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 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).
Where a recent water analysis report is not available, or where sampling is specifically requested, water samples may be required as part of the inspection process. Charges for water sampling and laboratory analysis are set out in the Agency's List of Fees.
Only water samples collected by Agency inspectors on board the vessel will be submitted for analysis.
Where it is identified during an inspection that a valid water analysis certificate is not available, the required water analysis will be undertaken in accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005). The applicable charges are set out in the Agency's List of Fees.
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.
