The Isle of Man Ship Registry has issued a revised Registry Advice Notice RAN 03: Tonnage and Measurement of Ships under 24m Overall Length. The document was published on 14 August 2024.
Before registering with the Isle of Man Ship Registry, all ships under 24m overall length must be surveyed and issued with a ‘Certificate of Survey (Tonnage Measurement)’ specifying vessel tonnage in accordance with Part III of the Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Regulations 1998. This excludes ships registered on the small ships register and fishing vessels.
Please note that tonnage and measurement for Manx ships 24 metres or over other than fishing vessels is covered in RAN 04.
Tonnage and measurement for fishing vessels is covered in RAN 10.
Survey and certification
Survey and certification must be completed by an authorised Certifying Authority. The IIMS Certifying Authority is recognised by the Isle of Man Ship Registry to undertake tonnage measurements for ships under 24m in legth.
Following initial survey and issuance of the certificate of survey there are no requirements for on-going survey in relation to tonnage.
If any changes are made in the arrangement, construction, capacity, use of spaces, total number of passengers the ship is permitted to carry under the terms of the passenger certificate, assigned load line or permitted draught of the ship that cause a change in tonnage, the existing measurement will cease to be valid. The certificate of survey should be returned to the issuing authority for cancellation and arrangements made for re-measurement of the vessel.
Changes to a vessels name or port of registry, whilst having no effect on tonnage, will require the existing certificate of survey to be amended or re-issued denoting the changes by a certifying authority. The Ship Registry should be contacted prior to proceeding with any changes to a vessels name or port of registry.