Clearance in / out

Note: Please contact shipping agents for inbound/outbound clearance documents and procedures.

 

Documents to be presented and required by authorities on arrival first port: Upon entry to first argentine port of call, the following papers are to be submitted for perusal of the attending Coastguard, Sanitary, Customs and Immigration officials:

 

- Certificate of Registry.

- International Tonnage Certificate.

- Loadline Certificate.

- International Safety Certificates. (Equipment, Radiotelegraphy, Construction).

- IOPP Certificate.

- General Declaration Entry form, Crew List (7 copies) and Passenger List (9 copies) if any (in transit separately).

- Clearance from last port of call.

- Cargo Manifests including manifests for transit cargo, if any, or negative cargo manifest. (note: this does not apply to Buenos Aires where manifests are transmitted by direct computer link to Customs).

- Declaration of Hazardous Cargo.

- Deratisation or Exemption of, Certificate.

- Crew Identity Cards (with photo) (1 set).

- Store List (Deck, Engine, Cabin and Crew’s personal effects) (3 copies).

- Health Declaration (1 copy).

- Passenger Landing Cards.

- All ISPS Code related documentation.

- Ballast Water Reporting Form.

- SENASA Resolution 895/2002 – Vessel’s Arrival Condition Form.

 

Further to the above certificates vessels must also submit a Safety Management Certificate and a Document of Compliance as per the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.

The Coastguard is also requesting vessels to submit a consular certification as to the compliance of crew members licensed in countries other than the vessel’s registration country with all the provision of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1995 “STCW 95”.

Masters should also have crew discharge books on hand in case the attending Coastguard officer requires to sight them. It is worth noting that, of late, Coastguard have occasionally required to sight officers’ Certificates of Competency.

It should be noted that Masters of all incoming vessels, upon formalizing entry clearance papers, are requested to sign a ‘sworn statement’, usually presented by the acting Agent, which serves to certify that during navigation through buoyed waterways, no damages were caused to buoyage (fixed or floating) nor having witnessed others having done so. If the opposite applies, a statement to this effect must be drawn up at first port of call.

 

Copies of the Health Declaration, General Declaration, Store Lists, Passenger Lists, Baggage Declaration, Crew List, Identity Cards for Crew forms can be forwarded by Agents to Buenos Aires roads via the port pilot if so required ISPS Code. As per ISPS Code requirements in force as from July 1st 2004, vessels must submit the pertinent forms to the Application Authority, namely the Argentine Coast Guard, with cc to the corresponding PFSO 72 hours prior vessels arrival. For your guidance almost all important ports in Argentina are ISPS Code certified. Anyhow in case of doubt Argentina Coast Guard webpage (http://www.prefecturanaval.gov.ar) can be consulted to obtain further information.

 

Once formalities have been complied with and clearance granted, this is valid for the following twelve (12) hours. If a vessel does not sail within that period, a new clearance has to be obtained and reasons are to be given for not having sailed. Its to be noted that in certain ports, due to special circumstances the Coastguard can either shorten or extend the validity of the clearance period. The maximum allowable extension is not more than thirty (30) hours.

Once a vessel has been cleared for departure, the Master may not alter cargo stowage, drafts nor perform any other operation which alters the conditions existing at the time of granting of the initial clearance. When a foreign flag vessel calls at one or more Argentine ports it must tender all its entry papers upon arrival at the first port of call; in turn it will receive all its clearance papers and documents upon departure from last port of call.

At intermediate ports, only the General Declaration from last port of call is presented, and upon departure a similar procedure is observed, although requests to present other certificates or relevant documentation may be made. Normally new Crew Lists are required when changes occur, the same applying to passenger lists. Should a change of destination occur whilst sailing between intermediate ports, the Master should report this circumstance to a coastal radio station (CSR) in order that the information given at the last port of call be corrected.

It should be noted in connection with ‘preventive embargoes’ that when these are issued against a foreign flag ship, interdiction is automatically implied and Coastguard will not clear the ship to sail. National flag vessels can sail under similar conditions provided the embargo is not of an executive nature.

 

These vessels are exempt from complying with usual entry formalities as they are doing so under ‘stress’ or ‘force majeure’ but this does not relieve them of abiding to standing rules and regulations concerning traffic and safety and furthermore the proof as to legitimacy of having ‘put back’ into port rests with the Master. If the ship is carrying IMDG/IMO cargo entry will also be subject to the nature and condition of both cargo and vessel.