Pilot project on the inspection periodicity for small certificated domestic vessels

RDIMS No .: 20773110
Date (Y-M-D) : 2025-05-20

We issue Ship Safety Bulletins for the marine community. Visit our Website at www.tc.gc.ca/ssb-bsn to view existing bulletins and to sign up to receive e-mail notices of new ones.

Important Notice

This is an update of bulletin No: 07/2025 to extend the duration of the pilot project by one year - to October 31, 2026, and linking the Attestation Form on the Condition and Operation of the Vessel.

Purpose

This bulletin provides information about a nationwide pilot project for small certificated domestic vessel inspections.

The pilot project will run from May 20, 2025 to October 31, 2026.

Scope

This bulletin applies to:

Authorized representatives of eligible vessels, and
Transport Canada Centres (TCC) responsible for marine safety inspections

Background

Transport Canada inspects domestic commercial vessels to make sure they comply with the applicable regulations. In an effort to make this part of our work more efficient, we’re reviewing how we oversee small domestic non-pleasure vessels. Our goal is to shift our focus to higher-risk areas, which may involve reallocating resources to inspect the vessel types or operations that are most at risk.

What you need to know

To make better use of inspection resources, Transport Canada launched a pilot project to extend the safety inspection certificate for some lower-risk vessels.

If your small domestic vessel is due for a periodic safety inspection between May 20, 2025, and October 31, 2026, you can apply for a 1-year extension of its current inspection certificate.

Transport Canada reserves the right to terminate this pilot project before October 31, 2026.

Who can apply

The pilot project is open to:

passenger vessels of more than 15 gross tonnage (GT) and less than 24 metres long, or vessels of 15 GT or less that carry more than 12 passengers,
non-passenger vessels (like tugs and workboats) of more than 15 GT and less than 150 GT and less than 24 metres long, and
fishing vessels of more than 15 GT and not more than 150 GT and not more than 24.4 metres long

To participate, your vessel must also have:

no open deficiencies,
- if you’ve corrected any open deficiencies, the vessel’s authorized representative must show proof of the correction to apply to the pilot project
no high-risk deficiencies identified during the last inspection,
made no modifications or repairs to the vessel’s hull, propulsion, or structure, and
made no changes to its intended service since its last inspection

How to participate

If you think your vessel meets the criteria, contact the Transport Canada Centres (TCC) nearest to your area of operation, available at this link: Marine Transportation in the Regions, to confirm your vessel’s eligibility.

To participate in the pilot project, you will have to complete and submit an Attestation Form on the Condition and Operation of the Vessel. You will need to submit this attestation form to Transport Canada at least 10 business days before your vessel’s safety inspection certificate expires.

Your local TCC will review your form and confirm whether your vessel meets the criteria to participate in the pilot project. The TCC will send you their decision by email within 5 business days.

If your vessel is accepted into the pilot project, Transport Canada will extend the inspection certificate for 1 year. If your vessel was also due for a dry dock inspection, the due date of the dry dock inspection will also be extended.
If your vessel isn’t accepted into the project, a Marine Safety Inspector will schedule an inspection as usual.

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Pilot project on the inspection periodicity for small certificated domestic vessels - SSB No.: 07/2025