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The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) has taken another step this week in its quest to promote and develop use of digital certificates by signing a cooperation agreement with Norway and Singapore.

Last year, the DMA hit the headlines when it announced on 24th June that from then on Danish ships were no longer required to set out to sea with heaps of paper certificates.

Today, the DMA only issues digital certificates, which it says are "very efficient and save time and money for both shipowners and authorities".

The agreement signed on 24th April by Andreas Nordseth, Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority, with Norway and Singapore is designed to promote the international migration from paper to digital certificates.

"It is an important step that Norway, Singapore and Denmark - three major shipping nations - join forces to spread digital certificates. Cooperation makes it easier for us to promote the use of digital certificates and make more countries enter upon the digital course," Nordseth said.

"E-certificates are merely the tip of the iceberg. The certificates as such are only the beginning. The next step will be for the authorities to exchange and inspect certificates via the databases of one another rather than to do so on board the ships."

"It becomes possible to drastically reduce the time spent by PSC officers checking documents on board ships in ports all over the world," the DMA added.

Bunker certificates

As previously reported by Bunker Index, Danish ships with a gross tonnage (gt) of 1000 or more must acquire a bunker certificate concerning insurance cover for liability for bunker oil pollution damage, as should foreign vessels with a gross tonnage of 1000 or more if they intend to call at a Danish port, a Danish place of loading or unloading, the Danish continental shelf area, or if they intend to operate permanently in Danish territorial waters.

Ships subject to a requirement for a certificate are not permitted to operate without it.

As a new procedure, implemented last year, certificates issued on the basis of declarations on liability cover (Blue Cards) from approved insurance companies are accepted in electronic format and insurance certificates for Danish ships are now issued electronically.