International Convention on Load Lines:
- Adopted: 5th of April 1966
- Entry into force: 21st July 1968
- Main objectives:
- to ensure weather-tight and watertight integrity of ships
- To specify maximum safe draft the ship can sail on by assigning minimum freeboards
International load line certificate:
Application:
International Load Line certificate is not required for the following ships:
- New ships of load line length less than 24 m
- Existing ships of less than 150 gross tonnage
- Pleasure yachts not used for commercial purpose
- Fishing vessels.
Survey loop:
A ship under certification for International load line certificate is subject to the following surveys
- Initial survey: when the vessel is firstly certified
- First annual survey: at the first anniversary date of the initial survey with a window of 3 months before or 3 months after
- Second annual survey:at the second anniversary date of the initial survey with a window of 3 months before or 3 months after
- Intermediate survey: normally it is due at the middle of the five years loop with a window of 6 months before or after, but practically is carried out at the third anniversary date
- Fourth annual survey::at the fourth anniversary date of the initial survey with a window of 3 months before or 3 months after
- Renewal survey: At the firth anniversary date of the initial survey with a window of 3 months before it, but can not be shifted after the full term certificate is expired
Procedure for certification:
- Conducting of scheduled survey
- Rectification of deficiency or recommendations if applicable
- Issuance of Interim International load line certificate valid for 5 months (according to the International convention on load lines can be issued up to 6 months and majority of recognized organization issue the interim for only 5 months)
- In most cases the interim International load line certificate is issued by the attending surveyor
- Survey reports and supporting documents to be filed and sent to recognized organization head office for review
- Upon satisfactory results of the review, recognized organization HO office issues full term International Load line certification valid for 5 years from the date of the survey