Polar Ship Certificate

The Polar Ship Certificate must be issued by the Administration, or by an organization recognized by SOLAS. While the certificate can be written in any language, an official copy must exist on board in English, French, or Spanish. The Polar Ship Certificate is a simple document that contains the following information:

• Name of the state issuing the certificate
• The person or organization it is authorizing
• The name of the ship
• The distinctive numbers or letters associated with the ship
• The port of registry
• The gross tonnage of the vessel
• IMO number

The Polar Ship Certificate certifies that the vessel has both been properly surveyed for polar conditions and that the survey has found the vessel complies with all the relevant provisions of the Polar Code. It also includes information on methodology used for certification.

The certificate will also identify the following:

• The category of the ship
• The ice class
• The minimum and maximum draught range; both aft and forward
• The ship type
• Any ship restrictions
• Whether the ship was intended to operate in low temperatures
• The polar service temperature
• The maximum expected time of rescue (in days)

The last section of the certificate will break down the limitations of the ship; ice conditions, temperature, and high latitudes. It will also include the dates the certificate is applicable, both valid date and survey dates, and include all of the issuing information.

Associated with this certificate, a Record of Equipment must also be provided.

To learn more about Polar Code visit our Polar Code Online Training web page.