Procedures to change flag

• Checklist for changing to the German flag – all you need
• Time schedule: When do I have to take care of which task?
• Change of flag surveys

Checklist for changing to the German flag – all you need

The checklist for changing to the German flag clearly lists all relevant items - sorted under the topics “Documents for seafarers”, “Certificates for the ship” and “Ship’s equipment”.

Area	To do	Responsible	Application
I. Documents for seafarers
Fitness for sea service	check medical certificates for validity and conformity with STCW, if necessary have seafarers examined	SD/ recognized medical practitioners
Competence	send EU-masters without German certificate of competency to 9-day in-house "German Shipping Law" course (prior to change of flag)	course providers	formless
Competence	endorsement of foreign certificates of competency	BSH
II. Certificates for ships
All certificates (if there are no additional application forms)	apply for change of flag	SD
Shipping register	have ship entered into the German International Shipping Register (GIS) (optional)	BSH
Shipping register	apply for certificate of registry (changes due to change of flag)	Shipping registers for sea-going ships	formless
Tonnage measurement	apply for international tonnage certificate (ITC 69)	BSH	to the application form
Manning	apply for safe manning certificate	SD
Maritime labour law	apply for declaration of maritime labour compliance (DMLC) by e-mail	SD	e-mail to: mlc@bg-verkehr.de
ISM	apply for SMC and if required DoC by e-mail	SD	e-mail to: ism@bg-verkehr.de
ISPS	apply for Interim-ISSC	BSH
ISPS	apply for Continuous Synopsys Record (CSR)	BSH
Maritime radiocommunication	apply for ship station licence	Bundes-netzagentur
Liability	apply for a compulsory insurance certificate for seagoing ships under the Bunkers Convention (further certificates for ships with over 2.000t oil in bulk as cargo as well as for passenger ships)	BSH	Link to the application form
Liability	apply for wreck removal liability certificate	BSH	Link to the application form
All areas	have a change of flag survey take place on the day of the change of flag	SD	e-mail to: besichtigungen@bg-verkehr.de
III. Ship's equipment
Equipment	equip the ship as per list of equipment + install name of the new home port at stern of the ship	shipowner	formless
On-board pharmacy	have on-board pharmacy brought to German standard (State of medical knowledge)	SD / pharmacy	formless
Ballast water treatment systems	requirements for ships under German flag	BSH	no application
IV. Other
Flag law	having the procedure for installing the IMO ship identification number on the ship approved	BSH	application for approval of procedure

Used abbreviations:

SD: Ship Safety Division of BG Verkehr
BSH: Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie (Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency)

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Time schedule: When do I have to take care of which task?

Prior to the change of flag

In the checklist for changing to the German flag, you can find out at what point in time you should take care of which parts of the flagging-in process. We would advise to start with contacting the shipping register for sea-going ships and with the change of flag application. Please remember to e-mail the electronic plans and documents listed in the change of flag application form to the Ship Safety Division.

It is best if you start working your way through the points of the checklist at the latest 2-3 weeks before the actual change of flag. However, a change of flag can also happen within a shorter lead time.

We would advise to apply for the subsidies for the German flag before the actual change of flag if possible.

If a sea-going ship made from a material other than wood or metal is intended to fly the Federal flag, the owner must have the procedure for installing the IMO ship identification number on the ship approved by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). Whether or not the installation of the IMO ship identification number conforms to the requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, is checked by the Ship Safety Division of BG Verkehr during the survey.

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At the day of changing flag

The most important thing at the day of changing flag is the entry into the shipping register for sea-going ships. The re-flagging or the first entry into the German shipping register can only take place after the ship has been deleted from the foreign register. We would therefore advise to do the change of flag at a working day during usual business hours of a shipping register.

Also at the day of flagging-in, the ship will be surveyed by the Ship Safety Division of BG Verkehr or a recognized classification society. The surveyor of a class issues a certificate with a period of validity of five months at the most at the end of the survey. The certificates are valid immediately.

Usually, the navigational and radio equipment is surveyed on the day of flagging-in by a recognized institution or organisation and is inspected for proper functioning if necessary. An additional survey by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) is not required, provided the surveys of the equipment were carried out in accordance with IMO Resolution A.1186(33) in the past. Evidence can be provided by the owner in the following two ways:

1. A shipowner declares to the BSH in written form

• that, prior to the change of flag, the ship held valid ship certificates by the previous flag state (please name) and was operated under its supervision, and
• that the mandatory intervals for the testing of correct performance of radio and navigational equipment will be complied with.

For this declaration, we offer you a form "Erklärung zur Einflaggung" with an appropriate wording. Please send the signed declaration to the BSH (per e-mail or postal mail).

2. Alternatively, a shipowner may submit the following documents as evidence to the BSH:

•  a declaration of the previous flag state that the plan approvals have taken place as well as statements that the navigational and radio equipment complies with these plans and functions correctly. 

or 

• MED Certificates and national approvals for the navigational and radio equipment and
• approved plans and documentation of the previous flag state (list of required plans and documentation) as well as statements that the navigational and radio equipment complies with these plans and works correctly. 

For the area ISPS /Security the survey is done by a classification society which is approved as a recognized security organization (RSO). The interim-ISSC is issued by the BSH.

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After change of flag

Please remember that there are also tasks that need to be done after changing flag. Although the ship may operate with the interim certificates for a while, only after the change of flag, can the experts of the flag state administration verify - based on the survey report – whether deficiencies of the ship have to be rectified. If everything is fine, the final ship safety certificates are issued by the administration and sent to the shipping company.

The interim-ISSC (ISPS Code) has a period of validity of 6 months during which an inspection takes place. If there are no deficiencies found, the BSH issues the final ISSC.

After changing flag, please do not forget to apply for exemption from pension insurance for seafarers from abroad.

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Change of flag surveys

Every change of flag from a non-EU flag requires a survey on board the ship in order to be flagged-in. This change of flag survey usually takes place on the day of changing flag.

Depending on the age of the ship, a change of flag from an EU flag may require a change of flag survey:

• cargo ships built prior to 25 May 1980 and
• passenger ships built prior to 01 July 1998.

In German ports either surveyors of the Ship Safety Division or of a classification society perform the survey; abroad this is only done by the class surveyors. Surveyors of a recognized class are authorized to conduct change of flag surveys on behalf of the German flag state; a case by case authorization for individual surveys is not required.

Please inform the Ship Safety Division as well as the classification society of the date on which you are planning to change flag and task either the Ship Safety Division or the class with the flag state survey.

Please plan for at least 6-8 hours for the change of flag survey of a large seagoing vessel. The change of flag survey of a ship safety certificate usually equates to the extent of an annual survey, for some however the extent of the survey will be that of a renewal survey.

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