Flag State Inspections
What are Flag State inspections?
Flag State inspections are annual or periodic inspections conducted to ensure New Zealand-flagged ships meet international regulations and maintain valid certification.
Flag State inspections are carried out by delegated and qualified Flag State Control Officers from the Maritime Inspection Team at Maritime NZ.
When are Flag State inspections required?
Flag State inspections are carried out at least once every 12 months.
Ships subject to Flag State inspections that are new to the New Zealand Register of Ships must undertake an inspection prior to commercial activity.
A ship which exhibits a higher degree of risk may be subject to more frequent inspections, in addition to the annual inspection requirement.
Outcomes of inspections
Flag State control inspections are conducted in accordance with the applicable Maritime Rules, Marine Protection Rules, International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) conventions, and International Labour Organization’s (ILO) requirements.
Primarily, compliance activities may involve issuing deficiencies, or in cases of substantial non-compliance or evidence of a substandard condition, a detention order may be issued (a prohibition on the vessel being allowed to depart the port).