable outbox
• glossaryGlossary: Offline-first
• glossaryGlossary: Reconcile
• detailedHow ship-to-shore sync works over NATS JetStream
• cornerstoneHow ShipORB keeps your Oil Record Book valid while the vessel is offline
• howHow to export the book to USB when there is no link at all
• howHow to force a manual sync over a satellite or port link
• howHow to verify a vessel has fully synced with shore
• detailedWhat happens when a vessel is offline for days

Troubleshooting

• checklistChecklist: first-response steps when something looks wrong
• faqFAQ: I see a hash-chain mismatch warning. What now?
• faqFAQ: The ship clock is wrong. Does that invalidate entries?
• howTroubleshooting: a vessel is not appearing as synced on shore
• howTroubleshooting: an entry will not sign
• howTroubleshooting: page will not close (close gate blocked)
• howTroubleshooting: retained-quantity warning on a Code C or D entry
• howTroubleshooting: the PDF export looks incomplete
• howTroubleshooting: validation rejects a Code A mode value

SOLAS 197423 articles

SOLAS 1974 as a convention in its own right

• detailedECDIS Carriage, Chart Currency, and the Backup Arrangement
• detailedEnclosed Space Entry and Rescue Drills
• detailedFire Drills, Fire Training Manuals, and Maintenance Records
• detailedMuster Lists, Emergency Instructions, and Abandon Ship Drills
• detailedRecords of Navigational Activities Under SOLAS V Regulation 28
• detailedSOLAS Chapter I: General Provisions, Surveys, and Control
• detailedSOLAS Chapter II-1: Construction, Subdivision, Stability, Machinery, and Electrical
• detailedSOLAS Chapter II-2: Fire Protection, Fire Detection, and Fire Extinction
• detailedSOLAS Chapter III: Life-Saving Appliances and Arrangements
• detailedSOLAS Chapter IV: Radiocommunications and the GMDSS
• detailedSOLAS Chapter IX and the Legal Force of the ISM Code
• cornerstoneSOLAS Chapter V: Safety of Navigation
• detailedSOLAS Chapter VI: Carriage of Cargoes and Oil Fuels
• detailedSOLAS Chapter XI-1: Special Measures to Enhance Maritime Safety
• detailedSOLAS Chapter XII: Additional Safety Measures for Bulk Carriers
• detailedSOLAS Chapter XIII and the IMO Member State Audit Scheme
• detailedSOLAS Chapter XIV and Ships Operating in Polar Waters
• cornerstoneSOLAS Explained: Structure, Chapters, and Scope of the Safety Convention
• comparisonSOLAS Record-Keeping Compared With the MARPOL Record Books
• howSteering Gear Tests and Drills Before Departure
• detailedThe Continuous Synopsis Record and a Ship's Documented History
• detailedThe Enhanced Survey Programme for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers
• detailedThe Voyage Data Recorder Requirement and Its Data Retention Rules

STCW, competence and watchkeeping17 articles

STCW, competence, watchkeeping, and rest hours

• detailedCertificates of Competency, Endorsements, and Flag State Recognition
• detailedDrug and Alcohol Policy and Testing on Board
• detailedFatigue Management on Board and the IMO Fatigue Guidelines
• detailedMedical Fitness Standards for Seafarers
• detailedMinimum Hours of Rest Under STCW and the Records That Prove Them
• detailedOnboard Familiarization and Company Obligations Under STCW
• detailedPort State Control Inspection of STCW Compliance
• howRest Hour Records: Format, Signature, and Port State Inspection
• howRevalidation of Certificates and Continued Professional Competence
• detailedSTCW Chapter II: Master and Deck Department Competence
• detailedSTCW Chapter III: Engine Department Competence
• detailedSTCW Chapter V: Special Training for Tankers and Other Ship Types
• cornerstoneSTCW Chapter VIII: Watchkeeping Arrangements and Fitness for Duty
• cornerstoneSTCW Explained: The Convention, the Code, and the Manila Amendments
• detailedThe Safe Manning Document and How Minimum Manning Is Set
• howTraining Records, the Training Record Book, and Onboard Assessment
• comparisonWhere STCW and MLC Rest Hour Rules Differ

The Polar Code12 articles

The Polar Code

• detailedArctic and Antarctic Waters: The Geographic Definitions
• detailedEquipment, Life-Saving, and Survival in Polar Conditions
• detailedIce Navigation Training and Polar Certification for Officers
• detailedOperational Assessment and the Polar Operational Limit Assessment Risk Indexing System
• detailedPolar Code Chapters on Noxious Liquid Substances, Sewage, and Garbage
• detailedPolar Code Part II-A Chapter 1: Prevention of Pollution by Oil
• howRecord-Keeping in Polar Waters: What Changes
• detailedShip Categories A, B, and C Under the Polar Code
• detailedThe Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil Ban
• cornerstoneThe Polar Code Explained: Safety and Environmental Parts
• detailedThe Polar Water Operational Manual
• howVoyage Planning in Polar Waters

Tonnage measurement7 articles

Tonnage measurement and the numbers every regulation depends on

• comparisonGross Tonnage Versus Deadweight Versus Displacement
• detailedNet Tonnage and What It Is Used For
• howRe-Measurement After a Conversion or Modification
• detailedSuez Canal and Panama Canal Tonnage
• cornerstoneThe Tonnage Convention Explained: How Gross and Net Tonnage Are Calculated
• detailedTonnage and the Small Ship Regime Below 400 GT
• detailedTonnage Thresholds That Trigger IMO Requirements

Vessel types and marine machinery94 articles

Cornerstone and orientation

• detailedIOPP Certificate, Form A and Form B supplements explained
• cornerstoneMarine machinery and the Oil Record Book Part I: the complete guide
• cornerstoneShip types and how MARPOL Annex I applies to each
• detailedThe engine room oil system: a walkthrough for record-keeping

Fuel, diesel and lube oil systems

• detailedBunker Delivery Note and the fuel oil sample
• howBunkering fuel or lube oil (Code H)
• detailedFuel oil (HFO) system and bunker tanks
• howInternal transfer of oil fuel during a voyage (Code H/I)
• detailedLubricating oil system and tanks
• detailedMarine diesel/gas oil (MDO/MGO) tanks and transfer

Incinerator and onboard treatment

• howIncinerator operating log and ORB interface
• detailedMarine incinerator: types, approval and operating limits
• faqWhat may and may not be incinerated at sea

Inspection, PSC and record-keeping practice

• checklistCommon ORB Part I deficiencies and how to avoid them
• howCorrecting an ORB Part I entry the right way
• detailedORB Part I operation codes A to I explained
• detailedPort State Control and the Oil Record Book
• faqRetention period and signing of the Oil Record Book

IOPP supplement equipment

• detailedIOPP Form A: equipment list for non-tankers
• detailedIOPP Form B: additional tanker equipment
• checklistMatching the engine room to the IOPP supplement
• detailedThe Record of Construction and Equipment

Oily water separator, 15 ppm alarm and oil filtering equipment

• detailed15 ppm bilge separator data recording requirements
• howHow to record an OWS bilge discharge in ORB Part I (Code D/I)
• comparisonOil filtering equipment vs oily water separator: terminology
• cornerstoneOily water separator (OWS): how the 15 ppm system works
• detailedOWS magic pipe and bypass: the compliance failures inspectors find
• howOWS maintenance and the white box (data recorder)
• detailedOWS overboard discharge: when it is permitted
• detailedSpecial areas and the 15 ppm rule
• detailedThe 15 ppm bilge alarm: standard, calibration and tamper-proofing
• detailedThe automatic stopping device and three-way valve

Sludge, bilge and the oily-residue system

• detailedBilge holding (oily bilge water) tank
• howDisposing of sludge to a reception facility (Code C)
• howIncinerating sludge on board (Code C)
• cornerstoneOil residue (sludge) tank: purpose, capacity and connections
• detailedSludge and bilge pumps and piping arrangement
• detailedSludge generation rate and tank sizing
• detailedSources of engine-room sludge and bilge water
• howTransfer of bilge water to a holding tank (Code D)

Tanks, sounding and calibration

• howQuantities in ORB Part I: how to estimate volume
• detailedSlop tank: function on tankers and the ORB
• detailedSounding pipes and tank gauging
• glossaryStandard discharge connection for residue landing
• howTank calibration (sounding) tables and ullage

Vessel Types and Marine Machinery

• detailedAir Locking and Cavitation in the Bilge Suction
• howBackflushing and the Separator Cleaning Cycle
• detailedBilge and Ballast System Cross-Connections
• detailedBilge Wells, Strum Boxes and the Sources of Oily Bilge Water
• howBlanks, Spool Pieces and Locked Valves on the Overboard Side
• howCalibration Seals and the Seal Register
• detailedCargo Hold Bilges on Bulk Carriers and Oil Contamination
• detailedCoalescer and Filter Element Fouling
• detailedCommercial Yachts Above 400 Gross Tonnage
• howDeck Save-Alls, Drip Trays and Scupper Plugs
• detailedDredgers and Hopper Vessels Under Annex I
• detailedEmulsified Bilge Water and Separator Breakthrough
• detailedEnvironmentally Acceptable Lubricants in United States Waters
• detailedFishing Vessels Under MARPOL Annex I
• detailedFloating Production, Storage and Offloading Units
• detailedFuel Injector Leak-Off and Drain Tanks
• howFuel Oil Settling and Service Tank Drains
• detailedHigh Level Alarms on the Bilge Holding and Sludge Tanks
• detailedIce Class and Polar Operating Vessels
• detailedIncinerator Ash and Its Disposal Route
• detailedIncinerator Combustion Temperature and Prohibited Materials
• detailedMobile Offshore Drilling Units
• detailedOil Content Meter Cell Fouling and False Readings
• detailedPortable Pumps and Flexible Hoses in the Machinery Space
• howShips in Lay-Up and Reactivation
• detailedShips Under Tow and Dead Ships
• detailedSludge Dewatering and Evaporation Units
• detailedSludge Tank Heating Coils and Leakage Into the Tank
• detailedStern Tube Lubricating Oil Systems and Operational Loss
• detailedThe Bilge Primary Tank and Settling Before Separation
• detailedThe Emergency Bilge Suction Valve
• detailedThe Fuel Oil Purifier and Its Sludge Discharge Cycle
• detailedThe Oily Water Separator Data Recorder and Its Retention
• detailedThe Sample Line and Its Integrity
• detailedThe Waste Oil Service Tank Feeding the Incinerator
• detailedTugs, Workboats and Craft Below 400 Gross Tonnage

Vessel types and MARPOL applicability

• detailedBulk carrier: machinery-space oil obligations
• comparisonChemical tanker and NLS tanker under Annex I and Annex II
• detailedContainer ship: Annex I in the engine room
• detailedCrude oil tanker and Crude Oil Washing (COW)
• detailedGas carrier (LNG and LPG): Annex I and the IGC Code interface
• detailedGeneral cargo ship: Annex I applicability
• detailedOffshore supply and special-purpose ships under Annex I
• detailedOil tanker: definition and MARPOL Annex I obligations
• detailedPassenger ship and cruise vessel: Annex I machinery duties
• detailedProduct (clean/dirty) tanker and ballast arrangements
• detailedRo-ro and vehicle carrier: Annex I in practice
• comparisonTanker vs non-tanker: Annex I obligation comparison
• faqWhich Oil Record Book parts does my ship need?