Replacement of a Foreign Certificate of Competency with an Equivalent Estonian Certificate of Competency

The certificate of competency as a master or chief mate will be replaced with an equivalent Estonian certificate of competency if the seafarer’s training and skills fully correspond to both the level of Regulation II/2 of STCW and the requirements applicable in Estonia (Regulation No. 96 of the Government of the Republic of Estonia of 20 June 2013 entitled ‘Requirements for the Training and Qualification of Seafarers, and Procedures for Certification’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Regulation’), i.e. the applicant must have completed a training course of a master on ships of gross tonnage of 3,000 or more (as per § 48 to § 51 of the Regulation). If the seafarer has not completed the training course of a master, no certificate of competency will be issued.

A certificate of competency as chief engineer or second engineer on ships powered by main propulsion machinery of 3,000 kW or more will be replaced with an equivalent Estonian certificate of competency if the seafarer’s training and skills fully correspond to both the level of Regulation III/2 of STCW and the requirements applicable in Estonia (Regulation), i.e. the applicant must have completed a training course of a chief engineer on ships powered by main propulsion machinery of 3,000 kW or more (as per § 56 and § 57 of the Regulation). If the seafarer has not completed the training course of such chief engineer, no certificate of competency will be issued.

A certificate of competency as chief engineer or second engineer on ships powered by main propulsion machinery of less than 3,000 kW will be replaced with an equivalent Estonian certificate of competency if the seafarer’s training and skills fully correspond to both the level of Regulation III/2 of STCW and the requirements applicable in Estonia (Regulation), i.e. the applicant must have completed a training course of a chief engineer on ships powered by main propulsion machinery of 3,000 kW or more (as per § 54 and § 55 of the Regulation). If the seafarer has not completed the training course of such chief engineer, no certificate of competency will be issued.

The certificate of competency as officer in charge of a navigational watch on ships of gross tonnage of 500 or more will be replaced with an equivalent Estonian certificate of competency if the seafarer’s training and skills correspond to both the level of Regulation II/1 of STCW and the requirements applicable in Estonia (Regulation), i.e. the applicant must have completed the training course of an officer in charge of a navigational watch on ships of gross tonnage of 500 or more (§ 47 of the Regulation).

A certificate of competency as officer in charge of an engineering watch on ships powered by main propulsion machinery of 750 kW or more will be replaced with an equivalent Estonian certificate of competency if the seafarer’s training and skills correspond to both the level of Regulation III/1 of STCW and the requirements applicable in Estonia (Regulation), i.e. the applicant must have completed a training course of an officer in charge of an engineering watch on ships powered by main propulsion machinery of 750 kW or more and performed the required practical training (§ 53 of the Regulation).

A certificate of competency as an electro-technical officer will be replaced with an equivalent Estonian certificate of competency if the seafarer’s training and skills correspond to both the level of Regulation III/6 of STCW and the requirements applicable in Estonia (Regulation), i.e. the applicant must have completed a training course of an electro-technical officer and performed the required practical training (§ 58 of the Regulation).

A certificate of competency of a higher qualification than that currently held can be applied for in the event that all the requirements for its issue are met; that includes the performance of a seagoing service of the required duration. The latter can be performed after obtaining a primary Estonian certificate of competence. This applies to the nationals of Estonia, aliens or stateless persons residing in Estonia on the basis of residence permits or a right of residence, or to e-residents – if they have been issued an Estonian certificate of competency, the seagoing service necessary for the certificate of competency of the next level will be calculated from the issue of the primary Estonian certificate of competency. The goal is to treat all the groups of individuals (nationals of Estonia, aliens or stateless persons holding an Estonian residence permit or having the right of residence, and e-residents) equally.

The process of replacement of a foreign Certificate of Competency begins with the acquisition of an Estonian residence permit or a document certifying the right of residence or a valid e-resident’s electronic identity card, previously submitted documents will not be processed.

In order to have a certificate of competency replaced, the applicant must submit:

• application (at the service office or by e-mail, when submitting an application by e-mail, the application and accompanying documents shall be digitally signed)
• an Estonian residence permit or document certifying the right of residence, or a valid e-resident’s electronic identity card;
• the existing certificate of competency;
• the graduation document issued by a foreign maritime educational and training institution with the academic transcript (curriculum);
• the ENIC/NARIC certificate regarding the compliance of formal training with the EU Qualifications Framework;
• the seafarer’s discharge book;
• a certificate of seagoing service of 12 months within the last five years or of three months within the last six months;
• pass the assessment of knowledge and skills in the Permanent Committee of the Estonian Transport Administration. The STCW competences (CBT and verbal), knowledge of COLREG and Estonian legislation will be assessed.

The submitted documents must be verifiable through the registers of the issuing country.

Furthermore, the applicant must have completed the following training courses in an Estonian maritime educational and training institution:

• professional refresher and updating training;
• medical first aid training;
• training in medical care – for a master and chief officer;
• a professional training course on the 2010 amendments to the STCW Convention;
• a training course on the use of an automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA) – for operational level deck officers;
• training courses on the management of the use of an automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA), bridge operations and rescue operations – for management level deck officers;
• training in the use of the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS);
• Bridge Resource Management (BRM) training at operational and management levels – for deck officers;
• Engine Room Resource Management (ERM) training at the operational and management level – engineer officers;
• training in the use of high-voltage equipment – for engineer officers;
• a training course on proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats;
• training in advanced firefighting;
• GMDSS general operator’s training course (GOC) – for deck officers.

Estonia recognises foreign safety training certificates if the training included:

• self-rescue techniques;
• basic firefighting training;
• basic first aid;
• personal safety and social responsibility.

Holders of a valid safety training certificate can demonstrate their continuing competence through a skills and knowledge assessment by a maritime educational and training institution.

Those who have taken a safety training course, but whose certificate is no longer valid or whose training does not correspond to the above mentioned requirements, must complete a full training course.

Training in advanced firefighting

Starting from 1 January 2023, those who have completed an advanced firefighting training course, but whose certificate is no longer valid must complete a full training course.

Advanced training for work on tankers

Holders of a valid training certificate for work on tankers can demonstrate their continuing competence through a skills and knowledge assessment by a maritime educational and training institution.

Starting from 1 January 2023, those who have completed advanced training courses for work on tankers, but whose certificate is no longer valid, must complete a full course and prove prior seagoing service of at least three months as an officer of a management or operational level or as a crew member responsible for cargo operations on the corresponding type of tanker, or at least one month of seagoing service as a trainee, which has been recorded in the training record book and which included at least three loading and three discharging operations.

Obtaining higher level training certificates for seafarers with foreign basic level certificates

A seafarer who holds a valid foreign basic training certificate (e.g. introductory training in working on tankers) can apply for an Estonian higher level certificate (e.g. advanced training in working on tankers). In such cases, foreign basic certificates will be accepted if the person has performed the required seagoing service, and it will be possible to enrol for higher level training at a maritime educational and training institution.

Replacing a certificate of competency with a higher-level certificate of competency

At least 12 months of seagoing service with an Estonian certificate of competency and completion of a refresher and updating training course at the management level are required.

Seafarer’s health certificate

Estonia recognises a seafarer’s health certificate issued in a foreign country that has been issued in accordance with Regulation I/9 of STCW and MLC 2006 and is verifiable. Seafarer’s health certificates are also issued by recognised Estonian doctors. The list of recognised doctors, with their contact details, is published on the Health Board’s website.

Seafarer’s discharge book

In Estonia, seafarer’s discharge books are issued by the Police and Border Guard Board. They are issued to persons on the basis of a valid seafarer’s health certificate and a valid safety training certificate issued in Estonia and entered in the Estonian Seafarers Information System (MIS).

Issue of an Estonian certificate of competency as an officer in charge or a navigational watch / officer in charge of an engineering watch on the basis of the formal education diploma of a foreign maritime educational and training institution

In order to issue a certificate on the basis of a diploma of a foreign maritime educational and training institution, it is necessary to pass an assessment of the competence acquired in a maritime educational and training institution providing formal education, and to submit evidence of seagoing service, a seafarer’s health certificate and a seafarer’s discharge book. A training record book issued by a foreign maritime educational and training institution does not count as proof of 12 months of seagoing service since foreign maritime educational and training institutions and the seagoing service of their students are not supervised by competent Estonian authorities.