Ship Sanitation Certificates at Indian Ports: What Masters Should Know
A ship sanitation certificate is easy to forget until it is close to expiry. This guide sets out what the published sources say about who issues it in India, how long it lasts and when the inspection is done, and it is plain about the gaps.
Who issues the certificate in India
Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificates (SSCEC) and Ship Sanitation Control Certificates (SSCC) at Indian ports are issued by Port Health Organisations (PHO). These are subordinate offices of DGHS, MoHFW, working under the Indian Port Health Rules 1955 and IHR (2005).
Cochin PHO is described as a designated and approved port for issuing SSCEC, SSCC and Ship Sanitation Certificates. Mumbai PHO lists inspection and issuance of the Ship Sanitation Certificate to vessels among its routine functions in its RTI declaration, and says it has no separate website because the central site is run by DGHS.
The requirement is not optional for most traffic: all foreign and coastal ships must hold a valid SSCEC or SSCC.
How long it is valid
The certificate issued at Cochin is valid for 6 months. If the inspection cannot be carried out for any reason, an extension of one month is granted.
Australia's DAFF page states the same six-month validity and one-month extension rule and adds that the current sanitation certificate must be sighted at inspection in printed or electronic form. That is a comparator, not an Indian rule, but it is a useful reminder to keep a copy that can be shown quickly.
When and how the inspection is done
At Cochin the inspection is done when the ship is empty or has little cargo, and when the existing certificate or extension has expired or is about to expire. Tankers and containerised vessels can be inspected when fully loaded or with water ballast.
The inspection of health and sanitary conditions on board is directed at the ship's sanitary and hygienic standard. It is normally done on arrival, so the master can correct defects before sailing.
The WHO Handbook for Inspection of Ships and Issuance of Ship Sanitation Certificates says an SSCEC is issued when no evidence of public health risk is found, and that inspection is normally done when holds are empty or hold only ballast.
Do not confuse it with the medicine chest certificate
Cochin PHO's same page says the Medicine Chest inspection certificate is valid for 1 year. This is a separate certificate from the SSC and should not be confused with it.
Keeping the two apart matters for planning, because their validity periods differ and each has its own expiry date to track.
What the sources do not settle
Sources were opened for Cochin and Mumbai. No Chennai procedure and no Indian SSC fee schedule were found, so check fees and booking steps directly with the port health office. The Mumbai RTI document lists a Rs 300 cost for Yellow Fever vaccination at its centre, which is not an SSC fee.
DG Shipping India Order No. 10 of 2018 clarified the SSCC and SSCEC requirement, and the IRClass page confirms the subject, but the order text was not extracted. DGS Orders 30 of 2020 and 21 of 2021 extended validity for Indian-registered vessels on the coast of India during COVID-19. These are COVID-era measures and their current status is not established here.
Sanitation certificate checklist
- Check the expiry date of the current SSCEC or SSCC.
- Remember the extension is one month and only applies if the inspection cannot be carried out.
- Confirm the procedure and any fee with the port health office at the arrival port.
- Keep a printed or electronic copy ready to show.
- Track the medicine chest certificate separately.
Plan the renewal before the date
Work back from the expiry date on the current certificate, and confirm the arrival port and its procedure early. The checklist below pulls the points together.
For hygiene and cleaning consumables ahead of an inspection, see hygiene and cleaning supplies.
a2z serves the port of Cochin, and you can send a requisition through request a quote.
FAQ
Who issues the SSCEC and SSCC in India?
Port Health Organisations, which are subordinate offices of DGHS, MoHFW, issue them under the Indian Port Health Rules 1955 and IHR (2005).
How long is a ship sanitation certificate valid?
The certificate issued at Cochin is valid for 6 months, with a one-month extension if the inspection cannot be carried out.
Does every ship need one?
Cochin PHO states that all foreign and coastal ships must hold a valid SSCEC or SSCC.
Is the medicine chest certificate the same thing?
No. Cochin PHO says the Medicine Chest inspection certificate is valid for 1 year and is a separate certificate from the SSC.
What does the certificate cost?
No Indian SSC fee schedule was found in the sources opened, so confirm the fee with the port health office.
Sources: Cochin PHO; Mumbai PHO; WHO; DAFF; DG Shipping; IRClass.