Merchant Shipping Notice MSN-0017
IMMARBEInternational Merchant Marine Registry of Belize

CREW ACCOMMODATION CERTIFICATETO ALL SHIPOWNERS AND OPERATORS, DEPUTY REGISTRARS, RECOGNIZEDORGANIZATIONS, AGENTS. CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES AND RECOGNIZEDORGANIZATIONS.
MSN Superseded:
Issue Date:

Revision No.(mm/dd/yy):04(28.09.18)

December 13, 2005

This Merchant Shipping Notice implements the International Labour Organization Convention No.
92 and No. 133 agreed in Geneva and intends to lay down the regulations for the issuance of Crew
Accommodation Certificates for all Belize Registered ships.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Effective on July 15, 2005, the Government of Belize ratified the Merchant Shipping(Minimum Standards) Convention, 1976, (No. 147) and the Accommodation of Crews Convention,
1949 (No. 92) and its (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1970 (No. 133) of the International
Labour Organization (ILO).
1.2. Under the Accommodation of Crews Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 92) contained in theAppendix to ILO No.147 and the Accommodation of Crews (Supplementary Provisions)
Convention, 1970 (No. 133), our Administration is required to ensure that the crew accommodation
onboard every seagoing mechanically propelled vessel, whether publicly or privately owned, whichis engaged in the transportation of cargo or passengers for the purpose of trade meets theinternational accepted standards specified therein.
2. APPLICATION
2.1. With effect from the 1st March 2006, all Belize registered vessels shall comply with theprovisions for Crew Accommodation contained in these Conventions of as follows;
2.1.1. For vessels currently certified by any of the Classification Societies member of IACS, thesurvey and certification may take place during the next scheduled statutory or class survey afterMarch 1st, 2006 but not later than the 31st December 2006.
2.1.2. For vessels for which a Recognized Organization which is not a member of IACS will beappointed, the survey and certification shall take place during the next scheduled statutory survey
after March 1st, 2006 but not later than the 31st December 2006.

2.1.3. Vessels registered after the date of issuance of this Merchant Shipping Notice shall provide
at the point of initial registration with the name of the RO which will survey and certify theregistered vessel.
3. EXCEPTIONS
3.1. The provisions of these Conventions shall apply to all Belize registered vessels of 500gt (ITC)
and above, with the exception of;
3.1.1.
3.1.2.
3.1.3.
3.1.4.
3.1.5.
3.1.6.
3.1.7.

Fishing vessels,
Ships of war and troopships,
Wooden ships of primitive build,
Pleasure Crafts not used for commercial purposes,
Un-manned vessels,Tugs,
Vessels trading in territorial waters of anyone country.

3.2. All or any of the provisions of these Conventions may be applied whenever reasonable andpracticable, as determined by the Administration, to vessels between 200gt and 500gt, which are;3.2.1. Engaged on International Trade, and/or
3.2.2. Carrying Dangerous goods, and/or
3.2.3. Carrying more than 10 persons.
3.3. Vessels to which the criteria listed under 3.2.1., 3.2.2., 3.2.3., do not apply, may request theissuance of an Exemption Certificate from our Administration.
4. EXEMPTIONS
4.1. This Administration may grant exemptions from all or any of the provisions of these
Conventions (as may be specified in the exemption) on such terms (if any) as we may so specify andmay, subject to giving reasonable notice, alter or cancel such exemption.
4.2. Vessels applying for an Exemption Certificate to this Administration will need to provide inaddition to a written application, the rationale for the particular request endorsed by the Recognized
Organization which performed the related survey onboard the vessel.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMPANIES AND MASTERS
5.1. Every company responsible for the operation of a ship(s) under the Belize registry shall ensurethat:
5.1.1. The crew accommodation shall be maintained in a clean and habitable condition and all
equipment and installations required by these Regulations shall be maintained in good working
order.
MSN-0017/rev-04

25.1.2. Every part of the crew accommodation, except store rooms, shall be kept free from storesand other property not belonging to or provided for the use of persons for whom that part of theaccommodation is appropriated, and in particular no cargo shall be kept in any part of the crew
accommodation.
5.1.3. The master of the ship or an officer appointed by him for the purpose shall inspect every
part of the crew accommodation at weekly intervals and may be accompanied on the inspection byat least one member of the crew. The particulars of such inspections shall be recorded in theofficial logbook.
5.1.4. Any substantial alteration or reconstruction to the crew accommodation or crew number
increase beyond the maximum capacity shall be reported to the Administration and shall be subject
to an Occasional inspection to ensure that such modifications are in compliance with the terms ofthe Convention.
6. SURVEY AND CERTIFICATION
6.1. It will be the company’s and master’s responsibility to arrange for the survey of their vessels
with one of the duly authorized Recognized Organizations listed in Attachment I to this TechnicalNote.
6.2. Upon completion of the survey requirements implemented by the Recognized Organization
chosen for the task, and6.3. Upon compliance with the relevant requirements of the Convention, a full term Crew
Accommodation Certificate valid for five (5) years from the date of the initial survey will be issued
by the Recognized Organization surveying the vessel on behalf of our Administration.
7. OFFENCES
7.1. Any owner who disregards the provisions contained in this Merchant Shipping Notice couldface disciplinary actions as contained in our Statutory Instrument 1999 No.56, Registration ofMerchant Ships (Disciplinary) Regulations 1999.

Eng. Abilio Dominguez
Technical Manager
For any questions about the above, please contact:
INTERNATIONAL MERCHANT MARINE REGISTRY OF BELIZE
Technical Department
Tel. (501) 223-5026 / 5031 / 5047
Fax. (501) 223-5048 / 5070
e-mail. Immarbe@btl.net
MSN-0017/rev-04

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ATTACHMENT I

APPROVED ROs TO ISSUE THE CERTIFICATE OF CREW
ACCOMODATION
Recognized Organizations members of IACS
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
Bureau Veritas (BV)
China Classification Society (CCS)
DNV.GL - Maritime
Indian Register of Shipping (IRS)
Korean Register of Shipping (KRS)
Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (LRS)
Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK)
Polski Rejestr Statkow S.A. (PRS)
Registro Italiano Navale (RINA)
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS)
Recognized Organizations not members of IACS
CR Classification Society (CR)Dromon Bureau of Shipping (DBS)
Intermaritime Certification Services, S.A. (ICS Class)International Naval Surveys Bureau (INSB)
Isthmus Bureau of Shipping, A.S. (IBS)
Maritime Technical Systems Services (MTSS)New United (Int’l.) Marine Services Ltd. (CLASSNU)
Novel Classification Society S.A. (novelClass)Overseas Marine Certification Services (OMCS Class)Panama Maritime Documentation Services (PMDS)
Universal Maritime Bureau Co., Ltd. (UMB Class)
Veritas Register of Shipping Ltd. (VRSClass)

MSN-0017/rev-04

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