The Ships Sanitation service began on the 9th October 2015. The Environmental Agency is one of the “competent authorities” tasked with the responsibility to enforce the Public Health (International Health) Rules 2014, the others being the Gibraltar Port Authority and the Borders and Coastguard Agency.
Ship Sanitation Certificates (SSCs) are of particular importance for the prevention and control of public health risks on board ships on international voyages. They provide internationally recognised documentation regarding the sanitary conditions of a ship, while reducing the need for further and more frequent inspections of the ship during the period for which the certificate is valid. SSCs are used to identify and record all areas of ship-borne public health risks (not limited to rodents). They require the application of comprehensive and detailed inspection procedures and techniques by personnel who are trained in public health issues.
How to Apply
Vessels or their agents requiring an SSC should in the first instant fill in and send the booking form along with the Gibraltar Maritime Declaration of Health. Once the application has been accepted we would require the following form to be completed
We require full completion of this form which should then be emailed to dutyofficer@eag.gi
Telephone messages are not accepted and a minimum of forty-eight hours’ notice is required.
Other Information
The Master of the ship or other senior officer must be available to meet the inspector and conduct a pre-inspection meeting.
Officers or suitably knowledgeable persons must be available to accompany the inspection staff in the inspection of the ship. A pre-inspection safety induction needs to be given by the Master at the pre-inspection meeting
The legislation governing ship sanitation certificates are the Public Health (International Health) Rules 2014.
Detailed guidance on these Regulations is contained in the Handbook for Inspection of Ships and Issuance of Ship Sanitation Certificates issued by the World Health Organization.
Charges for SSCEC inspections
No fees will be charged for the inspection of vessels and the issue of Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificates and extensions between:
- 0900 hrs to 1630 hrs from the second week of September to the second week in June (winter hours)
- 0800 hrs to 1430 hrs from the start of the third week of June to the end of the first week of September (summer hours), Mondays to Fridays (except bank holidays and public holidays).
Should there be a need to take a water sample (because a recent water analysis report is not available) or a request has been made to have water samples taken the following charges apply irrespective whether they were taken during or after working hours:
- Biological analysis – £135
- Chemical analysis – £145
- Full analysis – £252*
- Presence of Legionnaires - £100
Only water samples collected by our inspectors on board the vessel will be submitted for analysis.
*If it is found during an inspection that there is no valid water analysis certificate the full analysis will be carried out as required by the International Health Regulations 2005.
Fees charged for Ship Sanitation Certificates
Should the vessel delay after 16:30 hrs, a flat-rate overtime charge applies depending on the ship’s gross tonnage or passenger capacity, as detailed below:
| GROSS TONNAGE | CHARGE |
|---|---|
| 1 month extension of the SSEC | £71.50 |
| Ships up to 1,000 GT | £110.50 |
| Ships from 1,001 to 3,000 GT | £171.00 |
| Ships from 3,001 to 10,000 GT | £256.00 |
| Ships from 10,001 to 20,000 GT | £341.00 |
| Ships from 20,001 to 30,000 GT | £389.50 |
| Ships over 30,001 GT | £510.00 |
| PASSENGER CAPACITY | CHARGE |
|---|---|
| Vessels with capacity to carry 50–1000 persons | £510.00 |
| Vessels with capacity to carry over 1000 persons | £850.00 |
*Fees correct as of 24th July 2025 as per Legal Notice No. 163 of 2025
Documents
You can find all relevant documentation below on Ship Sanitation Certificates.
Applications
If you are looking to apply in anything related to Ship Sanitation Certificates, you can do so online using our electronic application forms.
