Continuous Synopsis Record comes under SOLAS Ch. XI-1, Regulation 5. The following are the key points:
1) Every ship to which SOLAS Ch I applies is issued with a Continuous synopsis Record.
2) This document is intended to provide an on-board record of the history of the ship with respect to the information recorded in this document.
3) For ships constructed before 1 July 2004, the CSR, at least, provides the history of the ship as from 1 July 2004.
4) The Continuous Synopsis Record is issued by the Administration to each ship that is entitled to fly its flag and contains at least, the following information
a) the name of the State whose flag the ship is entitled to fly;
b) the date on which the ship was registered with that State;
c) the ship’s identification number;
d) the name of the ship;
e) the port at which the ship is registered;
f) the name of the registered owner(s) and their registered address(es);
g) the registered owner identification number;
h) the name of the registered bareboat charterer(s) and their registered address(es), if applicable;
i) the name of the Company, as defined in SOLAS regulation IX/1, its registered address and the address(es) from where it carries out the safety management activities;
j) the Company identification number;
k) the name of all classification societies with which the ship is classed;
l) the name of the Administration or of the Contracting Government or of the recognized organization which has issued the Document of Compliance (or the Interim Document of Compliance), specified in the ISM Code as defined in SOLAS regulation IX/1, to the Company operating the ship and the name of the body which has carried out the audit on the basis of which the document is issued, if other than that issuing the document;
m) the name of the Administration or of the Contracting Government or of the recognized organization that has issued the Safety Management Certificate (or the Interim Safety Management Certificate), specified in the ISM Code, to the ship and the name of the body which has carried out the audit on the basis of which the certificate was issued, if other than
that issuing the certificate;
n) the name of the Administration or of the Contracting Government or of the recognized security organizatiorn that has issued the International Ship Security Certificate (or an Interim International
Ship Security Certificate), specified in part A of the ISPS Code as defined in SOLAS regulation Xl-2/1, to the ship and the name of the body which has carried out the verification on the basis of which the
certificate was issued, if other than that issuing the certificate;
o) the date on which the ship ceased to be registered with that State.
5) Any changes relating to the entries from D to L are to be recorded in the
Continuous Synopsis Record so as to provide updated and current information together with the history of the changes.
6) If any changes to the entries referred in D to L, the Administration will issue, as soon as is practically possible but not later than three months from the date of the
change, to the ships entitled to fly its flag either a revised and updated version of the Continuous Synopsis Record or appropriate amendments thereto.
7) If any changes to the points D to L, the Administration, pending the issue of a revised and updated version of the Continuous Synopsis Record, shall authorise and require either the Company as defined in regulation SOLAS IX/1 or the master of the ship to amend the CSR to reflect the changes. In such cases, after the CSR has been amended the Company shall, without delay, inform the Administration
accordingly.
8) The CSR to be in English, French or Spanish language. Additionally, a translation of the CSR into the official language or languages of the Administration may be provided.
9) The Continuous Synopsis Record to be in the format developed by the Organization and shall be maintained in accordance with guidelines developed by the Organization. Any previous entries in
the CSR shall not be modified, deleted or, in any way, erased or defaced.
10) Whenever a ship is transferred to the flag of another State or the ship is sold to another owner (or is taken over by another bareboat charterer) or another Company assumes the responsibility for the operation of the ship, the Continuous Synopsis Record shall be left on board.
11) When a ship is to be transferred to the flag of another State, the Company shall notify the Administration of the name of the State under whose flag the ship is to be transferred so as to enable the Administration to forward to that State a copy of the CSR covering the period during which the ship was under their jurisdiction.
12) When a ship is transferred to the flag of another State the Government of which is a Contracting Government, the Contracting Government of the State whose flag the ship was flying hitherto shall transmit to the Administration as soon as possible after the transfer takes place a copy of the relevant CSR covering the period during which the ship was under their jurisdiction together with any Continuous Synopsis Records previous issued to the ship by other States.
13) When a ship is transferred to the flag of another State, the Administration shall append the previous Continuous Synopsis Records to the Continuous Synopsis Record the Administration will issue to the ship so to provide the continuous history record intended by this regulation.
14) The CSR must be kept on board the ship and shall be available for inspection at all times.
Ref: SOLAS Consolidated Edition
