IMO number

IMO at Evangelia , 2007.

The IMO number is a unique identifier for ships, shipping companies and ship owners. IMO numbers were introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to improve safety on the seas and reduce fraud. They consist of the three letters IMO and seven digits according to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). It is an important system in the field of ship numbers .

history

IMO resolution (1987)

In 1987 the IMO passed resolution A.600 (15) on “Improving Maritime Safety and Pollution Prevention and Ship Fraud ”, according to which each ship was assigned a permanent identification number.

The IMO number remains attached to the hull of the ship for its entire lifespan, regardless of name changes, change of flag or change of owner.

The IMO adopted the existing seven-digit numbers that had been used by Lloyd's Register for ships since 1969 and which went back to the six-digit numbers from 1963.

SOLAS regulation (1994)

The SOLAS regulation XI / 3 was adopted in 1994 and came into force on January 1, 1996. It makes the obligation for IMO numbers binding.

The IMO number was to be assigned to cargo ships with a gross tonnage (GT) of at least 300 and to passenger ships with a gross tonnage of at least 100. According to the SOLAS Convention, ships are considered cargo ships if they are not passenger ships.

The scheme is not applied to:

• Fishing vessels
• Ships without mechanical propulsion
• Recreational yachts
• Special ships, e.g. B. Lightships , SAR ships
• Barges
• Hydrofoils , hovercraft
• Floating docks
• Warships (ships of the German Navy are listed in the list of ship numbers )
• Wooden ships

Security improvements 2002

In December 2002, the Diplomatic Conference on Maritime Security adopted a series of measures to improve the security of ships and port facilities.

The SOLAS regulation XI-1/3 stipulates that the ship identification numbers must be permanently affixed to a visible place either on the ship's hull or on the superstructure on board and must be mentioned on the ship's certificates. Passenger ships should also carry the marking on the horizontal surfaces, recognizable from the air.

Rules for Businesses and Owners 2005

In May 2005, the IMO passed a new SOLAS regulation XI-1 / 3-1 on the mandatory registration of management companies and owners, which came into force on January 1, 2009.

Other changes provided for these numbers to be entered for the corresponding certificates and documents in the International Safety Management Code (ISM) and in the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS).

Award

The IMO numbers for ships, companies and owners are issued by IHS Markit (formerly Lloyd's Register-Fairplay ). For new watercraft, the number is generally assigned when the keel is laid . For ships that do not come under the obligation, including fishing vessels and commercial yachts, the numbers are also assigned by Lloyd's Register or IHS Markit.

Structure of the number

An IMO number consists of the three letters "IMO" followed by a seven-digit number. The seventh digit is a check digit .

The check digit is formed by adding up the products of the first six digits with a factor of 2 to 7 according to their position from right to left. The right digit of this sum is the check digit.

For example for IMO 9074729 :

( 9 × 7 ) + ( 0 × 6 ) + ( 7 × 5 ) + ( 4 × 4 ) + ( 7 × 3 ) + ( 2 × 2 ) = 139 → 9 = check digit.

See also

Portal: Shipping  - Overview of Wikipedia content on the topic of shipping

• Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI)
• ENI number
• Ship number

Web links

Commons : Ships by IMO number  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• IMO Number Requests by IHS Maritime

Individual evidence

1. ↑ IMO identification number scheme . International Maritime Organization. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
2. ↑ International Maritime Organization: Implementation of resolution A.1078 (28) - IMO ship identification number scheme. Circular Letter No. 1886 / Rev. 6, 8 August 2016
3. ↑ Resolution A.600 (15): IMO Ship Identification Number Scheme . In: Resolutions and Other Decisions (Resolutions 596-635): Assembly, Fifteenth Session, November 9-20, 1987 . International Maritime Organization, 1988, ISBN 92-801-1234-1 , pp. 17-20.
4. ↑ Infosheet No. 45: Lloyd's Register / International Maritime Organization Numbers . Lloyd's Register. July 11, 2012. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
5. ^ Amendments to SOLAS Conventions . Class NK. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
6. ↑ Information on the IMO number at the IMO.
7. ↑ IMO International Convention Calendar . Class NK. December 25, 2012. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
8. ↑ Unique Vessel Identifier (UVI) - Global Record . Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
9. ↑ Error messages table . In: LRIT DB User Manual . European Maritime Safety Agency. Retrieved March 20, 2013.