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As explained in our circular, all foreign vessels operating in Brazilian waters must carry a valid Ship Sanitation Control Exempt Certificate (SSCEC) or a Ship Sanitation Control Certificate (SSCC) to obtain the required free pratique to move cargoes, stores and people. However, the Brazilian port health authority (ANVISA) will only accept ship sanitation certificates issued by a port expressly authorised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).
Although the regulation has been around for many years, we still see quite a few vessels arriving in Brazil with an SSC already expired – or issued by an unauthorised port. In these circumstances, the vessel will only be granted free pratique after obtaining a new certificate, which may involve a sanitary inspection at ANVISA’s discretion. During the pandemic, ANVISA has been issuing SSCs remotely.
Most Brazilian ports and terminals will not allow a vessel without free pratique to come alongside an operative berth; therefore, owners and managers must ensure that vessels are carrying an SSC issued by an IHR 2005 authorised port, which listing can be found here.
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