Applying for Permission before Embarkation on Ships Other Than Thai Ships at the Port of Origin on the Mandatory Route

     There are methods and conditions for obtaining permission for marine transport operators holding ownership of a Thai ship, who wishes to requests permission to rent and use a boat other than a Thai boat, to reinforce the number of ships in a route with their ships, or to obtain a license to rent and use a ship other than a Thai ship in maritime transport. One of them is applying for permission before embarkation on ships other than Thai ships at the port of origin on the mandatory route. The details are as follows:

1. Submit an application with the ERC.01 form.

          You are required to submit an application with the ERC.01 form to obtain a license to carry goods ordered or imported from abroad by ships other than Thai ships. Submit it to the Maritime Regulatory Division, not less than 10 days before the date the goods are loaded onto the ship, along with the specified evidence documents. In the case that the request cannot be submitted within the deadline, you should submit documents showing justification or necessity why you cannot submit an application within the deadline, and in this case, you must submit the application at the Marine Department in no less than 3 working days.

2. The Marine Department will grant permission upon request in the following cases:

(1) Within 2 days from the date that the item is ready to be loaded onto the ship, if there are no Thai ships that can carry goods to the destination in Thailand on time, and the sender needs to use that item;

(2) Within 2 days from the date that the goods are ready to be loaded onto the ship, even if there are Thai ships that can carry goods to Thailand by the time that the sender needs to use that item, permission will be granted if there is not enough tonnage to carry them all on the Thai ships. In this case, it is permissible to carry goods by other ships only for the portion that the Thai ships cannot carry them, unless the goods are goods by trade conditions or customs, and international maritime transport cannot be separated from each other in the load; therefore, it is permissible to carry all such goods by other ships;

(3) The condition, weight, size, or method of transportation is not suitable for the features of Thai ships sailing in that route;

(4) There are treaties or agreements that the Thai government has made with foreign governments in which the cargo carried by Thai ships would be contrary to the treaties or agreements;

(5) In a case in which the sender provides evidence that Thai freight charges are higher than foreign ships by more than 10 percent;

(6) In a case in which the sender shows evidence that loading of goods as specified by Thai ships will cause the products to arrive at the destination in Thailand more than 14 days later than other ships;

(7) There are other necessities where it is expedient to permit the carriage of such goods by other ships, as a special case.

          The permission process will examine the evidence documents showing the necessity of being unable to use a Thai ship and check if there is a Thai ship that can carry goods as requested by the applicant or not. If the conditions set forth above are met, a letter of authorization will be provided to the applicant. If there is a Thai ship indicating that it can transport such goods, a disapproval letter will be provided to the applicant.

          The Marine Department will notify the applicant whether a permission document to use a ship other than a Thai ship is issued or not via electronic mail or telephone within 5 days from the date of receipt of the request. From the date of receipt of the request, if the applicant is not notified of the result within 5 days, it should be assumed that permission to carry goods by another ship is permitted. In case of issuing a permission document, the following conditions are be specified:

• Those who receive a permission document are required to use Thai ships in the case of subcontracting (transshipment) before arriving at a port in Thailand. The licensee must apply for a new permission document again before loading onto the ship at the port where the transshipment is taking place, as well as applying for permission at the port of shipment;

• The licensee must load the goods according to the list of goods onto the ship at the port and during the permitted period only. If there is a change, a new permission must be obtained.

Information as of 30 April 2023
Source: Digital Government Development Agency
Tel. +6626126060