(1) An International Load Line Certificate shall
be issued for a period specified by the Administration, which shall
not exceed 5 years.
(2)
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(a) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph
(1), when the renewal survey is completed within 3 months before the
expiry date of the existing certificate, the new certificate shall
be valid from the date of completion of the renewal survey to a date
not exceeding 5 years from the date of expiry of the existing certificate.
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(b) When the renewal survey is completed after
the expiry date of the existing certificate, the new certificate shall
be valid from the date of completion of the renewal survey to a date
not exceeding 5 years from the date of expiry of the existing certificate.
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(c) When the renewal survey is completed more
than 3 months before the expiry date of the existing certificate,
the new certificate shall be valid from the date of completion of
the renewal survey to a date not exceeding 5 years from the date of
completion of the renewal survey.
(3) If a certificate is issued for a period of
less than 5 years, the Administration may extend the validity of a
certificate beyond the expiry date to the maximum period specified
in paragraph (1), provided that the annual surveys referred to in article 14 applicable when a certificate is
issued for a period of 5 years are carried out as appropriate.
(4) If, after the renewal survey referred to in
paragraph (1)(b) of article 14, a new
certificate cannot be issued to the ship before the expiry date of
the existing certificate, the person or organization carrying out
the survey may extend the validity of the existing certificate for
a period which shall not exceed 5 months. This extension shall be
endorsed on the certificate, and shall be granted only where there
have been no alterations in the structure, equipment, arrangements,
materials or scantlings which affect the ship’s freeboard.
(5) If a ship at the time when a certificate expires
is not in a port in which it is to be surveyed, the Administration
may extend the period of validity of the certificate but this extension
shall be granted only for the purpose of allowing the ship to complete
its voyage to the port in which it is to be surveyed, and then only
in cases where it appears proper and reasonable to do so. No certificate
shall be extended for a period longer than 3 months, and a ship to
which an extension is granted shall not, on its arrival in the port
in which it is to be surveyed, be entitled by virtue of such extension
to leave that port without having a new certificate. When the renewal
survey is completed, the new certificate shall be valid to a date
not exceeding 5 years from the date of expiry of the existing certificate
before the extension was granted.
(6) A certificate issued to a ship engaged on
short voyages which has not been extended under the foregoing provisions
of this article may be extended by the Administration for a period
of grace of up to one month from the date of expiry stated on it.
When the renewal survey is completed the new certificate shall be
valid to a date not exceeding 5 years from the date of expiry of the
existing certificate before the extension was granted.
(7) In special circumstances, as determined by
the Administration, a new certificate need not be dated from the date
of expiry of the existing certificate as required by paragraphs (2),
(5) and (6). In these special circumstances, the new certificate shall
be valid to a date not exceeding 5 years from the date of completion
of the renewal survey.
(8) If an annual survey is completed before the
period specified in article 14 then:
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(a) the anniversary date shown on the certificate
shall be amended by endorsement to a date which shall not be more
than 3 months later than the date on which the survey was completed;
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(b) the subsequent annual survey required by article 14 shall be completed at the intervals
prescribed by that article using the new anniversary date;
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(c) the expiry date may remain unchanged provided
one or more annual surveys are carried out so that the maximum intervals
between the surveys prescribed by article 4 are
not exceeded.
(9) An International Load Line Certificate shall
cease to be valid if any of the following circumstances exist:
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(a) material alterations have taken place in the
hull or superstructures of the ship such as would necessitate the
assignment of an increased freeboard;
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(b) the fittings and appliances mentioned in paragraph
(1)(c) of article 14 are not maintained
in an effective condition;
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(c) the certificate is not endorsed to show that
the ship has been surveyed as provided in paragraph (1)(c) of article 14;
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(d) the structural strength of the ship is lowered
to such an extent that the ship is unsafe.
(10)
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(a) The duration of an International Load Line
Exemption Certificate issued by an Administration to a ship exempted
under paragraph (2) of article 6 shall
not exceed 5 years. Such certificate shall be subject to a renewal,
endorsement, extension and cancellation procedure similar to that
provided for an International Load Line Certificate under this article.
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(b) The duration of an International Load Line
Exemption Certificate issued to a ship exempted under paragraph (4)
of article 6 shall be limited to the single
voyage for which it is issued.
(11) A certificate issued to a ship by an Administration
shall cease to be valid upon the transfer of such a ship to the flag
of another State.