File number: 4203-60
Verifying the validity of electronic marine security documents online
Purpose
This Marine Security Operations Bulleting (MSOB) provides an update to MSOB#2020-004 issued in October 2020, which is hereby rescinded.
The purpose of this bulletin is to notify Canadian marine security stakeholders and Foreign Flag State partners of a new online method of verifying the validity of the following Canadian marine security documents issued electronically:
- International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC);
- Interim International Ship Security Certificates (IISSC);
- Canadian Vessel Security Certificate (CVSC);
- Interim Canadian Vessel Security Certificate (ICVSC);
- Domestic Ferry Security Certificate (DFSC);
- Interim Domestic Ferry Security Certificate (IDFSC).
- Statement of Compliance of a Marine Facility or a Port (SCMFP)
- Interim Statement of Compliance of a Marine Facility or a Port (ISCMFP)
Background
On April 20, 2016, the International Maritime Organization’s Facilitation Committee approved Guidelines for the use of electronic certificates, which recommends that maritime organizations offer an electronic way to verify the validity of electronically issued documents. Specifically, this recommendation comes from:
Guidelines for the use of electronic certificates (PDF, 213KB)
There are currently eight types of marine security documents that are being issued to stakeholders electronically. As the electronic certification process continues to evolve, the Marine Security Program intends on expanding the issuance of electronic marine security documents to include land-based entities, such as domestic ferry facilities.
Guidance
It is now possible to verify the validity of certain Canadian marine security documents by accessing Marine Electronic Document Validation. To be able to use the Marine Electronic Document Validation (MEDV) web application, the electronic marine security document being verified must bear the following stamp:
Documents that do not show the above stamp have not been issued electronically and cannot be verified online.
In order to verify the validity of Canadian Marine Security Documents, you will need to complete one of the following fields in the MEDV web application with the corresponding value visible on the document:
- Official/Port/Facility number;
- IMO number (Vessel); or
- Unique Document Number (UDN).
Verify the validity of a marine security document
Any comments, suggestions or concerns can be addressed to the Director, Marine Security Operations by e-mail at dirops.marsec-sumar@tc.gc.ca.
Original Signed by:
Lorne Richardson
Acting Director
Marine Security Program
May 2021