E
4 ALBERT EMBANKMENT
LONDON SE1 7SR
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FAL.3/Circ.215
12 April 2019
EXPLANATORY MANUAL TO THE CONVENTION ON FACILITATION OF
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME TRAFFIC, 1965, AS AMENDED
1 The Facilitation Committee, at its forty-third session (8 to 12 April 2019), finalized and
approved the annexed Explanatory Manual to the Convention on Facilitation of International
Maritime Traffic, 1965, as amended (FAL Convention).
2 The Committee recognized that the development of an Explanatory Manual should
help in interpreting the legal text of the provisions of the Convention, which can be complex
and at times difficult to understand. The Committee was of the view that the Manual would
provide for a greater understanding of the Convention, particularly in those Member States
which are not presently Contracting Governments to the Convention.
3 The Committee once again urged those Member States which had not yet acceded
to the FAL Convention to consider doing so as soon as possible, in order to assist the
Organization's efforts to promote wider acceptance of the Convention and adoption of
measures contained therein and work towards the universal implementation of measures to
facilitate international maritime traffic.
4 Member Governments are invited to bring this Manual to the attention of all parties
concerned, including public authorities, ship's masters, agents and operators.
5 This circular revokes FAL.3/Circ.202.
***
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FAL.3/Circ.215
Annex, page 1
EXPLANATORY MANUAL TO THE CONVENTION ON FACILITATION
OF INTERNATIONAL MARITIME TRAFFIC 1965, AS AMENDED
(INCORPORATING AMENDMENTS TO THE FAL CONVENTION
UP TO AND INCLUDING 2018)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Introduction 3
Text from annex to the FAL Convention, with explanatory notes 3
Section 1 4
Definitions and general provisions 4
A. Definitions 4
B. General provisions 7
C. Systems for the electronic exchange of information 8
E. Control techniques 14
Section 2 16
Arrival, stay and departure of the ship 16
A. General 16
B. Contents and purpose of documents 20
C. Documents on arrival 33
D. Documents on departure 33
E. Consecutive calls at two or more ports in the same State 35
F. Completion of documents 35
G. Errors and amendments in documentation and penalties therefor 37
H. Special measures of facilitation for ships calling at ports in order to put
ashore sick or injured crew members, passengers, persons rescued at sea
or other persons for emergency medical treatment 38
Section 3 40
Arrival and departure of persons 40
A. Arrival and departure requirements and procedures 40
B. Measures to facilitate clearance of passengers, crew and baggage 46
D. Facilitation for ships engaged on cruises and for cruise passengers 49
E. Special measures of facilitation for passengers in transit 51
F. Measures of facilitation for ships engaged in scientific services 52
G. Further measures of facilitation for foreigners belonging to the crews of
ships engaged in international voyages – shore leave 52
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Annex, page 2
Section 4 53
Stowaways 53
A. General principles 53
B. Preventive measures 54
C. Treatment of the stowaway while on board 57
D. Deviation from the planned route 59
E. Disembarkation and return of a stowaway 60
SECTION 5 66
Arrival, stay and departure of cargo and other articles 66
A. General 66
B. Clearance of cargo 69
C. Freight containers and pallets 73
D. Cargo not discharged at the port of intended destination 74
E. Limitation of shipowner's responsibilities 75
SECTION 6 76
Public health and quarantine, including sanitary measures for animals and plants 76
Section 7 78
Miscellaneous provisions 78
A. Bonds and other forms of security 78
B. Services at ports 79
C. Emergency assistance 80
D. National facilitation committees 80
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Annex, page 3
Introduction
This manual contains guidance and interpretations of the provisions of the annex to the
Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965, as amended, including the
amendments to the Convention adopted on 8 April 2016, which came into force on
1 January 2018, as well as practical methods of application and examples of best practices.
Public authorities may apply the methods of application or best practices that are most suitable
for their circumstances. If an application is more liberal than required by a particular Standard
or Recommended Practice, such an application may be regarded as granting a wider facility
in accordance with article V of the Convention.
Contracting Governments to the FAL Convention are obliged to bring the Standards and
Recommended Practices of this Convention into force nationally, unless they have lodged a
reservation with the Secretary-General in accordance with article VIII. Their national legislation
must include the implementation of these Standards and Recommended Practices together
with specific regulations for their application.
Taking into account the character of the annex to the Convention, which is addressed to public
authorities in general, national legislation will not necessarily be limited to only one category
of legislation. It may be included in the legislation of various public authorities, such as port,
immigration and customs authorities. National legislation is not limited to laws in a formal
sense, but may include other instruments such as official notifications, charters or ministerial
degrees, according to the administrative system of each Contracting Government.
Explanatory guidance is provided (text in italics) for most substantive provisions of the
Convention, which are, solely for the purposes of this manual, indicated in bold text. Definitions
within the Convention are not provided with guidance, based on the understanding that such
a definition should be clear as read.
This manual does not form a part of the authentic text of the annex to the FAL Convention and
entails no legal obligation towards Contracting Governments. While, for ease of reference, the
manual reproduces text from the Convention, the provisions of the authentic text of the
Convention must be consulted and take precedence over any part of this Explanatory Manual.
Text from annex to the FAL Convention, with explanatory notes
For ease of reference, the following pages contain text reproduced from the annex to
the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965, as amended,
including the amendments to the Convention adopted on 8 April 2016, which came
into force on 1 January 2018. This text, solely for the purposes of this manual, is
indicated in bold text. It is supplemented by explanatory text, with practical methods
of application and examples of best practices. This explanatory text is written in italics
for ease of identification.
This manual does not form a part of the authentic text of the annex to the FAL
Convention and entails no legal obligation towards Contracting Governments. The
provisions of the authentic text of the Convention must be consulted and take
precedence over any part of this Explanatory Manual.
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