Maritime Station Licensing Procedure
The requirements provided below are mandatory and must be fulfilled prior to the issuance of a maritime station license for any vessel operating in Fiji. This also forms the basis of processes that can be modified to suit future needs.
A. Foreign Ships that needs to be registered in Fiji.
- Apply for a call sign and MMSI number for the vessel to uniquely identify her as a Fiji flagged vessel.
Definition of MMSI
Maritime Mobile Service Identities (MMSIs) are nine digit numbers used by maritime digital selective calling (DSC), automatic identification systems (AIS) and certain other equipment to uniquely identify a ship or a coast radio station. MMSIs are regulated and managed internationally by the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva, Switzerland, just as radio call signs are regulated. The MMSI format and use is documented in Article 19 of the International Telecommunications Union Radio Regulations and ITU-R Recommendation M.585-6, available from the ITU.
a) Once issued, these numbers are to be programmed into the various marine safety equipment that will identify the vessel’s identity when activated.
- Apply for a provisional radio installation inspection on the vessel to ensure that all necessary radio and navigational equipment are installed and are operable in a satisfactory and standard compliance manner.
- Applicant will then need to pay the relevant fees for the Issuance of provisional license and assignments of call sign and MMSI number.
- MSAF will be required to conduct radio inspection on vessel when in abroad.
- When the inspection result is satisfactory, a provisional license will be issued which will only be for a period of 3 months.
a) This will assist in facilitating the travel from the overseas port to Fiji. - Upon arrival in Fiji, the applicant will need to arrange for an annual maritime station survey which should be conducted prior to the expiry of the provisional license.
a) This will be done according to the Maritime Survey Procedure (refer information). - This however forms part of the Marine Act Regulation and SOLAS regulation requirements.
Definition of SOLAS
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is an international maritime treaty that sets minimum safety standards in the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships. The convention requires signatory flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with at least these standards.
The current version of SOLAS is the 1974 version, known as SOLAS 1974, which came into force on 25 May 1980. As of November 2018, SOLAS 1974 had 164 contracting states, which flag about 99% of merchant ships around the world in terms of gross tonnage.
SOLAS in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships.
Technical provisions
The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the construction, equipment and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with its requirements, and a number of certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done. Control provisions also allow Contracting Governments to inspect ships of other Contracting States if there are clear grounds for believing that the ship and its equipment do not substantially comply with the requirements of the Convention.
B. New Vessels constructed locally that needs to be registered.
- Apply for a call sign and MMSI number for the vessel to uniquely identify her as a Fiji flagged vessel.
b) Once issued, these numbers are to be programmed into the various marine safety equipment that will identify the vessel’s identity when activated. - Apply for an annual radio installation inspection on the vessel to ensure that all necessary radio and navigational equipment are installed and are operable in a satisfactory and standard compliance manner.
- The applicant then will need to pay the relevant fees for the inspection which will be conducted by a TAF surveyor, for vessels less than 15 meters at the port where the change of registration takes place.
- Arrangement for the necessary travel arrangements for the TAF surveyor will be made between TAF and the applicant if the survey is to be conducted in an area away from the Central District.
- Upon arrival in Fiji, the applicant will need to arrange for their annual maritime station survey which should be conducted prior to the expiry of the provisional license.
a) This will be done according to the Maritime Survey Procedure. - This however forms part of the Marine Act Regulation and SOLAS regulation requirements
- Bank details for direct funds transfer to TAF are:
| Account name: | Consolidated Fund Account – TAF |
| Account number: | 7709554 |
| Bank Name: | Bank South Pacific |
| SWIFT Code: | BOSPFJFJ |
| BSB Number: | 069-001 |
Vessels requesting annual survey
- Lodge application requesting TAF to conduct annual survey on vessels less than 15 meters and issue maritime station license.
- Pay the relevant fees for the inspection which will be conducted by a TAF surveyor at the port where the change of registration takes place.
- Arrange for the necessary travel arrangements for the TAF surveyor.
- When the inspection result is satisfactory, the annual maritime station license will be issued which will be valid for a period of 12 months.
- Consequent surveys should be conducted prior to the expiry of the annual maritime station license.
- This however forms part of the Marine Act Regulation and SOLAS regulation requirements