6.1 Standard. Public authorities of a State not Party to the International Health Regulations shall endeavour to apply the provisions of these Regulations relevant for international shipping.

6.1.1 Standard. Public authorities of a State not Party to the standards and regulations set out by the World Organization for Animal Health and the International Plant Protection Convention shall endeavour to apply the provisions of these standards and regulations relevant for international shipping.

6.2 Recommended Practice. Contracting Governments having certain interests in common owing to their health, geographical, social or economic conditions should conclude special arrangements pursuant to the International Health Regulations when such arrangements will facilitate the application of those Regulations, in particular, but not exclusive to:

a) the direct and rapid exchange of public health information between neighbouring territories of different States;

b) the health measures to be applied to international coastal traffic and to international traffic in waters under their sovereignty and jurisdiction;

c) the health measures to be applied in contiguous territories of different States at their common frontier;

d) arrangements for carrying affected persons or affected human remains by means of transport specially adapted for the purpose; and

e) deratting, disinsection, disinfection, decontamination or other treatment designed to render goods and ship free of disease-causing agents.

6.3 Recommended Practice. Where Sanitary or Phytosanitary Certificates or similar documents are required in respect of shipments of certain animals, plants or derived food products thereof or other regulated articles, requests by public authorities for such certificates and documents and their required content should be technically justified, exact and concise and widely publicized. Contracting Governments should cooperate with a view to harmonizing such requirements, including the possibility of providing the required information by electronic means.

6.4 Standard. Public authorities shall seek the cooperation of shipowners to ensure compliance with any requirements, including those in the International Health Regulations, that illness on a ship is to be reported promptly by electronic means to health authorities for the port for which the ship is destined, in order to facilitate provision for the presence of any special medical personnel and equipment necessary for health procedures on arrival.

6.4.1 Standard. Ships shall not be refused free pratique by Contracting Governments (public health authorities) for public health reasons; in particular, they shall not be prevented from embarking or disembarking, discharging or loading cargo or stores, or taking on fuel, water, food and supplies. Contracting Governments may subject the granting of free pratique to inspection and, if a source of infection or contamination is found on board, the carrying out of necessary disinfection, decontamination, disinsection or deratting, or other measures necessary to prevent the spread of the infection or contamination.

6.4.2 Recommended Practice. Subject to a public health risk assessment, public authorities may require on arrival or departure inspection of baggage, cargo, containers, ships, goods, postal parcels and human remains, subject to applicable international agreements and relevant Articles of the International Health Regulations, duly taking into account Recommended Practice 5.5.

6.5 Standard. Public authorities shall make arrangements to enable all travel agencies and others concerned to make available to passengers, sufficiently in advance of departure, lists of the vaccinations or prophylaxis required by the public authorities of the countries concerned, as well as the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis conforming to the International Health Regulations. Public authorities shall take all possible measures to have vaccinators use the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis in order to assure uniform acceptance.

6.6 Recommended Practice. Public authorities should provide facilities for the completion of the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis as well as facilities for vaccination at as many convenient locations as feasible.

6.7 Standard. Public health authorities shall ensure that health and phytosanitary measures and formalities are initiated forthwith, completed without delay and applied without discrimination.

6.8 Recommended Practice. To ensure efficient maritime traffic, public authorities should maintain at as many ports as feasible adequate facilities for the administration of public health, animal and plant quarantine measures.

6.8bis Standard. Contracting Governments and relevant authorities shall ensure that ship’s crew who require immediate medical care while in their territory are given access to medical facilities ashore and that ship’s crew are able to replenish their medication during a ship’s call.

6.9 Standard. There shall be maintained readily available at as many ports in a State as feasible such medical facilities as may be reasonable and practicable for the emergency treatment of crews and passengers.

6.9bis Recommended Practice. Contracting Governments and relevant authorities should facilitate prompt and efficient disembarkation of crew to receive medical care at medical facilities ashore, including access to medical prescriptions, and should ensure that this is effectively managed through good communication and cooperation between the ship and the relevant authorities ashore.

6.9ter Recommended Practice. Contracting Governments and relevant authorities should ensure that ship’s crew are promptly admitted to clinics and hospitals ashore, without difficulty and irrespective of nationality, religious belief or flag of their ship, and, whenever possible, arrangements should be made to ensure, when necessary, the continuation of treatment to supplement the medical facilities available to ship’s crew.

6.10 Standard. Except in the case of an emergency constituting a grave danger to public, plant or animal health, a ship shall not, on account of any other public, plant or animal health reason, be prevented by the public authorities for a port from discharging or loading cargo or ship’s stores.