INWARD AND OUTWARD CLEARANCE OF SHIPS

ON ARRIVAL:
Free pratique:
Port health clearance procedures are regulated under the International health
regulation. Ships on being declared a healthy ship to can proceed to berth after
getting free pratique. The declaration of a free pratique being granted by either
informing the port by radio or by hoisting the Q flag.
A ship is not declared to be healthy due to any of the following reasons:

Death of persons onboard

Illness on board
Suffering an infectious disease
Circumstances causing spread of disease
Animals on board death or sickness amongst them
Such occurrences occurred on board last 28 days

In such a case, the ship should inform port control 12 hrs prior arrival or 4 hrs prior
E.T.A., if not possible then on arrival.

Arrival procedure (documents)

International health regulations WHO
International health organisation regulates port health procedures. Most
countries implement these in national regulations.
Health clearance is called a free pratique. It literally means permission to
disembark and commence cargo operations. Health clearance is required if
there has been on board during the previous 28 days any of the occurrences
which the master is required to report.
If no such occurrences are there then the Port health officer will generally
give free pratique.
Also under this regulation every ship must carry a de-ratting or de-ratting
exemption certificate as appropriate.
These certificates are issued by the port health authority and are valid for 6
months.

A de-ratting certificate states that any ship must either be:

Periodically kept free of rodents or
Periodically de-ratted
A de-ratting certificate is issued when de-ratting is satisfactorily
completed.
If a ship is found free of rodents then a de-ratting exemption
certificate is issued. It will only be issued if the holds are empty
or containing only ballast or material, which is unattractive to
rodents. Also the inspector should have free access to the holds
It may be issued to a tanker while loaded.
Furthermore, a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is the only other
certificate now required under these regulations for international travel, especially
for African countries. Every seafarer should have this international vaccination
certificate for yellow fever.
With regard to conforming to the health regulations:
Master to complete maritime declaration of health form.
Master to have de-ratting or de-ratting exemption certificate.

General declaration

Name and description of ship

Nationality of ship
Particulars regarding registry
Name of master
Name and address of ships agent
Brief description of the cargo
Number of crew
Number of passengers
Brief particulars of voyage
Date and time of arrival, or date of departure
Port of arrival or departure. Position of the ship in port

Documents required on arrival:

5 copies of general declaration

4 copies of cargo declaration
4 copies of ships store declaration
2 copies of crews effect declaration
4 copies of the crew list
4 copies of the passengers list
1 copy of the maritime declaration of health
Port clearance from Last Port
Declaration of security measures as per ISPS requirements

Cargo declaration
On arrival:

Name and nationality of the ship

Name of the master
Port arrived from
Port where report is made
Marks and numbers: number and kind of packages: quality and description
of the goods
Bill of lading numbers for cargo to be discharged at the port in question
Ports at which cargo remaining on board will be discharged
Original ports of shipment in respect of goods shipped on through bills of
lading

On departure

Name and nationality of the ship

Name of master
Port of destination
In respect of goods loaded at the port in question; marks and numbers;
number and kind of packages; quantity and description of the goods
Bill of lading numbers for cargo loaded at the port in question

 Minimum essential information is required

To be signed by master or agent
Cargo manifest is accepted in lieu of cargo declaration provided it contains
all the details
Details of the cargo in transit
Ships store declaration
Relate to ships store
Signed by master
Crews effect declaration
Each crew member to signed against his effects declaration
To be signed by the master
Not require on departure
Crew list:

To know the number and composition of the crew on arrival and departure
Name and nationality of the ship
Family name
Given names
Nationality
Rank or rating
Date of place of birth
Nature and number of identity document
Port and date of arrival
Arriving from.

Passengers list:
Required to know the information of passengers on arrival and departure of
a ship
Not required in case of short sea route or combined ship/rail service
neighbouring countries
Normally the companies have their own list of passengers in place of
passengers list

 Not require embarkation or Disembarkation Card in addition to passengers

list provide not a danger of spread of the disease
Name and nationality of the ship
Family name
Given names
Nationality
Date of birth
Place of birth
Port of embarkation
Port of disembarkation
Port and date of arrival of the ship
Documents required under universal postal convention for mail
Not required by the public auth. Other than prescribed in universal postal
convention
Maritime declaration of health
Provides information required by port health authorities relate to the state of
health on board ship during the voyage and on arrival at a port
Documents required on departure:

5 copies of general declaration

4 copies of cargo declaration
3 copies of ships store declaration
2 copies of the crew list
2 copies of the passengers list