Brunei - Specific requirements by the Brunei Administration

Flag instructions relating to Statutory surveys

Flag procedural requirements

General Policy

Agreement

A new Agreement has been signed between the Maritime and Port Authority of Brunei Darussalam and Recognised Organisation (RO) SA. The Agreement commences on 30 October 2020.The Agreement and its Schedule show the details of authorisation granted (see Agreement governing the delegation of statutory certification to Schedule to Agreement).

Port of Registry

(Merchant Shipping Order, 2002 §15)

The port of registry to be used for Brunei flag is “MUARA”.

Reporting to the Administration

Recognised Organisation (RO) shall notify the Administration within 24 hours when informed of a ship’s detention by electronic means or otherwise in event of any Brunei Darussalam ship being detained by the Port State or another country in accordance with clause 7.4 of the Agreement, and provide the Administration with all relevant plans, documents an reports on survey and audits and any other information as requested by the Administration including the detention rates imposed by the Port State regime.

Recognised Organisation (RO), upon becoming aware of a situation involving any failure or a major deficiency or a serious safety-related issue of a Brunei Darussalam ship that is sufficient to detain that ship or prevent it from proceeding to sea without correction or rectification, or a situation abroad the ship or within a company involved a major non-conformity, shall promptly notify the Administration:

a) the name of the company and/or ship;

b) the IMO number, the official number; and

c) a description of the failure, major non-conformity, deficiency or issue

Interpretation, Equivalents, Alternatives and Exemption

While interpretation of the applicable instruments and type of authorization well as the determination of equivalents or the acceptance of alternatives to the requirements of the applicable instruments and type of authorization are the prerogative of the Administration, Recognised Organisation (RO) may interpret the technical requirements and accept equivalents within the limits of those instruments and in accordance with their technical requirements, subject to keeping the Administration informed at all times which should provide its confirmation or not. Recognised Organisation (RO) applies the IMO interpretations and Circulars, as well as the available IACS Unified Interpretations, unless provided with written instruction to apply a different interpretation by the Administration.

Exemption from the requirements of the applicable instruments and type of authorization is the prerogative of Administration and must be approved by the Administration prior to issuance.

In instances where temporarily, the requirements of an applicable instrument cannot be met under particular circumstances, Recognised Organisation (RO) shall specify proposals for such measures or supplementary equipment as may be available to permit the ship to proceed to a suitable port where permanent repairs or rectifications can be effected or replacement equipment fitted. Wherever possible, Recognised Organisation (RO) surveyors shall undertake this duty in consultation with the Administration. If this is not practicable, the Administration shall be informed of the provisions taken at the earliest opportunity thereafter.

Refer also to Application for Exemption, Extension of certificate, Equivalent arrangement

Application for Exemption, Extension of certificate, Equivalent arrangement

(Shipping Notice BC/04/2020)

When requesting any of the following:

• Exemption from National or IMO requirements

• Extension of statutory survey period or validity of certificates issued

• postponement of a survey, servicing period or any other applicable national or international requirement

• acceptance of an equivalent arrangement to an IMO convention requirement

• acceptance, at the time of re-flagging to Brunei Darussalam, of the continuation of an existing exemption, ranted under the previous flag

the Shipowner/Manager shall submit the application form F-SUR-01 (superseding MPA0006-2/10 and available in the attached files).

Request for exemption certificate of those requirements dealt such as Minimum Safe Manning Document, shall be directed to Ship’s Registrar.

Requests for technical exemptions shall be sent via Recognised Organisation (RO) which shall review the application made and then submit his assessment in writing to the Administration.

The information supplied with the application shall include but not limited to:

• reason and justification for application

• time period requested

• safety measures that have been or will be introduced

• supporting document

• details of ship’s schedule should verification survey by Administration be required

When submitting the assessment to the Administration, Recognised Organisation (RO) shall indicate it support or verification of the application, and if relevant, any recommendation(s) or conditions that should be considered.

The Administration will notify Recognised Organisation (RO) and the applicant of the decision and will issue the exemption certificate.

In cases where an Exemption certificate has been granted by the previous flag at the time of re-flagging, and the shipowner/manager wishes to continue with the Exemption, the Administration may temporarily allow the exemption, subject to original conditions under which it was granted still being valid, whilst the application to the Administration is made as describe above.

Extension of certificates may be granted by pre-authorisation from the Administration.

For further information, refer to the attached file “MPABD Shipping Notice BC-04-2020.pdf”.

Equipment malfunction

(Shipping Notice BC/02/2025)

Recognised Organisation (RO) is authorized to issue relevant short-term certificate and/or statutory condition with validity of up to two (2) months for ships under its class on behalf of the flag for the malfunctioned equipment listed in the Annexes of this Shipping Notice BC/02/2025.

Application shall be submitted by the company to Recognised Organisation (RO) and be supplemented with the relevant supporting documents. Recognised Organisation (RO) is authorised to issue relevant short-term certificate and/or statutory condition with a validity of up to two (2) months, pending the repair or replacement of the malfunctioned equipment after satisfactory verification of the application. For further extension of short-term certificate and/or statutory condition beyond two months, Recognised Organisation (RO) shall consult the Administration.

Recognised Organisation (RO) shall not issue short-term certificates and/or statutory condition for any deficiency observed by Port State Control.

Recognised Organisation (RO) shall inform the Administration when any Brunei Darussalam registered ship has been issued two (2) or more short-term certificates and/or statutory conditions for malfunctioned equipment listed in Annexes of this shipping notice within the same period.

Arrangements to the satisfaction of the Administration

(Shipping Notice BC/10/2025)

Refer to the Shipping Notice BC/10/2025 for guidance and instructions concerning those requirements found in the following IMO instruments that are to the satisfaction of the Administration:

• SOLAS

• MARPOL

• LOADLINE

• COLREG

It is found not appropriate by the Administration to provide prescriptive guidance and instruction for all requirements due to the number of factors that must be taken into consideration. In such cases, the technical justification for acceptance will be considered by the Administration on a ‘case-by-case’ basis; for delegated items these should be supported by Recognised Organisation (RO) in the first instance.

Merchant Shipping Safety Regulations, 1984

(Government gazette S24)

The Brunei flag administration is adopting and applying the Singapore Merchant Shipping (Special Limits Passenger Ships) Safety Regulation.

(Administration email dated 11/03/2026)

Recognised Organisation (RO) is authorized to issue the Port Limit Passenger Ship Safety Certificate, however for the exemption it is a case-by-case authorization.

For further information, refer to attached file “S24 Merchant Shipping (Special Limits Passenger Ships) Safety Regulation”.

Shipping Notices

All Notices are available at http://mpabd.gov.bn/notices/

LL 66

Protocol 1988 to ILLC 66

(Administration email dated 18/07/2025)

Although the government has not yet ratified the Load Line Protocol 1988, the Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Regulations, 2007 is in pursuant of the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 as modified by the protocol of 1988.

By consequence, Recognised Organisation (RO) is authorized to issue International Load Line Certificates according to the Protocol 88 to ILLC 66.

Assignment of additional load line

(Email from the Administration dated 28/11/2012)

Regarding the assignment of additional load line, all the below listed documents must be forwarded to Marine Department Brunei Darussalam (MDBD):

1. procedure to be adopted to assign the additional load line,

2. what standards to be maintained for different dead weight,

3. how to make sure only one load line mark to be visible,

4. that all alterations should be supervised by Recognised Organisation (RO),

5. all certificates on which dead weight mentioned must be changed or range to be added.

Recognised Organisation (RO) must advise Master of all the necessary steps regarding this above matter.

SOLAS 74

Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate

Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate

Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate

Passenger Ship Safety Certificate

Others

MARPOL 73/78

Annex I. IOPP Certificate

Annex II. NLS Certificate

Annex IV. ISPP Certificate

Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships

Annex V

Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships

Annex VI.

Data Collection System for fuel oil consumption of ships

Recognised Organisation (RO) is authorized to perform the following statutory services:

• Reviewing of SEEMP Part II and issuance of Confirmation of Compliance, (MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 5, para. 4.5)

• Verification of reporting data, (MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 22A)

• Issuance of Statement of Compliance (MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 5, Regulation 6)

• Submission of reported data to the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database ((MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 22A, para. 9)

COC and SOC to be issued under the name of Recognised Organisation (RO) as Brunei has not yet ratified MARPOL Annex VI

TONNAGE 69

Issuance of Tonnage certificate

Recognised Organisation (RO) is authorized for measurement of ships and calculation and issuance of:

- International Tonnage Certificate (1969)

- Suez Canal Special Tonnage Certificate

- Panama Canal Tonnage Certificate

Units

Concerning tonnage, all measurements of length, breadth and width should be stated in metric units.

Miscellaneous technical requirements

Non Convention Vessels

According with the Negara Brunei Darussalam Government Gazette No S 28, they must comply with the “Merchant Shipping (Non-Convention Ships) Safety Regulations, 1984” which is following the “Singapore Merchant Shipping (Non-Convention Ships) Safety Regulations,1981”.

Both documents are added in attached files “Gazette_S28.pdf” and “SingaporeNon-ConventionShips.pdf”.

Corresponding certificates are to be established on special forms.

The validity for the Non-Convention Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate is 2 years.

The validity for the Non-Convention Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate is 1 year.

Crew Accommodation

(Administration letter dated 08/09/2020, file attached)

Requirements of the Merchant Shipping (Crew Accommodation) Regulation 2007are applicable. Refer to the attached file “BRN89034 - Brunei - Merchant Shipping (Crew Accommodation) Regulations, 2007.pdf”.

Specific forms of “Crew Accommodation certificate” and “Exemption Certificate” are available in Recognised Organisation (RO) tools (see Specific Certificates: National and bilingual International certificates.)

Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Recycling of Ships, 2009

(Administration email dated 17/07/2025)

Recognised Organisation (RO) is authorized to issue the Statement of Compliance on Inventory of Hazardous Material (IHM) for the IMO Hong Kong Convention.

ISM Code

Authorization & Instructions

ISPS Code

Authorization & Instructions

MLC, 2006

Scope of authorisation

Appendix — Agreement governing the delegation of statutory certification

Agreement

See attached file “Agreement_RO SA_Brunei_30102020.pdf”

Appendix — Schedule to Agreement

Applicable instruments and scope of authorisation

See attached file “Schedule_RO SA_Brunei.pdf”

Appendix — Specific Certificates: National and bilingual International certificates.

List of National certificates

- Local Load Line Certificate

- Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate for Non-Convention ships

- Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate for Non-Convention ships

- Cargo Ship Safety Radiotelephony Certificate for Non-Convention ships

- Port Limit Passenger Ship Safety Certificate and Exemption Certificate

- Crew Accommodation Certificate and Exemption Certificate