WHO Instructs Shipping Lines To Carry Dual Documentation Following September 2025 Regulations

Image for representation purpose only WHO calls on States Parties to facilitate the coexistence of digital and non-digital formats of ship-related health documents, including the Ship Declaration of Health (SDH) and Ship Sanitation Certificates (SSC), following the 2024 amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), which entered into force for most States Parties on 19 September 2025. Article 35 of the IHR, as amended in 2024, stipulates that health documents may be issued in either non-digital or digital format, provided that their authenticity can be ascertained. In parallel, since 1 January 2024, the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic has required public authorities (1) to establish, maintain and use Maritime Single Window systems for the electronic submission of information required on the arrival, stay and departure of ships in ports…