Question 64 ONC02 - Second Mate/Third Mate Unlimited Tonnage

The Correct Answer is B **Explanation for why Option B (Certificate of Documentation) is correct:** The Certificate of Documentation (or Certificate of Registry, depending on the flag state, though "Documentation" is common in the U.S. and often used generically) is the definitive legal document issued by the vessel's flag state (the country under whose laws the vessel is registered). This document serves several crucial purposes, including: 1. **Nationality/Flag:** It officially establishes the vessel's national identity and the right to fly that country's flag. 2. **Ownership:** It formally registers the current legal owner(s) of the vessel. 3. **Tonnage and Description:** It contains the vessel's principal characteristics, including its official number, dimensions, type, and, critically, its registered Net and Gross Tonnage measurements. **Explanation for why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) Official Logbook:** The Official Logbook is a diary of the vessel's voyage activities, including crew changes, disciplinary matters, incidents, drills, weather, and safety equipment maintenance. While it records the vessel's particulars, it is a operational record, not the primary legal proof of ownership, nationality, or official registered tonnage. * **C) Manifest Certificate:** A Manifest (or Cargo Manifest) is a detailed inventory of the cargo, passengers, and stores carried by a vessel, used primarily for customs and immigration clearance upon arrival at a port. It has no bearing on establishing the vessel's legal ownership or registered tonnage. * **D) Bill of Lading Certificate:** A Bill of Lading (B/L) is a contract between the shipper and the carrier detailing the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being shipped. It functions as a receipt for the cargo and a document of title, but it relates only to the goods being carried, not the fundamental legal status, ownership, or dimensions of the vessel itself.