The list of shipping documents is given in alphabetical order, for quick reference, and represents most safety, technical, administrative and just a few commercial documents that should be on board of a merchant ship. Of course, one should take into account the type of ship a document refers to.
As mentioned before, a great number of documents are compulsory by law and have a well prescribed form. Usually these documents are issued by an Administration or an authorized private organization. Other documents may be compulsory or not and are mostly issued by a private organization, who can give to the document its own form and layout. These documents, shown here, are only chosen at random and may have a complete different format on the ship you are sailing on.
Commercial documents will be treated separately.
Agreement of Employment (p.1) (p.2, p.3, p.4,and p.5)
Annex to Hull Classification Certificate. Cargo Installation of Liquefied Gas Carriers
Annex to Hull Classification Certificate. Inert Gas Installation
Annex to Hull Classification Certificate. Installation for Pollution Prevention
Annex to Hull Classification Certificate. Securing System for Containers
Approval of Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP)
Bill of Health (where applicable)
Bill of Health for each country the ship has visited or will be visiting (where applicable)
Boat Muster
British Tonnage Certificate (back)
Captains Booklet
Cargo Record Book (for ships to which MARPOL II 73/78 applies) (p.2, p.3, p.4, p.5, p.6 and p.7)
Cargo Ship Safety Certificate
Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate (back)
Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate
Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate
Certificate for Inflatable Life & Work Boat
Certificate for the Transportation of Cargoes in Bulk
Certificates of Competency (for Masters, Officers and Ratings). Master 1, Master 2 and Engineer 1, Engineer 2.
Certificate of Fire Fighting Equipment (Biennial Certificate, Worksheet)
Certificate of Fitness for Offshore Support Vessels (p.2, p.3, p.4, p.5 and p.6)
Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (p.2 and p.3)
Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquid Gases in Bulk
Certificate of Insurance or other Financial Security in respect of Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (p.2)
Certificate of Re-inspection of Liferaft
Certificate of Seaworthiness (not applicable in every country)
Certificate of Service & Testing of an Inflatable Liferaft
Classification of Automated Installations
Classification of Refrigeration Installations
Clearance (from customs)
Contract of Maritime Employment
Dangerous Goods Manifest
Deck Log Book (p.2, p.3, p.4, p.5, p.6, p.7, p.8 and p.9)
Declaration of Goods by Ships= Crew (back)
De-ratting Exemption Certificate
Diving System Safety Certificate (p.2 and p.3)
Document of Authorization for the Carriage of Grain
Document of Compliance of Construction and Equipment with the Special Requirements for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods (back)
Document of Safe Manning (back)
Dynamically Supported Craft Permit to Operate
Dynamically Supported Craft Construction and Equipment Certificate
Endorsements (Master) - (Engineer)
Engine Log Book (p.2 and p.3)
Enhanced Survey Report File (for bulk carriers and oil tankers)
Exemption Certificate (for Cargo Ship Safety Certificate)
Exemption Certificate (for Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate)
Exemption Certificate (for Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate)
Exemption Certificate (for Passenger Ship Safety Certificate)
Fire muster
GMDSS Certificates
High-Speed Craft Safety Certificate
Inspection Certificate of Articles for Ship Use of Approved Type (Ship's Whistle)
International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (p.2, p.3, p.4 and p.5)
International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of INF Cargo
International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquid Gases in Bulk (p.2, p.3, p.4, p.5, p.6 and p.7)
International Certificates of Vaccination
International Load Line Certificate (back)
International Load Line Exemption Certificate (back)
International Maritime Declaration of Health (back)
International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP Certificate) (p.2, p.3, p.4 and p.5)
International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk (NLS certificate) (p.2 and p.3)
International Tonnage Certificate (back)
ITF Blue Certificate
Light Dues
List of Items to be Examined for Hull Special Survey (back)
Loading Manual
Log Book for Liquefied Gas Carriers (See Cargo Record Book)
Log Book for Chemical Tankers (See Cargo Record Book)
Master's Passage Report (back)
Medical Log Book
Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Safety Certificate (back)
National Load Line Certificate (back)
Noise Survey Report (p.2, p.3 and p.4)
Notices to Mariners
Oil Record Book (Part I) (p.2, p.3, p.4, p.5 and p.6)
Oil Record Book (Part II) (p.2, p.3, p.4, p.5, p.6, p.7, p.8, p.9 and p.10)
Passenger's Passports
Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (back)
Permit to Operate High-Speed Craft
Procedure and Arrangement Manual
Pro Justitia Reports
Radio Log Book
Record of Equipment for Cargo Ship Safety Certificate
Record of Equipment for Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate (back)
Record of Equipment for Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate (back)
Record of Equipment for Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (p.2, p.3 and p.4)
Record of Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control System for the Last Ballast Voyage (for oil tankers of more than 150 tons)
Report of Inspection in Accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (p.2 and p.3)
Ship Radio Communication Licence (back)
Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan for Noxious Liquid Substances
Ship's Articles
Ship's Carving and Marking Note
Ship's Library (See Publications)
Ship's Station Licence (GMDSS)
Special Certificates of Competency (Deck Off. and AB)
Special Endorsements (Deck Off. and AB)
Special Purpose Ship Safety Certificate (p.2, p.3 and p.4)
Statement regarding Breathing Apparatus
Stowage plan
Survey Report File and Supporting Documents
Test Certificate of Search and Rescue Transponder (SARTS)
Test Certificate of Battery Charger (p.2)
Watch Lists