Remote Tonnage Survey Regulations Introduced By UK MCA During Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

Members of the Oceanskies team are fully authorised by either the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YBDSA) and/or the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and/or the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) to carry out tonnage measurement surveys ‘in house’ to provide Certificates of Survey for the registration of yachts of up to 24 metres in Load Line Length under the red ensign at all British flag ports of registry.

As a result of travel restrictions resulting from the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak it has become impossible for us to travel to client vessels requiring tonnage measurements surveys and the movement of local surveyors has become severely restricted.

The tonnage measurement survey is an important part of the yacht registration requiring the physical inspection of the vessel by a qualified surveyor. We have a guide to the tonnage measurement survey explaining its importance in the process here on this website at the following link:

The Oceanskies Guide To The Tonnage Survey

In order to enable the registration of yachts to continue the United Kingdom `Government’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) have announced temporary contingency plans to mitigate disruption to essential statutory activities during the pandemic.

The plans acknowledge that the owners of UK registered vessels may find it difficult to arrange the surveys, audits, inspections and servicing activities required under national and international regulations due to a lack of availability of surveyors, a restriction on surveyor travel to reach the port of survey or a local outbreak of coronavirus which increases the risk to health.

In light of these difficulties the MCA have issued a general exemption which will permit, under certain conditions, the assessment of tonnage remotely.

Once survey activity is recommenced in the industry, a physical tonnage measurement will still be necessary, and a new tonnage certificate issued if necessary.

The General Exemption states the following:

"Calculations and measurements are to be completed as per the relevant regulations and are acceptable when obtained from the following:

A sister vessel of a series build which is in possession of an existing Tonnage Certificate issued on behalf of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Measurements taken from drawing of the vessel.

On the condition that at the earliest opportunity the vessel is formally measured. Should the measurement result in a variation of tonnage greater the 2% the tonnage certification should be re-issued."

Oceanskies can perform tonnage surveys worldwide in house or  through our partner surveyors either as part of our fixed fee yacht registration packages or on a stand-alone basis.

We have over the years carried out tonnage measurement surveys on many different types of sail and motor yachts therefore  hold on file already the technical information many different vessels.

We can issue a temporary tonnage survey certificate for UK Part I registration and any other British Register of Ships adopting this exemption for a fee of GBP £300.00 provided that we can be supplied with sufficent information and that we  then subsequently  physically attend  the vesselfor which our standard  tariff  woudl apply as  follows:

Oceanskies in conjunction with classification societies such as RINA, Bureau Veritas, ABS and Lloyd’s Register are also able to organise tonnage surveys for the registration of yachts over 24 metres in Load Line Length for the issue of Certificates of Survey and International Tonnage Convention (ITC69) certificates for both British,  Malta and other registration jurisdictions

For further information please do not hesitate to contact the registration and survey team here at Oceanskies.  

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