What load line surveys are required, what does the International Load Line Certificate contain, and how long is it valid?

flowchart LR
  A["Initial survey (article 14)"] --> B["Marks certified on the ship's sides (regulation 9)"]
  B --> C["International Load Line Certificate issued (article 16), not exceeding five years (article 19)"]
  C --> D["Annual inspection within three months of each anniversary, endorsed"]
  D --> E["Renewal survey at intervals not exceeding five years"]

• Surveys (ICLL article 14): initial; renewal not exceeding five years; annual inspection within three months of each anniversary, endorsed on the certificate.
• Regulation 9: no certificate until the surveyor certifies the marks are correctly and permanently indicated on the ship’s sides.
• Contents (Annex III): particulars and IMO number, freeboards S, W, WNA, T, F, TF and the timber equivalents, deck line and mark positions, Type A or B, survey, issue and expiry dates, annual endorsements.
• Validity (article 19): not exceeding five years; extension at most five months with no alterations; cancelled for material alterations, unmaintained fittings, a missed endorsement or a change of flag.
• India: Load Line Rules 1979 continued under MS Act 2025 s.324(2)(a); DGMA or its RO is the Assigning Authority.
• As Chief Engineer: machinery casing openings, air and sounding pipe heads and ventilator closures are my conditions of assignment; alterations affecting freeboard are cleared first.