Maritime certificates
The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) issues certificates/LOC on the basis of:
- Document control
- Verifications on board
- The company’s safety management system
Annexes to the certificate of fitness/LOC
The NMA issues following annexes to the certificates /LOC:
- Annex I: Operational limitations
- Annex II: Accepted exemptions
Initial registration
Upon initial registration of a mobile offshore unit (newbuilding, change of flag or change of vessel type), the NMA’s Section for Cargo Vessels and Mobile Offshore Units and the Department for Ship Registration (NIS/NOR) will be involved in the process.
The unit’s technical and operational safety will be audited by the Section for Cargo Vessels and Mobile Offshore Units whilst the Department for Ship Registration will register the unit in NIS or NOR.
To start the process, please send a "Application for certification – Mobile Offshore Unit " to post@sdir.no. You will then be invited to an initial meeting with the Section for Cargo Vessels and Mobile Offshore Units. A Norwegian call sign and, if applicable, IMO number will also be allocated upon receipt of the notification of newbuilding.
The Section for Cargo Vessels and Mobile Offshore Units will request documentation to be submitted according to its document list. Additionally, the Department of Ship Registration has its own checklist for documentation requirements either for New registration of a mobile offshore unit in the NOR or for New registration in the NIS.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.
Renewal of certificates/LOC
In connection with renewal of certificates/LOC, the latest editions of the regulations are applicable. The company must then prepare and forward GAP-analyses to the NMA. In addition, the company shall evaluate previously approved exemptions (Annex II) with a view to prospective corrections, or annulment due to new regulations. Conclusions shall be forwarded to the NMA.
Request for supervision
If you, or others in the company, are able to send a request for supervision in Norwegian, please use our electronic form:
If you need to send a request for supervision in English, please send an e-mail to post@sdir.no
Renewal inspections requested more than 3 months prior to the certificate's expiration must be manually requested by email to post@sdir.no and cc to HHE@sdir.no
Exemptions
Application for exemptions shall as a minimum include:
- Regulation and section which it is applied for.
- Description of the deviation.
- Justifications for acceptance of the deviation (compensating measure / equivalent / risk assessment).
- Confirmation of whether the deviation is short-term or long-term. A closing-date shall be added in applications for short-term exemptions.
A statement from the employees' representatives, preferably coordinating head safety delegate, shall be included in the exemption application.
Other supervisory authorities/agencies
The NMA has agreements for cooperation and technical assistance with the following agencies for delegation of surveys on mobile offshore units:
- The Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB). The agreement concerns survey of electrical installations and electrical equipment.
- Civil Aviation Authority Norway (CAA Norway). The agreement concerns survey of helicopter decks.
- Radio inspection companies. The agreement concerns survey of radio installations and equipment.
The NMA coordinates surveys which are to be performed by these agencies.
Classification societies
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has agreements with following classification societies for delegation of surveys on mobile offshore units:
- American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
- DNV
- Lloyds Register of Shipping (LRS)
Supervisory tasks (including certfication tasks) have been delegated pursuant to the following:
Annex I to Agreement 1 June 2002 (PDF)
Annex II (PDF)
Annex VI (PDF)
Letter of Compliance (LOC)
The NMA may, upon the company’s application, issue a so-called “Letter of Compliance” (LOC) to a foreign-registered vessel which is not subject to supervision by the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority in connection with the AoC.
This document will be issued after the NMA and its appurtenant agencies have carried out document control and verification on board equivalent to controls and verifications on a Norwegian-registered mobile offshore unit, and found the vessel to be in compliance with the technical and operational requirements in the NMA regulations for Norwegian-registered mobile offshore units (except requirements relating to manning and safety management systems).
The agreements with the other agencies as mentioned above are also applicable to LOC.
Cranes and lifting operations
Cranes and lifting operations on ships and mobile offshore units