Singapore Operations Office:

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Email: [email protected] Website: www.tvship.com

MARINE CIRCULAR
MC-2/2012/1
05/2025

FOR: Ship Owners, Ship Managers, Ship Operators, Recognized Organizations, Flag State Inspectors

SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF SHIPBOARD EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

DEFINITIONS:

The following abbreviations stand for:

▪ “ASPC” – Approved Service Provider Certificate

▪ “BDMSS” – BeiDou Message Service System
▪ “EPIRB” – Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
▪ “IMO” – International Maritime Organization
▪ “LSA Code” – The International Life-Saving Appliance Code, as amended
▪ “RO” – Recognized Organization as defined by IMO Resolution A.789(19)
▪ “SOLAS” – The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended
▪ “MARPOL” – International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
▪ “BWMC” – International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and
Sediments, 2004
▪ “COLREGs” – Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972
▪ “LL Convention” – International Convention on Load Lines, 1966

The following term shall mean:

▪ “Administration” – Tuvalu Ship Registry

PURPOSE:

This circular provides guidance on the approval of:

(a) Shipboard Equipment (where IMO Conventions require them to meet the satisfaction of the
Administration); and

(b) Service Providers.

REFERENCES:

(a) IMO Resolution A.761(18) – Recommendation on Conditions for the Approval of Servicing Stations
for Inflatable Liferafts, 04 November 1993
(b) IMO Resolution MSC.55(66) – Adoption of Amendments to the Recommendation on Conditions for
the Approval of Servicing Stations for Inflatable Liferafts (Resolution A.761(18)), 30 May 1996
(c) IMO Resolution MSC.388(94) – Amendments to the Recommendation on Conditions for the
Approval of Servicing Stations for Inflatable Liferafts (Resolution A.761(18)), 18 November 2014
(d) IMO Resolution MSC.81(70) – Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances, 11
December 1998
(e) IMO Resolution MSC.402(96) – Requirements for Maintenance, Thorough Examination,
Operational Testing, Overhaul and Repair of Lifeboats and Rescue Boats, Launching Appliances
and Release Gear, 19 May 2006

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(f) IMO MSC.1/Circ.1221 – Validity of Type Approval Certification for Marine Products, 11 December
2006

CONTENTS:

1. Approval of Equipment

IMO Conventions such as, SOLAS, MARPOL, BWMC, COLREGs, LL Convention, and their
associated Codes, often require that shipboard equipment be “to the satisfaction of the
Administration”, or in compliance with a specified IMO standard, specification or guideline.

1.1. Approvals by Recognized Organizations

Unless instructed otherwise, the Administration’s ROs are authorized to approve equipment on
its behalf.

1.2. Approvals by another State

1.2.1. Equipment approvals granted by:

1.2.1.1. A Tuvalu RO on behalf of another State party to the applicable statutory

Conventions; and

1.2.1.2. Equipment approved under European Union Marine Equipment Directive

(MED) 2014/90/EU, as amended,

are accepted.

1.2.2. The Administration may accept equipment approvals granted by another State that is
not a party to the applicable statutory Conventions on a case-by-case basis.

1.3. New Life-saving Equipment

Approvals of new life saving equipment shall take into account IMO Resolution MSC.81(70),
and their installation shall comply with SOLAS, LSA Code, and relevant IMO guidelines.

1.4. Existing equipment accepted under SOLAS requirements prior to 01 January 2020 may be
used so long as they are in serviceable condition.

1.5. Approval of EPIRBs and Satellite Terminals

1.5.1. EPIRBs must be approved by COSPAS SARSAT; and

1.5.2. Satellite terminals must be approved by INMARSAT or IRIDIUM or BDMSS (for regional
coverage for the area set out in IMO Resolution MSC.529(106))

1.6. Type Approval Certification Scheme (see IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1221)

The expiry of the Type Approval Certificate does not affect the operational validity of an
installed equipment, and similarly, an equipment manufactured during the validity period of a
Type Approval Certificate need not be renewed or replaced due to expiration of the Type
Approval Certificate.

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2. Approval of Service Providers

2.1. From 01 January 2020, prior to providing maintenance, examination, testing, overhaul or repair
of:

2.1.1. Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats);

2.1.2. Rescue boats;
2.1.3. Fast rescue boats;
2.1.4. Launching appliances; and
2.1.5. On-load and off-load release gear for lifeboats (including primary and secondary means
of launching appliance for free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and davit-launched liferafts,

a service provider, or manufacturer acting as a service provider, must be authorized by the

Administration in accordance to IMO Resolution MSC.402(96).

2.2. The Administration does not directly approve service providers, but shall issue an authorization
letter to service providers that hold a valid ASPC issued by one of Tuvalu’s ROs to ensure that
the service providers meet the IMO Resolution MSC.402(96) requirements.

NOTE: Authorization shall only be granted to service providers holding an ASPC issued by the
vessel’s RO.

2.3. Ship owners / operators shall submit applications for Authorization of a service provider to
[email protected] accompanied with:

2.3.1. The previous Authorization issued to the Service Provider, subject to the ASPC is still
valid; and
2.3.2. Location (port) and approximate date of servicing.

OR

2.3.3. The last equipment service certificate;

2.3.4. ASPC of the Service Provider issued by one of Tuvalu’s RO; and
2.3.5. Location (port) and approximate date of servicing.

3. Approval of Service Stations

3.1. The following are to be serviced at an approved servicing station with proper servicing facilities
and using properly trained personnel:

3.1.1. inflatable liferafts;

3.1.2. inflatable lifejackets; and
3.1.3. marine evacuation systems.
3.1.4. Inflated rescue boats

3.2. Subject to subparagraph 3.3, this Administration may accept servicing station approvals
granted by a Tuvalu RO on behalf of another State party to the applicable statutory Convention.
The acceptance is subject to compliance with IMO Resolution A.761(18), as amended by IMO
Resolution MSC.55(66), and MSC.388(94) and certified according to IACS Unified
Requirement Z17.

3.3. The Administration shall only grant approvals to service stations that hold Type Approval
certificate issued by the vessel’s RO.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Registrar
Tuvalu Ship Registry

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