Liability

Current Information

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie, BSH) now issues (since 1st November 2017) all of the liability certificates electronically and also sends them electronically. The electronic liability certificates do not have a signature or a stamp of the BSH anymore but a QR Code and a Tracking Identification Number (TID).

Below you can find model electronic liability certificates:

Application

As of now, you can apply for the issuance of a liability certificate for the next insurance year (2018/2019) at the BSH. If you are currently missing documents (e.g. Blue Cards), you can submit those later.

You can find the application forms for the liability certificates in our section "Applications and Documents" . You can now apply for all liability certificates by simple e-mail. You do not have to send in the original documents anymore.

The BSH only requires one application per ship for the issuance of liability certificates for:

Oil cargo (in accordance with the 1992 Liability Convention)
Bunker oil (in accordance with 2001 Bunkers Convention)
Wreck removal (in accordance with the Wreck Removal Convention)

For the passenger liability certificate (in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 392/2009), please use the separate application.

Please note:

Please name a central e-mail address to which the BSH can send documents. They will be sent from the no-reply-address liability@bsh.de.
As usual, you have to attach the Blue Card and the ITC 69 or a valid PSSC to the application. If the registered owner or the carrier is represented by an authorised person, a written or electronic "Authorisation to make the application" has to be attached.
If a person authorised to receive communication needs to be named (if the ship does not fly the German flag and/or the registered owner or carrier, respectively, does not have the permanent residence or the place of business in Germany), an "Authorisation to receive communication" has to be presented; an electronic copy suffices.
Generally, the notification of fees is sent to the registered owner or the carrier, respectively. It is also possible, however, to name a different addressee for the fee notification.
If you submit the application or the attachments neither in German or English, you have to attach a translation by a translator approved by the appropriate authority.

Important

Please send the application documents (PDF files) via e-mail to the following designated e-mail addresses:

nwrc@bsh.de for liability certificates (oil liability and wreck removal liability)
plc@bsh.de for Passenger Liability Certificates

Please do not use personal BSH-email-addresses, because the processing is only guaranteed via the designated e-mail-addresses.

Issuance of liability certificates

As of now, you will receive the liability certificates with the accompanying documents exclusively via e-mail from the no-reply-email-address laibility@bsh.de. The following documents will be attached to the E-Mail:

the cover letter,
the liability certificate,
the notification of fees,
the "information letter": an explanatory letter which outlines how the authenticity and the validity of the electronic certificate can be verified.

Verification of electronic liability certificates

The verification of the electronic liability certificates occurs during port state inspections or other inspections in the section "E-Certificates" of this website. The QR Code directs you to the website; after entering the Tracking Identification Number (TID) which is on the liability certificate, the document will open.

Any liability certificates issued in paper form will of course remain valid.

With questions please refer to:

other questions: Ms Cordes, phone: +49 40-3190 7437, or
the designated e-mail-address nwrc@bsh.de
only in case of an emergency: Maritime Hotline, phone: +49 40-3190 7777.