Keep the identity beside the file
Start with the vessel identity used for the work. Record the supplied name and the IMO ship identification number where applicable, alongside the document or source from which you took them.
The IMO explains that its ship identification number remains with a ship throughout its life, including changes of name, flag or ownership. That makes it a useful reference when documents carry different names. It does not, by itself, establish that every other detail in a file is correct.
Make each source retrievable
For every item you relied on, record a descriptive title, the publishing organisation, a link or permitted retained copy, and when you accessed it. Where the source identifies an edition or update time, preserve that as a separate field.
Access time and source update time answer different questions. The first says when your desk read something. The second says how the publisher described its currency. A screenshot with a filename alone may leave that distinction impossible to reconstruct.
Show the gaps as well as the material collected
Create an explicit place for sources that were unavailable, documents that were missing and details that did not agree. Keep the original observations beside any later correction.
Use precise status words. 'Not checked', 'awaiting information' and 'reviewed by a named person' describe different states. An empty result should not quietly become a favourable conclusion when the record is handed over.
Separate evidence from the decision
Keep the collected material in one part of the record and the person's decision in another. A decision entry can identify its author, time, stated reason and the evidence version considered. Your organisation must determine its own approval requirements and retention policy.
Marsa's public product description follows this distinction: the software gathers and timestamps the working, while a person records a decision. The record structure above is a practical starting point for discussing what your desk needs to preserve.
Sources and further reading
The IMO source supports the statement about ship identification numbers. The remaining checklist is editorial guidance on organising records, not a prescribed compliance standard.
- IMO identification number schemes · checked 21 September 2026
- Marsa: evidence and human decisions · checked 21 September 2026
Published by Marsa. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed against the cited material.