Introduction:
The worldwide movement of people and goods via ships plays a role in the international transmission of diseases.. Ship Sanitation Certificates (SSCs) are issued to facilitate the application of corrective actions if a public health risk exists on board. The SSCs in the EU Common Ship Sanitation Database (previous title EU SHIPSAN Information System SIS) was implemented according to the World Health Organization (WHO) “Handbook for Inspection of Ships and Issuance of SSC”¹. Once the inspection is completed, either a Ship Sanitation Control Certificate (SSCC) or a Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate (SSCEC) is provided. The study aims to present data from SSC inspections carried out in accordance with the International Health Regulations 2005² and recorded in the EU Common Ship Sanitation Database.

Methods:
SSCs issued through the EU Common Ship Sanitation Database (https://sis.shipsan.eu/) by inspectors working at European port health authorities where inspection data were recorded and analysed.

Results:
From July 2011 to September 2024, 677 SSC inspectors, assigned at 117 ports in 18 countries, inspected more than 17000 ships. The total number of inspections was 49947, 46033 SSCECs and 969 SSCCs issued, 1136 extensions to existing SSCs were granted and 632 inspections were conducted without issuing an SSC. 429253 areas were inspected and 44917 inspection findings were reported. The most frequent inspection finding was “No water quality analysis report available, last analysis report shows contamination or not all required parameters have been analysed”(10.53%). Other key findings were “Soiled stores”(4.78%), “Absence or inadequate sharps or biomedical collectors”(4.62%) and “Foods found spoiled or unpackaged. Containers or packaging have no source or suspicious source identifications” (4.39%).

Conclusions:
A global information system, or interconnected national or regional information systems conducting data exchange, could facilitate to better implement SSCs using common standards and procedures. An international information system—or a network of interconnected national or regional systems exchanging data could enhance the implementation of SSCs by promoting the use of unified standards and procedures.