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ASSEMBLY A 30/Res.1117
30th session 18 December 2017
Agenda item 9 Original: ENGLISH

Resolution A.1117(30)

Adopted on 6 December 2017

(Agenda item 9)

IMO SHIP IDENTIFICATION NUMBER SCHEME

THE ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization

concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning
maritime safety and the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,

BELIEVING that the enhancement of maritime safety and pollution prevention and the
prevention of maritime fraud could be facilitated if a permanent identification number were
assigned to a ship which would remain unchanged upon transfer of its flag and would be
inserted on ships' certificates,

RECALLING that, by resolution 1, the Conference of Contracting Governments to the

International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS Convention), held at IMO
Headquarters in May 1994, adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention, which included
the addition of a mandatory regulation on the ship identification number scheme (current
SOLAS regulation XI-1/3), which entered into force on 1 January 1996,

RECALLING ALSO that, by resolution MSC.202(81), the Maritime Safety Committee, at its
eighty-first session, adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention with regard to the
long-range identification and tracking of ships (SOLAS regulation V/19-1), which entered into
force on 1 January 2008,

RECALLING FURTHER that, by resolution A.600(15), it adopted the IMO Ship Identification
Number Scheme, and by resolution A.1078(28), the revised IMO Ship Identification Number
Scheme, which allows the voluntary application of the Scheme to ships of 100 gross tonnage
and above, including fishing vessels,

RECOGNIZING the need for the IMO Ship Identification Number Scheme to be revised to allow
its application to ships of 100 gross tonnage and above, including fishing vessels of steel and
non-steel hull construction; passenger ships of less than 100 gross tonnage, high-speed
passenger craft and mobile offshore drilling units covered by SOLAS regulation V/19-1; and
all motorized inboard fishing vessels of less than 100 gross tonnage down to a size limit
of 12 metres in length overall (LOA), authorized to operate outside waters under the national
jurisdiction of the flag State,

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HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Maritime Safety Committee at its
ninety-eighth session,

1 ADOPTS the IMO Ship Identification Number Scheme, as set out in the annex to the
present resolution for implementation on a voluntary basis;

2 INVITES Governments concerned to implement the Scheme as far as is practicable

and to inform the Organization of measures taken in this respect;

3 REQUESTS the Maritime Safety Committee to keep the Scheme under review for
further improvement as may be necessary;

4 REVOKES resolution A.1078(28).

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Annex

IMO SHIP IDENTIFICATION NUMBER SCHEME

Introduction

1 The purpose of the Scheme is to enhance maritime safety and pollution prevention
and to facilitate the prevention of maritime fraud. It is not intended to prejudice matters of
liability, civil law or other commercial considerations in the operation of a ship. Administrations
should apply the Scheme to new and existing ships under their flag engaged in international
voyages. Administrations may also wish to assign IMO Ship Identification Numbers (IMO
numbers) to ships engaged solely on domestic voyages and to insert the number in the national
certificates.

Application

2 The Scheme applies to ships of 100 gross tonnage and above, including fishing
vessels of steel and non-steel hull construction; passenger ships of less than 100 gross
tonnage, high-speed passenger craft and mobile offshore drilling units engaged on
international voyages (SOLAS regulation V/19-1); and to all motorized inboard fishing vessels
of less than 100 gross tonnage down to a size limit of 12 metres in length overall (LOA)
authorized to operate outside waters under the national jurisdiction of the flag State, with the
exception of the following:

.1 ships without mechanical means of propulsion;

.2 pleasure yachts;

.3 ships engaged on special service;1

.4 hopper barges;

.5 floating docks and structures classified in a similar manner;

.6 ships of war and troop ships; and

.7 wooden ships, other than fishing vessels.

Assignment of IMO ship identification number

3 The IMO number is made up of the three letters "IMO" in front of seven digits
(e.g. IMO8712345), allocated by Information Handling Services Maritime & Trade (IHSM&T)2
at the time of build or when a ship is first included in a register. Administrations which have
decided to implement the Scheme are invited to assign, or cause to be assigned, IMO numbers
to all appropriate ships flying their flags, and to insert those numbers on ships' certificates.

4 For new ships, the assignment of the IMO number should be made when the ship is
registered. For existing ships, the assignment of the IMO number should be made at an early
convenient date, such as when the renewal survey is completed or new certificates are issued.

1
For example lightships, floating radio stations, search and rescue vessels.
2
Formerly known as IHS-Fairplay (IHS-F) and IHS Maritime.

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5 Administrations implementing the Scheme beyond its mandatory scope are invited to
inform the Organization accordingly, for circulation of information to other Governments.

6 Official publications and other information from IHS M&T are sources for referencing
the IMO number. If the particulars of a ship do not correspond to those shown in the Register
of Ships and its supplement because, for example, the ship has changed its name, or the port
State control officer has doubts as to whether the IMO numbers given on the certificates are
genuine, further clarification may be sought from IHS M&T, the IMO Secretariat or the flag
State.

Certificates on which the IMO number is to be inserted and marking

7 The IMO number should be inserted on a ship's Certificate of Registry which includes
the particulars identifying the ship, and on all certificates issued under IMO conventions when
and where appropriate. It is recommended that the IMO number also be inserted on other
certificates, such as classification certificates, when and where appropriate. The IMO number
should preferably be included in the box headed "Distinctive number or letters" in addition to
the call sign. The IMO number should also be permanently marked on the hull structure of the
ship when and where appropriate.

How to obtain the IMO number

8 To obtain an IMO number for both new and existing ships and to make ad hoc
enquiries, please contact the following website http://imonumbers.ihs.com, or requests can be
sent to IHS M&T, this being the quickest route for issuance of a number, at the following
address:

IHS Maritime & Trade

Sentinel House
163 Brighton Road
Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2YH
United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)1334 328300 (General Contact)
+44 (0) 20 3253 2404 (IMO Ship Team)
Fax: +44 (0)20 3253 2102

New ships (on order and under construction)

9 The IMO number can be obtained by one of the following methods:

.1 Inquiries should be addressed to IHS M&T by telephone, email or facsimile.

When making an inquiry, particulars of the ships should be presented.3

Based on the above information, IHS M&T will provide the necessary IMO
number free of charge. If there is no data in the IHS M&T new construction
file on the ship concerned, a new record on that ship will be created and the
IHS M&T number will be assigned.
.2 Online access to the new construction file through Sea-web (the IMO
Secretariat has access to this system).

3
A list of particulars can be found in the form annexed to circular letters on the IMO Ship Identification
Number Scheme (e.g. Circular Letter No.1886/Rev.6, as may be amended).

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.3 Application through IHS M&T, which will provide a service of regular listings
of the order book with selected data items, produced for a client's
specification.

Existing ships

10 For existing ships, IHS M&T is prepared to answer ad hoc requests free of charge up
to a reasonable point of acceptability.

11 IHS M&T is able to both validate and issue IMO numbers to Administrations through
regular fleet data exchanges with the Administration, as set out in Circular Letter
No.1886/Rev.6, as may be amended.

Fishing vessels of less than 100 gross tonnage

12 In order to issue IMO numbers accurately to new and existing fishing vessels of less
than 100 gross tonnage down to a size limit of 12 metres LOA authorized to operate outside
waters under the national jurisdiction of the flag State, IHSM&T will need to have prior
confirmation by the Administration that the vessels meet the criteria in paragraph 2 of this
annex.

Inquiry to the IMO Secretariat

13 Assigned identification numbers are available in the IMO Global Integrated Shipping
Information System (GISIS) module on "Ship and Company Particulars" at
https://gisis.imo.org/Public/SHIPS/Default.aspx, and may also be obtained free of charge from
the IMO Secretariat ([email protected]), which has access to the Sea-web system, and
from IHS M&T directly, at the address given in paragraph 8.

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