Page 229 - Rules of Navigation2020

CHAPTER XII
TONNAGE COMPUTATION & AUDITING

Art. 92 - Suez Canal Tonnage:

A - The tonnage on which all dues and surcharges to be paid by vessels, as specified in these

regulations, is the net tonnage resulting from the system of measurement laid down by the
International Commission held at Constantinople in 1873 , and duly entered, on the
(1)
(2)
special certificates issued by the competent authorities in each country .
In levying the dues, any alteration of net tonnage subsequent to the delivery of the above-
mentioned certificates is taken into account.

B - In order to apply the exemptions from measurement shown on the special certificate, there
must be no merchandise, commercial stores or supplies; of any kind; in any of the spaces

which entitled to exemption.
(1) Should a vessel; at any time; transit with passengers, merchandise of any kind, bunker

or commercial stores of any description in any of the exempted or deducted spaces,
these spaces are going to be added to the net tonnage and can nevermore be exempted
from measurement.

(2) Nevertheless, the SCA agrees that in cases where the vessel is sold , the new owners
(3)
can again claim exemption of the spaces previously taxed. The sale of the vessel must

of course be effective and bona fide. And a new SC special tonnage certificate must
be obtained.

C - Double Bottom Tanks:
(1) When any of the bottom tanks is utilized over 6 inches for bunkers during the SC transit,

the cubical capacity of such tanks shall be temporarily added to the vessel’s tonnage on
which transit dues to be determined.

(2) In case the status of the double bottom tanks can neither be determined nor declared;
for any reason; by either the Master or Chief Engineer, the cubical capacity of such

tanks shall be temporarily added to the vessel’s tonnage on which transit dues to be
determined regardless of the double bottom tanks actual status.

1) Refer to Appendix No. 1, Part IV, p. (200-210).
2) To be issued by a competent governmental authority or a recognized classification society which is a member
of I.A.C.S: http://www.iacs.org.uk/about/members/
3) Vessels which transit after changing their owner, flag or both is treated as vessels passing the Suez Canal for
the first time regarding the tonnage computation & auditing.

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