Validity of certificates

(1) A Certificate of Compliance shall be issued for a period specified by the Administration which shall not exceed five years. An Exemption Certificate shall not be for longer than the period of the certificate to which it refers. Merchant Ships (Registration) 121 (2) Notwithstanding the requirements of subregulation (1), when the renewal survey is completed within three months before the expiration date of the existing certificate, the new certificate shall be valid from the date of the completion of the renewal survey to a date not exceeding five years from the date of expiry of the existing certificate. (3) When the renewal survey is completed after the expiration date of the existing certificate, the new certificate shall be valid from the date of completion of the renewal survey to a date not exceeding five years from the date of expiration of the existing certificate. (4) When the renewal survey is completed more than three months before or after the expiration date of the existing certificate, the new certificate shall be valid from the date of completion of the renewal survey to a date not exceeding five years from the date of completion of the renewal survey. (5) Where a certificate is issued for a period of less than five years, the Administration may extend the validity of the certificate beyond the expiration date to the maximum period specified in subregulation (1) provided that the surveys referred to in subregulation (2) which are applicable when a certificate is issued for a period of five years are carried out as appropriate. (6) Where a renewal survey has been completed and a new certificate cannot be issued or placed on board the ship before the expiration date of the existing certificate, the Administration may endorse the existing certificate and such a certificate shall be accepted as valid for a further period which shall not exceed one month from the expiration date. (7) Where a ship at the time when a certificate expires is not in a port in which it is to be surveyed, the Administration may extend the period of validity of the certificate but this extension shall be granted only for the purpose of allowing the ship to complete its voyage to the port in which it is to be surveyed and then only in cases where it appears reasonable to do so. No Merchant Ships (Registration) 122 certificate shall be extended for a period longer than one month, and provisions shall be taken by the Administration for the ship not to be entitled by virtue of such extension to leave that port without having a new certificate. When the renewal survey is completed, the new certificate shall be valid to a date not exceeding five years from the date of expiration of the existing certificate before the extension was granted. (8) A certificate issued to a ship engaged on short voyages which has not been extended under the foregoing provisions may be extended by the Administration for a period of grace of up to one month from the date of expiration stated on it. When the renewal survey is completed, the new certificate shall be valid to a date not exceeding five years from the date of expiration of the certificate existing before the extension was granted. (9) In special circumstances, as determined by the Administration, a new certificate need not be dated from the date of expiration of the existing certificate as required by regulation (3) or (7) and (8). In these special circumstances, the new certificate shall be valid to a date not exceeding five years from the date of completion of the relevant renewal survey. (10) Where an annual or periodical survey is completed before the period specified in the relevant Regulations, then– (a) the anniversary date shown on the relevant certificate should be amended by endorsement to a date which should not be more than three months later than the date on which the survey was completed; (b) the subsequent annual, intermediate or periodical survey required by the relevant Regulations shall be completed at the intervals prescribed by these Regulations using the new anniversary date; and Merchant Ships (Registration) 123 (c) the expiration date may remain unchanged provided one or more annual, or periodical surveys, as appropriate, are carried out so that the maximum intervals between the surveys prescribed by the relevant Regulations are not exceeded. (11) A certificate issued under regulation 13(1) shall cease to be valid in any of the following cases– (a) where the relevant survey and inspections are not completed within the periods specified under regulation 11(1); or (b) where the certificate is not endorsed in accordance with the requirements of this regulation.