Inspamar – 2025

Convention for the Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL 1965)

The Convention for the Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL 1965) was established in response to the growing global concern over the excessive paperwork and documentation required for merchant vessels, with the aim of avoiding unnecessary delays in maritime operations. Adopted by the member states of the International Maritime Organization in 1965, this "cooperative" treaty sets out standards, recommended practices, and procedures that unify and simplify the documentation necessary for the arrival, stay, and departure of vessels at international ports. It came into force in 1967, and in the case of Mexico, it was ratified on March 24, 1983. With this, our country joined the commitment to promote the facilitation of maritime traffic under common and updated criteria, benefiting global trade and navigation.

Objectives of the Convention:

The objectives of the Convention are to prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic, foster cooperation between governments, and unify procedures, documents, and formalities in all aspects where such uniformity can facilitate and improve international maritime traffic. In particular, the Convention reduces the number of copies that may be required by public authorities.

Application:

  • The Contracting Governments, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, commit to cooperating in the development and implementation of measures aimed at facilitating the entry, stay in port, and departure of vessels.
  • The measures aimed at facilitating international maritime traffic, as provided in the Convention and its Annex, apply equally to vessels of states, whether or not they are coastal nations, whose governments are parties to the Convention.
  • The provisions of this Convention do not apply to warships or recreational vessels.

Structure

The most up-to-date version of the Convention (Ed. 2024) consists of 16 articles, an annex, 6 resolutions approved by the conference, one resolution approved by the assembly, and 8 appendices.

  • Chapter 1: Definitions and General Provisions:
  • Chapter 2: Arrival, Stay, and Departure of Vessels:
  • Chapter 3: Arrival and Departure of Persons:
  • Chapter 4: Stowaways:
  • Chapter 5: Arrival, Stay, and Departure of Cargo and Other Effects:
  • Chapter 6: Sanitary Services, including Veterinary and Phytosanitary Services:
  • Chapter 7: Miscellaneous Provisions:

Additional information on the prescriptions related to facilitation can be found in the respective appendices:

  • Appendix 1: Maximum information that may be required by public authorities for declarations (Rule 2.1 bis).
  • Appendix 2: Declarations that may be required in paper form by public authorities in exceptional circumstances (Rule 2.11).
  • Appendix 3: Details regarding stowaways, as mentioned in Recommended Practice 4.6.2.
  • Appendix 4: Additional information on prescriptions related to facilitation.
  • Appendix 5: IMDG Code (Amendment 41-22) – Chapter 5.4 related to documentation.
  • Appendix 6: Resolution FAL.16(47) – Recommended measures to accelerate the implementation of the single window for maritime affairs.
  • Appendix 7: Future Amendments to the Facilitation Convention.
  • Appendix 8: Resolution FAL.15(47) – Amendments to the Annex of the Convention for the Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965.

E commerce

  • Exchange FAL data electronically: Since April 2019, the Facilitation Convention requires vessels and ports to exchange FAL data electronically and encourages the use of the "single window" concept, where all involved agencies and authorities exchange data through a single point of contact.

  • Maritime Single Window: Rule 1.3 promotes the use of this concept to enable a unified system for storing and exchanging data. This facilitates the submission of information required by authorities regarding the arrival, stay, and departure of vessels, people, and cargo, avoiding duplication.

Amendments to the FAL Convention 1968:

  • Amendments of 2002: Entry into force on May 1, 2003. The amendments introduce new rules and recommended practices regarding stowaways. Another amendment relates to the dangerous goods manifest (form FAL 7), which becomes the primary document containing the data required by public authorities regarding dangerous goods onboard vessels.
  • Amendments of 2005: Entry into force on November 1, 2006. The amendments promote centralizing information in a single point to avoid duplication, encourage electronic transmission, and include references to the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), Chapter XI-2 of the SOLAS Convention, as well as the IMO's standardized facilitation forms (FAL 7). They also establish specific measures for the arrival, stay, and departure of vessels rescuing persons at sea, requiring public authorities to provide a safe place and facilitate these operations, particularly for vessels disembarking sick or injured crew members or passengers, or persons requiring emergency medical assistance.
  • Amendments of 2009: Entry into force on May 15, 2010. The amendments are related to sections addressing the content and purpose of documents, the arrival and departure of persons, requirements and procedures, measures to facilitate the clearance of cargo, passengers, crew, and baggage, as well as facilitation issues for cruise ships and their passengers.
  • Amendments of 2016: Entry into force on January 1, 2018. The amendments introduce new definitions for transport unit, authorization, cargo container, the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), captain, maritime consignee, shipper, and single window. The electronic exchange of information will be mandatory, with a 36-month transition period. The text now refers to the single window system, which has been revised to use such a mandatory system at a general level. Additional references are now included for public authorities that may be requested by authorities on land: information related to security, in accordance with rule XI-2/9.2.2 of the SOLAS Convention; electronic pre-arrival information on cargo and the effects of customs risk assessment; and the prior notification form for waste delivery.

Documents required for the arrival and departure of vessels:

In the past, public authorities required a wide variety of documents tailored to the specific needs of their countries. The maritime sector had to submit different documents at each port, which largely constituted an obstacle to the efficiency of trade. The implementation of the Facilitation Convention has helped eliminate some of the bureaucratic procedures, and Rule 2.1 harmonizes the vast array of documents, reducing the number to just 12 required for all formalities upon the arrival and departure of vessels, through the application of standardized data requirements.

IMO Standardized Forms (FAL 1-7):

IMO has developed standardized forms for the following 7 documents:

Other documents

Maritime Single Window in Mexico:

The Maritime Single Window of the National Port System of Mexico (PIS-SICAPAM). It is the official platform that complies with the provisions of the Facilitation Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding authentication, integrity, and confidentiality in the electronic exchange of information required for the arrival, stay, and departure of vessels in Mexican ports.

Políticas anticorrupción

 AUDITORES E INSPECTORES MARÍTIMOS, S.C. (INSPAMAR), is committed to providing services through a transparent and efficient process that adheres to applicable legal, technical, and administrative requirements, by establishing quality objectives that lead to market penetration and contribute to customer satisfaction, taking into account the following:

Bribery shall be understood as any offer, promise, delivery, acceptance, or request for an undue advantage of any value (which may be of a financial or non-financial nature), directly or indirectly, and regardless of its location, in violation of applicable laws; as an incentive or reward for a person to act or refrain from acting in relation to the performance of that person's obligations to INSPAMAR.

  • General Law of the National Anti-Corruption System.
  • General Law of Administrative Responsibilities.
  • Federal Law for the Prevention and Identification of Transactions Involving Illicitly Obtained Funds.
  • Code of Conduct.

1. Accounting records. The alteration or falsification of accounting records to conceal bribes or improper payments is prohibited, as well as engaging in fraudulent practices.

2. Improper payments to the public sector. It is prohibited to pay, offer to pay, or authorize the payment, directly or indirectly, of any item of value to any government official, political party, or candidate, with the purpose of obtaining or securing an advantage, delivering an advantage to a person, or obtaining an undue advantage.

3. It is prohibited to give money, shares, gifts, political contributions, meals, travel expenses, entertainment, or job offers to officials or their family members.

4. It is prohibited to provide courtesies to third parties, understood as gifts, meals, services, entertainment, promotional items, or anything else of value related to the promotion of INSPAMAR.

5. Receipt of gifts. Employees and service providers are expressly prohibited from requesting and receiving gifts or courtesies from beneficiaries, suppliers, service providers, or partners.

6. Conflict of interest. These are situations in which a person is faced with choosing between the duties and demands of their position and their personal, work, family, or business interests. In other words, when the interests of INSPAMAR’s employees may differ from the interests of the organization, either directly or indirectly.

Any employee or service provider who refuses to participate in this initiative may be subject to a sanction. In the event of deliberately violating this policy or contravening the provisions set forth herein, they will be liable to the termination of any contractual relationship, as well as proper notification to the relevant authorities.

This policy is public and distributed through printed and electronic media, and it will be reviewed and updated periodically.

Naval Engineering Services

Engineering Services

  • Preparation and updating of vessel and naval craft plans.
  • Conducting stability, freeboard, and tonnage studies.
  • Preparation and translation of technical documents and manuals.
  • Development of CATI engineering (loading, mooring, transportation, and installation of offshore platforms).
  • Structural analysis using finite element method.
  • Design of offshore racks in accordance with DNV and ABS standards.

Management, Consulting, and Inspection Services before the Secretariat of the Navy (UNICAPAM).

  • Procedures for the registration of vessels and naval artifacts.
  • Second-party audit for the registration and approval of service facilities, such as:
  • Shipyards, dry docks, yards, and construction workshops.
  • Receiver of waste produced by vessels.
  • Service facilities for lifesaving devices and fire protection equipment and systems.
  • Inspection of status and condition for vessel registration, endorsement, or renewal of statutory certificates.

Specialized Technical Assistance Services

  • Cargo handling, unloading, and transportation of marine structures.
  • Advisory and training on the management of statutory and class certificates.
  • Vessel and naval craft appraisals.
  • Pre-checklist, status, and condition for contract entry.
  • Draft Survey Inspection

Inspection and certification of Mexican-registered vessels and naval craft engaged in inland navigation and cabotage, under 500 Gross Tonnage (GT).

For the issuance or renewal of the following certificates.

  • National Security Certificate in the following modalities:
  • Cargo vessels (under 400 Gross Tonnage), fishing vessels, and mixed vessels.
  • Passenger vessels equal to or under 300 Gross Tonnage (GT).
  • National Radioelectronic Safety Certificate.
  • National Freeboard Certificate.

Privacy Notice

In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Law on the Protection of Personal Data Held by Private Parties, its Regulations, and the Privacy Notice Guidelines (“Notice”), Auditores e Inspectores Marítimos S.C. (“Responsible Party”), as the entity responsible for collecting your personal data, the use given to them, and their protection, hereby issues this Notice as follows:

1.- La información personal a la que tenga acceso el responsable será utilizada, según corresponda, para: (i) contactarlo; (ii) proveer los servicios legales y/o técnicos solicitados; (iii) crear, cargar y mantener actualizado su perfil en la base de datos del Responsable; (iv) elaborar facturas electrónicas por la prestación de los servicios brindados y (c) evaluar la calidad de los servicios brindados.

For the purposes mentioned in the previous paragraph, the Controller may require the following personal information: full name or company name, address, date and place of birth, place of residence, gender, email, telephone, mobile number, institution where you are or have been enrolled, place of employment or previous employment, and Federal Taxpayer Registry (the "Personal Data").

2.- By providing your personal data through an application, digital form, email, or any other means, you accept and authorize Auditores e Inspectores Marítimos S.C. to use and process your data and the information provided in an automated manner, which will become part of our database for the purpose of using it, including but not limited to: identifying you, locating you, communicating with you, contacting you, sending you information and/or goods, as well as sending and/or transferring it to authorities at any level (Federal, State, and Municipal) by any legally permitted means to fulfill our corporate purposes.

3.- In accordance with Article 22 of the Law, you have the right to access, rectify, and cancel your personal data, as well as to object to its processing or revoke the consent you have granted for such purposes, through the procedures we have implemented. To learn about these procedures, the requirements, and the timelines, you may contact us via email. contacto@inspamar.com

4.- The duration of the management of your personal data will be indefinite from the date it is provided, and you may object to its management whenever you deem appropriate, subject to the limitations of the Law. In the meantime, Auditores e Inspectores Marítimos S.C. will protect your personal data in accordance with the Law.

If you wish to stop receiving promotional messages from us, you can request it via email. contacto@inspamar.com

Any modification to this privacy notice can be reviewed on our website.

5.- This Privacy Notice may be modified to implement improvements and/or new security measures. Any modifications will be published on the website. www.inspamar.com