United Arab Emirates

Vessel and Yacht Eligibility & Survey Requirements

National vessels registered under the UAE flag cannot operate unless they carry a valid navigation license issued by the Administration. The license is issued according to a request submitted to the Administration and attached with all necessary documents and certificates required by the Administration indicating that the vessel is suitable for navigation. The following information is required:
• Name of vessel, official number and place and date of registration
• Name and address of owner
• Speed of vessel and nature of its hull
• Total and net registered weight
• Name of classification body or its inspection side authorized by the Ministry
• Number of crew, including captain
• Number of passengers allowed to be transported on board
• Name of insurance company and the type of insurance for the vessel

License applicants should attach to the application form copies of valid documents, commercial licenses and other papers to provide validity of information in the license application. The Administration keeps these documents in the vessel's file.

The navigation license is annual and valid from the data of issue until its expiry in December. The vessel must be able to present the valid navigation license at any time upon request. A request for renewal of the navigation license must be submitted to the Administration not later than 60 days from its expiry date. The validity period of a foreign vessel's navigation license operating in UAE territorial waters must be compatible with the duration of the vessel's work contract in the UAE and should not exceed one year.
The Administration is authorized to issue navigation licenses for national vessels for a period that does not exceed six months if it sees that certain conditions and documents (except safety certificates) need more time for finalization.

The Ministry of Communications has established a strict system controlling the foreign flag vessels that wish to work in the country's territorial waters. Foreign vessels cannot operate in UAE territorial waters unless they carry a valid license issues by the Administration. The Administration issues the license upon a request by the vessel owner or ship shipping agent in the UAE, attached with all the necessary documents and certificates required by the Administration.

The following information is required:
• Names of vessel, its official number and date and place of registration
• Name and nationality of owner
• Year and place of construction
• Type of vessel, nature of its work, and its total and net registered weight
• Speed of vessel and type of hull
• Name of classification body or inspection side.
• Name and address of shipping agent
• Number of crew including captain, nationality of captain
• Number of passengers on board
• Vessel origin, type of work it carries out in UAE territorial waters
• Name of insurance company and type of insurance issued for the vessel.

To obtain a foreign vessel's navigation license to operate in UAE territorial waters, the following conditions apply:
• The vessel must be classified by an international classification body recognized in the UAE or by the International Federation for Classification Institutes
• The vessel must have all certificates required as per the regulations of the International Maritime Agreements
• The vessel should have a shipping agent registered in the UAE who will be responsible for obtaining the navigation and crew licenses from the Administration and follow up all matters related to work on the vessel while it operates in UAE territorial waters.
• The vessel must have contracts with either petroleum companies, or government or semi-govern-mental departments, or with institutions and companies that are involved in governmental or semi-governmental projects.

License could be granted to foreign vessels owned by specialized international investment companies which use the UAE as a regional headquarters, subject to the Minister's approval and their meeting the first two conditions stipulated above.

Foreign vessels that are more than 25 years old are not allowed to operate in UAE territorial waters. The Minister holds the right to exempt such vessels from the age factor wherever he sees fit.

The following extracts have been taken from the Merchant Ships' Registration Manual prepared by the Marine Affairs Department of the Ministry of Communications of the UAE.

Procedures for issuance of Navigation License to National Merchant vessels
1. The vessel owner or his representative completes the application form prepared for this purpose by the Marine Affairs Department at the Ministry.
2. He must attach to the application originals or certified copies of the Classification Certificates of the vessel as well as other Certificates and documents denoting her seaworthiness in respect of type, tonnage and kind of navigation she will be undertaking. Annex 2 of this manual details the list of Certificates necessary to issue a Navigation License for a National vessel hoisting the State's Flag.
3. The date of issuance and expiry and the date of the last survey for each one of the Certificates mentioned in 2 above are to be written down on the form of the schedule specially prepared for this purpose. See Annex. 3 of this Manual.
4. After revision and scrutiny of all the necessary documents ensuring that the annual taxes due on the vessel according to gross tonnage have been paid, a Navigation License is issued for the vessel, expiring with the year of issuance.

Subject to renewal at the beginning of the following year, provided that all the Certificates and documents of the vessel are still valid.

5. The License is handed over to the vessel owner or his representative while the registration office keeps a copy thereof after signing for it in acknowledgment for receipt.

NOTES:
1. The application for the issuance of the License together with the relative Certificates and documents must be submitted well in advance before the anniversary date of issuance to allow enough time for correct revision and scrutiny, so that the owner's business shall not be jeopardized.
2. All data and information regarding the issuance of the License, the schedule that shows the issuance and expiry dates and the date of the last survey of every Certificate must be written down clearly and carefully and must be signed by the responsible person authorized by the owner.

Procedures for the Issuance of Navigation Licenses to Foreign Merchant Vessels Operating in Territorial Waters

First: The application for a navigation License for a foreign vessel (registered under another State) is submitted by the vessel owner or his Maritime Agent, on a special form with a list of required Certificates and all the other documents attached to the License application, via:
1. A certified copy of the original Registry Certificate of the vessel.
2. A certified copy of the Lease Contracts, Trade License, membership of the Chamber of Commerce of the company responsible for the vessel in the State. Provided that the Lease Contracts are with parties undertaking marine projects in the State: such as Ministries, Government bodies Organizations and Companies operating in the petroleum sector.
3. Original copies of the seaworthiness documents of the vessel or certified copies thereof must be attached to the application, according to the tonnage, type and length of the vessel, as described in Annex 2 of this Manual.
4. The issuance and expiry date and the date of the last survey for each and every one of the Certificates mentioned in Clause No. 3 above are written down in the form prepared for this purpose. And specified in Annex No. 3 of this Manual.
5. The period of effect of the Navigation License is limited as from the date of issuance until the end of the Lease Contract drawn by the Government party with whom the vessel will be working for a period not exceeding one year.

NOTES:
• Application for the issuance of the License together with the relative Certificates and documents must be submitted well in advance prior to the date of issuance to allow enough time for correct revision and scrutiny, so that the owner's business shall not be jeopardized.
• All data and information regarding the issuance of the License and the schedule showing the issuance and expiry dates and the date of the last survey of every Certificate are to be signed by the responsible person authorized by the owner.
• The application for the License is submitted together with the attached documents. If the vessel meets all the conditions of licensing requirements, then this transaction is presented to the concerned Committee for review and the Navigation License is signed by the Director.
• The Office in charge delivers the navigation License to the applicant of the License after payment of fees and signing for it on one copy.

ANNEX 2
List of documents and certificates required for the issuance of Navigation License for national and foreign vessels operating in the territorial waters of the state

First: Documents pertaining to the owner (for National vessels):

1. A valid Trade license containing an activity connected with marine works.
2. A valid certificate of membership of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
3. Renewal Application of Navigation License endorsed by the owner or representative of the company. (According to the form prepared by the Department of Marine Affairs in the Ministry).

Documents pertaining to the Maritime agent (for Foreign Vessels):

1. Trade License regarding this activity.
2. A valid certificate of membership of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
3. An official application for the issuance of Navigation License. (As per the form prepared by the Department of Marine affairs).
4. Lease Contract drawn between the Agent and the vessel owner.
5. Lease Contract of the vessel in one of the State's marine sites.
6. Entry License of the vessel issued by competent Authority of the Port

Second: Classification and Safety Certificates of the Vessel:

1. Classification Certificate from a Classification Society approved by the State together with the following:
a. Hull Certificate.
b. Machinery Certificate (issued every five years with a Mandatory annual survey).
2. Loadline Certificate for all vessels of 150 tons and more and a length of 24 meters and more, working on international voyages to which must be enclosed copy of Stability (Issued every five years with an annual Mandatory Survey).
3. Tonnage Certificate 1969 for all vessels whose length is 24-meters / 79 foot or more except for wooden vessels (issued only once).
4. Cargo Vessel Safety Construction Certificate for all vessels, whose tonnage is 500 tons and more, working on International voyages (issued every five years with a mandatory annual survey).
5. Cargo Vessel Safety Equipment Certificate for all vessels, whose tonnage is 500 tons and more, working on international voyages (issued every two years with a survey after the first year).

NOTES:
Vessels whose tonnage is less than 500 tons are issued a Survey Report of Safety Equipment Survey and Fit for Use Report from a Supervisory Society approved by the State. (Issued every year).

6. Safety Certificate for passengers' vessel operating in international or short international voyages.
7. Deratting Certificate (Issued every six months).
8. Cargo Vessel Safety Radio Certificate for all vessels of 300 Gross tons and more and operating in international voyages.

NOTES:
Vessels whose tonnage is less than 300 tons are issued a Report of Safety Radio Attestation.

9. International Call Sign Certificate for vessels operating in international voyages. (Issued every year).
10. Minimum Safe Manning Certificate for all vessels except fishing vessels, pleasure boats and unmanned barges (issued every year).
11. International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate for all oil tankers whose tonnage is 150 tons and more and all vessels whose tonnage are 400 tons and more (Issued every five years with an annual mandatory survey).

Third: Other Certificates:

1. Financial Securities against Civil Responsibility for damages arising from oil pollution (1992) for all oil tankers of more than 2000 tons of oil.
2. International Safety Management (Document of Compliance) (ISM Code) for all vessels whose tonnage is 500 tons and more, especially oil tankers, passenger ships, bulk carriers and high speed crafts.
3. A valid Insurance Certificate for the vessel.

Fourth: Certificates required for certain types of vessels:

1. Barges
a. Classification Certificate from a Classification Society approved by the State attached to Hull Certificate.
b. Tonnage Certificate if the length is more than 24-meters / 79 foot.
2. Off Shore Mobile Drilling Units:
a. (MODU) Construction and safety Certificate.
3. Vessels whose tonnage is less than 150 tons: (Non Convention vessels)
a. Classification Certificate from a Classification Society approved by the State certifying safety of the hull and Safety Equipment (Sea Worthiness Certificate) issued every year.
b. Safety Radio Attestation (issued every year).
4. High Speed Crafts:
a. Safety Certificate for High Speed Crafts and a Permit to Operate.

NOTES:
All Certificates must be valid, originals or certified copies, approved by the Classification Society, otherwise, they shall not be accepted.