Article 4 Certification and port State control
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Article 4 Certification and port State control

  (1) Every vessel required to hold a certificate in accordance with the provisions of the regulations is subject, when in a port of another Party, to control by officers duly authorized by the Government of that Party in so far as this control is directed towards verifying that the certificate issued under the provisions of the relevant regulations is valid.

  (2) Such certificate, if valid, shall be accepted unless there are clear grounds for believing that the condition of the vessel or of its equipment does not correspond substantially with the particulars of that certificate or that the vessel and its equipment are not in compliance with the provisions of the relevant regulations.

  (3) In the circumstances given in paragraph (2) or where a certificate has expired or ceased to be valid, the officer carrying out the control shall take steps to ensure that the vessel shall not sail until it can proceed to sea or leave the port for the purpose of proceeding to the appropriate repair yard without danger to the vessel or persons on board.

  (4) In the event of this control giving rise to an intervention of any kind, the officer carrying out the control shall forthwith inform, in writing, the Consul or, in his absence, the nearest diplomatic representative of the State whose flag the vessel is entitled to fly, of all the circumstances in which intervention was deemed necessary. In addition, nominated surveyors or recognized organizations responsible for the issue of the certificates shall also be notified. The facts concerning the intervention shall be reported to the Organization.

  (5) If the port State authority concerned is unable to take steps as specified in paragraph (3) or if the vessel has been allowed to proceed to the next port of call, the port State authority concerned shall notify all relevant information about the vessel to the Party mentioned in paragraph (4) and to the authorities of the next port of call.

  (6) When exercising control under this article, all possible efforts shall be made to avoid a vessel being unduly detained or delayed. If a vessel is thereby unduly detained or delayed, it shall be entitled to compensation for any loss or damage suffered.

  (7) With respect to vessels of non-Parties to the present Protocol, Parties shall apply the requirements of the present Protocol as may be necessary to ensure that no more favourable treatment is given to such vessels.


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