The Ship Sanitary Certificate is a necessary health certificate for international voyaging ships, replacing the previously invalidated Deratting Certificate/Deratting Exemption Certificate. The content of this certificate includes inspections of aspects such as vector control, environmental health supervision, and medical equipment maintenance. The work specifications for these inspections are formulated in accordance with laws and regulations such as the World Health Organizations International Health Regulations (2005) and the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law of the Peoples Republic of China.

During the application process for the Ship Sanitary Certificate, if the shipowner applies for handling on its own initiative or the customs discovers a ship without a valid Ship Sanitary Certificate during the quarantine inspection, its person in charge or agent shall fill out the Application for Ship Sanitary Control Exemption Certificate/Ship Sanitary Control Certificate and apply to the customs. After accepting the application, the customs reasonably arranges the inspection time and place according to the ship type, berthing time, in - port operation plan, etc., and forms an inspection team.

The on - site ship health inspection is a comprehensive process, which comprehensively inspects and evaluates the ships health status through forms such as document review, visual inspection, and instrument testing. The inspection content includes the health status of crew members and passengers, the health status of the kitchen, food pantry and warehouse, the source and quality of drinking water, the health status of the accommodation area and deck, the equipment and management of medical facilities, the health status of the cargo hold (cargo), the treatment of garbage, solid and medical waste, excreta, the health status of the engine room, the management of ballast water, and other possible health problems.

According to the inspection results, if any of the following circumstances exist, sanitary control measures must be implemented and the Ship Sanitary Control Certificate shall be issued: discovery of infectious disease patients; discovery of rat infestation or other vectors exceeding the control standards; discovery of evidence of chemical, biological, or nuclear radiation pollution; discovery of evidence indicating other public health risks, and the customs deems it necessary to implement sanitary control measures. For ships without the above - mentioned situations, sanitary control is exempted and the Ship Sanitary Control Exemption Certificate is issued. At the same time, the problems found in the inspection and improvement suggestions shall be marked on the certificate or informed to the shipowner.

The maximum validity period of the Ship Sanitary Certificate is 6 months. If the inspection or implementation of necessary control measures cannot be carried out at the port and no evidence of infection or pollution is found, an extension stamp can be affixed on the original Ship Sanitary Control Exemption Certificate to extend its validity period by 1 month. All items of the Ship Sanitary Certificate shall be filled out completely and standardly, and shall be signed by an authorized signatory and stamped with the Chinese - English visa seal of the customs inspection and quarantine. The original certificate is handed over to the shipowner, and the copies, application forms, inspection records, etc. are filed by the customs for a period of 1 year.

The shipowner to the means of transportationimport and exportSubmit the required written materials to the on - shore customs approval window for on - site handling. The customs conducts an on - site inspection once. If the inspection is qualified, the Ship Sanitary Control Exemption Certificate is issued; if evidence of public health risks is found, control measures are taken and a re - inspection is carried out. After passing the re - inspection, the Ship Sanitary Control Certificate is issued. This service is free of charge.