REPUBLIC OF Marine Notice

THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

No. 1-109-1
MARITIME ADMINISTRATOR
Rev. Feb/2025

TO: ALL SHIPOWNERS, OPERATORS, MASTERS AND OFFICERS OF

MERCHANT SHIPS, AND RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS

SUBJECT: Electronic Documents and Certificates

References: (a) IMO Circular FAL.2/Circ.133; MEPC.1/Circ.902; MSC.1/Circ.1646;

LEG.2/Circ.4, List of certificates and documents required to be carried on
board ships 2022, issued 27 June 2022
(b) IMO Circular FAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2, Guidelines for the use of electronic
certificates, issued 20 April 2016; as corrected by
FAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2/Corr.1, issued 17 January 2017
(c) RMI Maritime Act 1990
(d) RMI Maritime Regulations (MI-108)
(e) RMI Marine Notice 2-011-4, Issuance and Use of Statutory Certificates

PURPOSE

This Marine Notice (MN) establishes the requirements for electronic documents, certificates, and
receipts issued by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator (the
“Administrator”). It contains the conditions for their features, conveyance, and verification. The
MN also identifies documents, certificates, and receipts previously issued by the Administrator
that may be maintained in printed form. Appendix A contains a table for reference.

This MN supersedes the previous version Oct/2023. Section 5.1 has been added on seafarers’
documentation and records.

BACKGROUND

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines for the use of electronic certificates
(IMO Circular FAL.5/Circ.39/Rev.2), contain electronic document and certificate features to
enable stakeholders to verify authenticity. This facilitates the maritime sector’s move toward their
use and acceptance. The Administrator’s requirements for electronic documents and certificates
are based upon the IMO guidelines.

The Administrator is working towards issuing all its documents and certificates electronically, in
accordance with the IMO guidelines.

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Inquiries concerning the subject of this Marine Notice should be directed to the Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator,
11495 Commerce Park Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1506 USA. The most current version of all Republic of the Marshall Islands Marine
Notices may be found at http://www.register-iri.com.
MI-01, Rev. Apr/2016
The Administrator also works with its Recognized Organizations (ROs) on issuing electronic
statutory certificates and survey reports. The Administrator authorized their issuance in
MN 2-011-4. Electronic certificates issued by an RO must conform to the IMO guidelines.

APPLICABILITY

This MN applies to vessels that have been issued RMI documents and certificates.

a) The following, which have been issued after 5 October 2016:

Safety Management Certificate (SMC)

International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC)
Maritime Labour Certificate (MLC)

b) The following, which have been issued after 15 June 2017, specimens of which have been
posted to the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS):

Certificates of Insurance or Other Financial Security in Respect of Civil Liability for Bunker
Oil Pollution Damage (CLBCs)
Certificates of Insurance or Other Financial Security in Respect of Civil Liability for Oil
Pollution Damage (CLCs)
Certificates of Insurance of Other Financial Security in Respect of Liability for the Death of
and Personal Injury to Passengers (PLCs)
Certificates of Insurance or Other Financial Security in Respect of Liability for the Removal of
Wrecks (WRLCs)
Minimum Safe Manning Certificates (MSMCs)
Provisional Certificates of Registry
Temporary Authority Ship Radio Station Licenses (TAs)

c) The following, which have been issued after 12 November 2018, specimens of which have
been posted to GISIS:

Commercial Yacht Permanent Certificates of Registry

Construction Certificates of Registry
Continuous Synopsis Records (CSRs)
Passenger Yacht Permanent Certificates of Registry
Permanent Certificates of Registry
Private Yacht Certificates of Registry
Provisional Certificates of Bareboat Registry
Provisional Certificates of Extended Registry
Provisional Certificates of Intended Registry of Newbuilding During Construction at
Builder’s Yard
Provisional Certificates of Registry Commercial Yacht
Provisional Certificates of Registry Passenger Yacht
Provisional Certificates of Registry Under a Foreign Flag
Ship Radio Station Licenses

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d) The following electronic documents and certificates which have been issued after 10 July
2020:

Statement of Compliance (SoC) for the European Union (EU) Ship Recycling
Regulation (SRR)
SoC for the Hong Kong Convention

e) Tonnage Tax Receipt

All Tonnage Tax Receipts are now available electronically. The Initial Tonnage Tax
Receipt (REG-03) and the Annual Tonnage Tax Receipt (MI-294B) have all the features
described in §1.0.

The valid Receipt must be kept onboard the vessel with the Certificate of Registry. It will
be automatically emailed to the Designated Person Ashore (DPA).

Electronic Tonnage Tax Receipts are verifiable until the Administrator issues a subsequent
Tonnage Tax Receipt.

f) Hard copy documents and certificates with electronic signatures as provided in §4.0 below.

REQUIREMENTS

1.0 Electronic Document Features

These are the unique features generally contained in electronic documents, certificates, and
receipts issued by the Administrator:

1.1 a QR Code in the upper right-hand corner;

1.2 a Unique Tracking Number (UTN) on the bottom left-hand corner;

1.3 a Document or Certificate Number in the upper right-hand corner;

1.4 an electronic signature of either a Special Agent or Deputy Commissioner; and

1.5 the Deputy Commissioner or Special Agent seal, dependent on the authority of the
signer.

2.0 Conveyance

2.1 All documents and certificates issued electronically by the Administrator must be
able to be printed onboard the vessel when required.

2.2 Conveyance of electronic documents and certificates is by email to the DPA. This
person is identified to the Administrator at registration or on the MI-297B,
Combined Declaration Form. All relevant materials must be passed to the new
manager during a change of management.

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3.0 Verification

3.1 RMI electronic documents and certificates with an electronic signature must be
considered valid originals. They are not required to contain the additional features
in the next sections or Appendix.

3.2 Documents and certificates, may be verified online by:

.1 clicking on the QR Code found in their upper right corner, which links a user
directly to the verification site (https://www.register-iri.com/maritime/vessel-
document-verification/);

.2 using a smartphone’s camera to scan the QR Code; or

.3 verifying online at https://www.register-iri.com/maritime/vessel-document-

verification/ by entering:

a. the UTN located in the bottom left corner; or

b. the Document or Certificate Number, the Official Number, and the

Document or Certificate issue date.

3.3 Questions on verification may be addressed as per Appendix A below or by

contacting a Regional Office.

4.0 Original, Hard Copy Documents and Certificates

4.1 Verification with Document or Certificate Number

.1 Those documents and certificates issued to RMI-flagged vessels before 15

June 2017 and 12 November 2018 in hard copy, original form with an
electronic signature, which have a document or certificate number, may
also be verified online, at https://www.register-iri.com/maritime/vessel-
document-verification/ by entering the:

a. Document or Certificate Number;

b. IMO Number; and

c. Issue Date; or

d. Expiration Date, with respect to CLBCs, CLCs, WRLCs, and PLCs.

4.2 Electronic Signatures

The listings in Appendix A contain electronic signatures, which:

.1 may still be maintained in original hard copy onboard vessels;

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 .2 must show the characteristics in Appendix A; and

.3 may be validated online if it has a Document or Certificate Number (see §4.1,

above).

5.0 Seafarer Documents or Certificates

5.1 Seafarers’ documents and certificates are allowed to be kept electronically if

Companies continue to maintain them according to the requirements in STCW
Regulation I/14.1.4.1

5.2 Verification of seafarer document or certificate may be made by using the QR

Codes, emailing Seafarers@Register-iri.com, or using the website, www.register-
iri.com with the Officer/Seafarer Verification section for:

Certificates of Receipt of Application (CRAs)

Officers’ Certifications:
• Certificates of Competency (CoCs) or
Certificates of Endorsement (CoEs)
Seafarers’ Identification and Record Books (SIRBs)
Special Qualifications (SQCs)
Urgent Authorizations (UAs)

6.0 Surrendering Electronic Documents and Certificates

Electronic documents and certificates issued by the Administrator are considered

surrendered and returned to the Administrator, in accordance with the RMI Maritime Act
1990 (hereinafter the “Maritime Act”), upon the acceptance by the registered owner,
operator, or vessel representative of new, updated, or replacement electronic documents
and/or certificates.

7.0 Surrendering Vessel Documents Upon Cancellation of Registry

The acceptance by the registered owner, operator, or vessel representative of a Certificate

of Cancellation issued by the Administrator constitutes a surrender of the applicable lapsed
vessel documents in accordance with the Maritime Act.

1
See the amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping
for Seafarers (STCW), in IMO Resolution MSC.540(107).

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 APPENDIX – DOCUMENTS AND CERTIFICATES WITH ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES
This is not an exhaustive list.

The documents and certificates with an electronic signature in this appendix are those:
• issued before 15 June 2017 or 12 November 2018; and
• now currently issued as Electronic Documents and Certificates.

To verify the following documents, contact Registrations@Register-IRI.com

Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
Special Agent seal
Certificates of Registry Deputy Commissioner Document must contain
or None required Black ink: RMI seal - the issue and expiry dates,
Issued electronically after
Special Agent upper-left corner as applicable
12 November 2018
Watermark: RMI seal in
the document background
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
CLBC Special Agent seal
Deputy Commissioner Document must contain
Issued electronically after or None required Black ink: RMI seal - the issue and expiry dates,
15 June 2017 Special Agent upper-left corner as applicable

Watermark: RMI seal in

the document background
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
Special Agent seal
CLC Deputy Commissioner Document must contain
or None required Black ink: RMI seal - the issue and expiry dates,
Issued electronically after
Special Agent upper-left corner as applicable
15 June 2017
Watermark: RMI seal in
the document background

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 To verify the following documents, contact Registrations@Register-IRI.com
Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped
CSR
Deputy Commissioner or
Issued electronically after Special Agent seal
Deputy Commissioner
12 November 2018
or Master Black ink: RMI seal - No facsimiles allowed
See MN 2-011-19 for Special Agent upper-left corner
CSRs issued prior to Watermark: RMI seal in
12 November 2018. the document background
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
PLC Special Agent seal
Deputy Commissioner Certificate must contain
or None required Black ink: RMI seal - the issue and expiry dates,
Issued electronically upper-left corner
Special Agent as applicable
after 15 June 2017
Watermark: RMI seal in
the document background
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or Certificate must contain
Special Agent seal the issue and expiry dates,
WRLC Deputy Commissioner as applicable
or None required Black ink: RMI seal -
Issued electronically
Special Agent upper-left corner; and Can be issued upon
after 15 June 2017
request to non-RMI
Watermark: RMI seal in flagged vessels
the document background

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 To verify the following documents, contact ERecordBooks@Register-IRI.com
Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped Declaration must contain
Declaration of MARPOL Deputy Commissioner seal issue date on the document
Electronic Record Book
(ERB) Black ink: RMI seal -
Deputy Commissioner None required
upper-left corner
Issued electronically
after 10 May 2020 Watermark: RMI seal in
the document background

To verify the following documents, contact RegulatoryAffairs@Register-IRI.com

Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Declaration of Maritime Green ink: Stamped
Labour Compliance Deputy Commissioner Deputy Commissioner or
(DMLC) Part I Special Agent seal Declaration must contain
or None required
issue date on the document
Issued electronically after Special Agent Black ink: RMI seal -
24 February 2020 upper-left corner
National Statement of
Compliance (NSoC) Green ink: Stamped Document must contain
Deputy Commissioner None required Deputy Commissioner
Issued electronically after the issue date
seal over signature
24 February 2020

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 To verify the following documents, contact IHM@Register-IRI.com
Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
Exemption Certificate Special Agent seal Certificate must contain
Deputy Commissioner
date of issue and any
Issued electronically or None required Black ink: RMI seal -
expiry date on the
after 4 October 2020 Special Agent upper-left corner
document
Watermark: RMI seal in
the document background
SoC EU SRR; and Green ink: Stamped
SoC Hong Kong Deputy Commissioner or
Convention Special Agent seal over
Deputy Commissioner signature SoCs must contain the
Issued electronically
after 10 July 2020 or None required Black ink: RMI seal - issue and expiry dates, as
Special Agent upper-left corner applicable

Watermark: RMI seal in

the document background

To verify the following documents, contact Seafarers@Register-IRI.com

Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Document must contain
Green ink: Stamped the issue and expiry dates,
Deputy Commissioner or as applicable
MSMC Deputy Commissioner Special Agent seal The MSMC may be issued
Issued electronically after or with electronic signature
None required Black ink: RMI seal -
15 June 2017 and Deputy Commissioner or may contain an original
by original signature upper-left corner
12 November 2018 signature of an RMI
Watermark: RMI seal in Deputy Commissioner or
the document background Special Agent, depending
upon the issuing office

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 To verify the following documents, contact Seafarers@Register-IRI.com
Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Certificate must contain
Officer CoC or CoE Deputy Commissioner Certificate Holder the issue and expiry dates,
as applicable
Seafarer CRA Deputy Commissioner Green ink: Stamped Certificate must contain
Master and Certificate
or Deputy Commissioner or the issue and expiry dates,
Issued via email Holder
Special Agent Special Agent seal as applicable
Seafarer UA Deputy Commissioner Green ink: Stamped Certificate must contain
Master and Certificate
or Deputy Commissioner or the issue and expiry dates,
Issued via email Holder
Special Agent Special Agent seal as applicable
Certificate must contain
SIRB Deputy Commissioner Certificate Holder the issue and expiry dates,
as applicable
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner Document must contain
SQC Deputy Commissioner Certificate Holder the issue and expiry dates,
Black ink: RMI seal - as applicable
upper-left corner

To verify the following documents, contact Radio@Register-IRI.com

Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner
Radio Station License seal over signature
Certificate must contain
Issued electronically after Deputy Commissioner None required Black ink: RMI seal - the issue and expiry dates,
12 November 2018 upper-left corner as applicable
Watermark: RMI seal in
the document background

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 To verify the following documents, contact Radio@Register-IRI.com
Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
Temporary Authority Special Agent seal
Radio Station License Deputy Commissioner Certificate must contain
or None required Black ink: RMI seal - the issue and expiry dates,
Issued electronically after Special Agent upper-left corner as applicable
12 November 2018
Watermark: RMI seal in
the document background

To verify the following documents, contact Accounting@Register-IRI.com

Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped Receipt must include
Deputy Commissioner or period start and end dates
Initial or Annual Special Agent seal
Deputy Commissioner
Tonnage Tax Receipt Electronic Tonnage Tax
or None required Black ink: RMI seal -
upper-left corner Receipts are verifiable
Issued electronically Special Agent
until the Administrator
Watermark: RMI seal in issues a subsequent
the document background Tonnage Tax Receipt.

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 To verify the following documents, contact Audits@Register-IRI.com
Electronic Signature Counter Signature(s)
Document or Certificate Seals on Document Notes
(in blue ink) (in blue ink)
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
Safety Management Special Agent seal
Certificate Deputy Commissioner Certificate must contain
Black ink: RMI seal -
or None required the issue and expiry dates,
Issued electronically after upper-left corner
Special Agent as applicable
5 October 2016 Watermark: RMI seal
in the document
background
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
International Ship Special Agent seal
Security Certificate Deputy Commissioner Certificate must contain
Black ink: RMI seal -
or None required the issue and expiry dates,
Issued electronically after upper-left corner
Special Agent as applicable
5 October 2016 Watermark: RMI seal
in the document
background
Green ink: Stamped
Deputy Commissioner or
Maritime Labour Special Agent seal
Certificate Deputy Commissioner Certificate must contain
Black ink: RMI seal -
or None required the issue and expiry dates,
Issued electronically after upper-left corner
Special Agent as applicable
5 October 2016 Watermark: RMI seal
in the document
background

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