Extension of statutory inspections and issuance/endorsement of statutory certificates, extension of certificates of endorsements issued under I/10 of the STCW Convention, due to COVID-19 pandemic period
OPERATIONAL DIRECTIVE
No. 196 from 31st of March 2020
Extension of statutory inspections and issuance/endorsement of statutory certificates, extension of certificates of endorsements issued under I/10 of the STCW Convention, due to COVID-19 pandemic period
TO: SHIP-OWNERS, MANAGING COMPANIES, RO’S AND OTHER CONCERNED
Pursuant to art.61 paragraph 3, paragraph 4 from the Law No. 599 from 30.09.1999 for the approval of the Code of commercial maritime navigation of the Republic of Moldova, and point 6, point 7, point 9 paragraph 4 letter b, paragraph 5 of the Government decision No. 706 from 11.07.2018 regarding the creation of the Naval Agency of the Republic of Moldova, Naval Agency of Republic of Moldova approve this operational directive and enter into force from 1st of Aprilie 2020.
Section I. General Provisions
- The purpose of this Operational Directive is to inform that with the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of global health emergency on 11 March 2020, causing massive uncertainty across the global trade, resulting in additional implication for the regular shipping operations.
- This Operational directive shall apply to all Moldova Flag vessels regarding extension of statutory inspections and issuance/endorsement of statutory certificates, extension of certificates of endorsements issued under I/10 of the STCW Convention as amended, due to COVID-19 pandemic period.
Section II. Survey and Statutory Certification of Moldova Flag Ships
- Ship-owners and managing companies must do their utmost to ensure compliance with all requirements regarding statutory surveys and audits (including internal audits), servicing of equipment, drills, etc. In cases where this is impossible due to the worldwide impact of the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, the following measures/actions in point 4 and 5 will be applied with regard to all Moldova Flag ships, including vessels of less than 500 GT.
- In cases when the mandatory periodical surveys and audits cannot be carried out due to COVID-19 countermeasures, the mandatory survey and audits requirements are suspended until 30 June 2020, however no longer than until three months after the end of the annual survey or audit window, a three month extension shall be granted without further approval from the Naval Agency. This extension also refer to servicing of equipment and certificates issued by service providers surveys, verifications and inspections on behalf of the Naval Agency, including, but not limited to, service providers certifying life-saving equipment, fire-fighting equipment, etc. This also includes an extension of statutory certificates or postponement of bottom inspections as a result of unavailable dry‐dock facilities.
- While all reasonable efforts should be taken to ensure that statutory certificates are kept valid, ROs are hereby authorized to grant extension as described in paragraph 4 above. This extension also refer to servicing of equipment and certificates issued by service providers surveys, verifications and inspections on behalf of the Naval Agency, including, but not limited to, service providers certifying life-saving equipment, fire-fighting equipment, etc.
- The Naval Agency shall be kept informed of when and to which vessels the extensions under paragraph 4 are issued.
- All technical and operational requirements have to be complied with during this period.
- This measure established in point 4 would be revised accordingly to the situation regarding Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) across the global trade in the maritime sector.
Section III. Moldova endorsement of foreign certificates
- In case if it is not possible, due to limitations related to COVID-19, to extend in due course the Certificates of Competence or Proficiency issued by another country than Republic of Moldova, and that country issues an extension of the validity (a general extension is acceptable), the validity of the Moldova endorsements, based on the national Certificates of Competence or Proficiency, are automatically be considered extended for the same period but in no case longer than 6 months from the original expiry. The individual seafarers are not being required to submit an application or replace his/her endorsement with a new document on which the extended date of expiry is stated.
