1 The purpose of the scheme is to enhance maritime
safety and pollution prevention and to facilitate the prevention of
maritime fraud. It is not intended to prejudice matters of liability,
civil law or other commercial considerations in the operation of a
ship. The scheme may be applied by Administrations on a voluntary
basis for new and existing ships under their flag which are engaged
in international voyages. Administrations may also wish to assign
the IMO numbers to ships engaged solely on domestic voyages and to
insert the number in the national certificates.
2 The scheme applies to seagoing ships of 100
gross tonnage and above, with the exception of the following:
-
- ships without mechanical means of propulsion;
-
- pleasure yachts;
-
- ships engaged on special servicefootnote;
-
- hopper barges;
-
- hydrofoils, hovercraft;
-
- floating docks and structures classified in
a similar manner;
-
- ships of war and troop ships; and
-
- wooden ships in general.
3 The IMO number is a number, allocated by IHS
Maritimefootnote at the time of build
or when a ship is first included in the Register of Ships, with the
prefix IMO (e.g. IMO8712345). Administrations which have decided to
implement the scheme are invited to assign all appropriate ships flying
their flags, or cause them to be assigned, the IMO numbers and to
insert them on ships' certificates.
4 For new ships, the assignment to the IMO number
should be made when the ship is registered. For existing ships, the
assignment of the IMO number should be made at an early convenient
date, such as when the renewal survey is completed or new certificates
are issued.
5 Administrations implementing the scheme are
invited to inform the Organization accordingly, for circulation to
other Governments.
6 Official publications and other information
from IHS Maritime are sources for referencing the identification number.
If the particulars of a ship do not correspond to those shown in the
Register of Ships and its supplement because, for example, the ship
had changed name, or the port State control officer had doubts as
to whether the numbers given on the certificates were genuine, further
clarification may be sought from IHS Maritime, the IMO Secretariat
or the flag State.
Certificates on which the IMO number is to be inserted
7 The IMO number should be inserted on a ship's
Certificate of Registry which includes the particulars identifying
the ship, and on all certificates issued under IMO conventions when
and where appropriate. It is recommended that the IMO number also
be inserted in other certificates, such as classification certificates,
when and where appropriate. The IMO number should preferably be included
in the box headed "Distinctive number or letters" in addition to the
call sign.
How to obtain the IMO number
8 To obtain an IMO number for both new and existing
ships and to make ad hoc enquiries, please contact the following website
www.imonumbers.ihs.com or requests can be sent to IHS Maritime at
the following address:
New ships (on order and under construction)
9 The IMO number can be obtained by one of the
following methods:
-
.1 inquiries should be addressed to IHS Maritime
by telephone, email or facsimile. In making such inquiry particulars
of the ship should be presentedfootnote.
Based on the above information, IHS Maritime will provide
the necessary IMO number free of charge. If there is no data in the
IHS Maritime new construction file on the ship concerned, a new record
on that ship will be created and the IHS Maritime number will be assigned;
-
.2 online access to the new construction file
through Sea-web (IMO has access to this system); or
-
.3 application through IHS Maritime, which will
provide a service of regular listings of the order book with selected
data items, produced for a client's specification.
10 For existing ships, IHS Maritime is prepared
to answer ad hoc requests free of charge up to a reasonable point
of acceptability.
Inquiry to the IMO Secretariat
11 The IMO number may also be obtained free of
charge from the IMO Secretariat (Maritime Safety Division –
facsimile: +44(0)20 7587 3210 or email: IMOnumbers@imo.org) which
has access to the Sea-web system. In making such an inquiry to the
IMO Secretariat, information on particulars of the ship (as in paragraph
9.1) should be provided. The quickest route for the issuing of a number
is to contact IHS Maritime directly at the address in paragraph 8.