1.In assuming their responsibilities and obligations under the international conventions, Member States shall ensure that their competent administrations can ensure appropriate enforcement of the provisions thereof, in particular with regard to the inspection and survey of ships and the issue of statutory certificates and exemption certificates as provided for by the international conventions. Member States shall act in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Annex and the Appendix to IMO Resolution A.847(20) on guidelines to assist flag States in the implementation of IMO instruments.
2.Where for the purpose of paragraph 1 a Member State decides with respect to ships flying its flag:
to authorise organisations to undertake fully or in part inspections and surveys related to statutory certificates including those for the assessment of compliance with the rules referred to in Article 11(2) and, where appropriate, to issue or renew the related certificates; or
to rely upon organisations to undertake fully or in part the inspections and surveys referred to in point (i);
it shall entrust these duties only to recognised organisations.
The competent administration shall in all cases approve the first issue of the exemption certificates.
However, for the cargo ship safety radio certificate these duties may be entrusted to a private body recognised by a competent administration and having sufficient expertise and qualified personnel to carry out specified safety assessment work on radio-communication on its behalf.
3.This Article does not concern the certification of specific items of marine equipment.