Regulation 18 Suspension or cancellation of Documents of Compliance and Safety Management Certificates
The Secretary of State may by notice in writing suspend or cancel any Document of Compliance or Safety Management Certificate issued by him or at his request under these Regulations where he has reason to believe that:
the certificate was issued on false or erroneous information; or
since any audit required by these Regulations, the management structure of either the company or ship has changed substantively,
or where any audit of a company or ship has revealed a failure to comply with regulation 4.
Any such notice shall contain the grounds for the suspension or cancellation of the certificate.
A notice shall not be given unless the holder has been given the opportunity to make representations, except where the Secretary of State considers that urgent safety or pollution prevention considerations require the notice to be given immediately.
The Secretary of State may require that any Document of Compliance or Safety Management Certificate, issued by him under these Regulations, which has expired or has been suspended or cancelled, be surrendered as directed.
No person shall:
intentionally alter a Document of Compliance or Safety Management Certificate;
in connection with any audit conducted pursuant to these Regulations, knowingly or recklessly furnish false information;
with intent to deceive, use, lend or allow to be used by another, a Document of Compliance or Safety Mangement Certificate;
fail to surrender a Document of Compliance or Safety Management Certificate required to be surrendered under paragraph (2); or
in Scotland forge any Document of Compliance or Safety Management Certificate.