From that date, ClassNK e-Certificates, currently available to Liberian-flagged vessels, will be available to ClassNK-registered vessels from four flag states, accounting for about 60% of vessels on the ClassNK register.
ClassNK said that its e-Certificate initiative is the result of a project to reduce the workload on board and onshore by minimising potential clerical errors and time-loss associated with paper burden.
Based on the standards stipulated in IMO’s ‘GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATES’ (FAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2) published in April, 2016, the system enables secure transmission of certificates from ship-to-shore and vice versa.
Most importantly, the system includes an online function to determine the validity of certificates and that they have not been falsified or tampered with, the class society said.
ClassNK e-Certificate became the world’s first electronic certificate service for classification and statutory certificates on 15th June, 2017, after the Liberian Registry confirmed that ClassNK e-Certificate met the requirements of the IMO Guidelines, and granted the class society authorisation as the first Recognised Organisation to issue electronic certificates to Liberian-flagged vessels on its behalf.
Following growing interest from the industry, the use of ClassNK e-Certificate was approved by the four flag states and may also be issued for vessels registered with the flag states of Norway, the Netherlands, and Vanuatu, as part of ClassNK’s RO status in those jurisdictions, greatly increasing the scope of the service.
ClassNK said that it will continue working with flag states, port authorities, PSC and other industry stakeholders to expand the availability of the e-Certificate scheme to even more vessels for the benefit of its clients and the wider industry.