Marine Staff Certification

Estonian Register of Seafarers Available in English to Verify Certificates and Endorsements

In compliance with paragraph 16 of Regulation I/2 of STCW 1978, as amended, as of 01 January 2017, the Republic of Estonia will make the database for checking the validity of certificates and endorsements available in the English language through electronic means.

The information required to be available in accordance with paragraphs 14 and 15 of this Regulation will be accessible at Documents Validity.

When using Search in the Estonian Register of Seafarers, please enter the seafarer’s name exactly the way it is written on the documents submitted (certificates, endorsements, diplomas, etc.). There will be no results if the name is misspelt.

NOTE: The system is compliant with the Estonian data protection law and is security protected. Access is only available to maritime administrations, shipping and crewing companies and other interested parties who have a legitimate need to verify certificates in the Estonian Register of Seafarers.
Requests for access can be made on the same website by providing the requested information (the company who requires access and the reason why). All requests will be registered. The Estonian Transport Administration reserves the right to annul the access granted if there is no legitimate need for it. Users will be informed of such decisions.

NB! When filling in the registration form, the applicant cannot start using the Register of Seafarers immediately because the registration must be accepted. The applicant must first submit the registration details to become a user, and wait for access to be granted. Only then can the user log in.

Process of issuing endorsements to foreign Certificates of Competency

The following documents must be submitted:

1. Application for endorsement and for creation of an Estonian personal code and entry to the Estonian Seafarers Register – The application form; 
2. One document photo (40x50 mm) or a digital photo of the applicant (preferred .jpg);
3. Copies of the CoCs and endorsements (incl. GMDSS GOC and its endorsement). For a CoC that is issued by the Russian Federation there must be handwritten consent of processing personal data on the copy;
4. A copy of Certificate of Proficiency for tankers, if needed;
5. A copy valid medical certificate;
6. A copy of the passport or another document of identification (e.g. ID card);
7. Captains and Chief Officers must include copy of Medical Care course certificate;
8. A Letter of Authorization to the person collecting the endorsement from the Estonian Transport Administration.

Application will be processed as soon as possible, but no later than within 30 days. The verification of the documents submitted with the application from the issuing authorities is in progress until we contact the applicant, either to eliminate the deficiencies or the verification process is complete. After which the examinee can request to register for the examination of Estonian maritime legislation if it is required.

The State Fee for an endorsement is 60 €.

When the Certificate of Receipt of Application (CRA) will be issued then additional State Fee of 100 € must be paid.

Payee: RAHANDUSMINISTEERIUM (Ministry Of Finance)
Account numbers (IBAN):
SEB Pank EE891010220034796011 (BIC/SWIFT: EEUHEE2X)
Swedbank EE932200221023778606 (BIC/SWIFT: HABAEE2X)
LHV Pank EE777700771003813400 (BIC/SWIFT: LHVBEE22)
Luminor Pank EE701700017001577198 (BIC/SWIFT: NDEAEE2X)
Reference number: 2900082993

NB! Please write in the “Details” field for what and for whom the payment is made.

In order to apply for the Estonian endorsement to the foreign certificate of competency (management level), the certificate holder has to pass the Estonian maritime legislation examination. It is possible to take the exam in person in Estonian Transport Administration Bureau 6, Heli Street, Tallinn as well as online in MS Teams environment. Before allowing the examinees to take the exam, Estonian Transport Administration needs to verify all presented and necessary documentation with the foreign issuing authorities. Only after all documents are verified and correct, the examinee has to apply for the examination at least 3 working days before the examination by contacting the secretary of the Permanent Committee (info@transpordiamet.ee) who coordinates the exact time of the examination.

Examinee shall pay a State Fee of 75 € for the examination.

Payee: RAHANDUSMINISTEERIUM (Ministry Of Finance)
Account numbers (IBAN):
SEB Pank EE891010220034796011 (BIC/SWIFT: EEUHEE2X)
Swedbank EE932200221023778606 (BIC/SWIFT: HABAEE2X)
LHV Pank EE777700771003813400 (BIC/SWIFT: LHVBEE22)
Luminor Pank EE701700017001577198 (BIC/SWIFT: NDEAEE2X)
Reference number: 2900082993

NB! Please write in the “Details” field for what and for whom the payment is made.

Legal background

Requirements for the training and qualification of seafarers and procedures for certification

• The Estonian Transport Administration recognizes the CoCs and CoPs issued to seafarers in accordance with all the requirements by a third country if the country has been included on the list compiled by the European Commission about countries whose CoCs and CoPs are recognized by Member States of the EU and has signed an agreement with the Republic of Estonia on the mutual recognition of CoCs.
• Upon recognizing the documents, the Estonian Transport Administration shall issue an endorsement, marking on it all the restrictions due to the post, the duties and the level of responsibility of the person concerned.
• The management level seafarers (e.g. Master, Chief Officer, Chief Engineer and Second Engineer) working on ships flying the flag of the Republic of Estonia are required to be familiar with the Estonian maritime legislation. The examinees’ knowledge of Estonian maritime legislation will be evaluated during an exam before the Permanent Committee of the Estonian Transport Administration (Heli 6, Tallinn or an on-line environment, MS Teams).

Circular – Preparation for examination of Estonian maritime legislation | 32.7 KB | docx

Certificate of Receipt of Application (CRA) for Endorsement issued by the Estonian Transport Administration

An officer on management or operational level is allowed to work on board a ship flying the flag of the Republic of Estonia up to 3 months, if he/she is the holder of valid CoC or CoP with appropriate endorsement issued by a third country and to which the Estonian Transport Administration has not yet issued an endorsement to prove that the person is competent to work on ships flying the flag of the Republic of Estonia. In that case there shall be a CRA for Endorsement onboard ship, issued by the Estonian Transport Administration, and in accordance with the STCW Convention, regulation I/10 paragraph 5, proving that the person concerned has submitted the application for the issue of an endorsement to the Estonian Transport Administration.

Exchange of a foreign certificate of competency for an equivalent Estonian certificate of competency

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

• 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 and sea-going certificates;
• the certificate of seagoing service for 12 months in the last 5 years or 3 months in the last 6 months;
• pass the assessment of knowledge and skills in the Permanent Committee of the Estonian Transport Administration; 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.

When the maritime education is acquired in a foreign country, then the maritime education curriculums’ volume and content is compared in accordance with the Estonian maritime education curriculum, which is approved by the Estonian Transport Administration as per § 20 (5¹) and § 76 (1⁴) of the Estonian Maritime Safety Act.

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

• professional refresher and updating training;
• security training of a crew member designated the responsibility for security or that of ship’s security officer ;
• medical first aid training;
• training in medical care – master, chief officer;
• a professional training course  on the 2010 amendments to the STCW Convention;
• training in the use of Radar Navigation and Automatic Reporting Equipment (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 (O&M) levels – deck officers;
• Engine Room Resource Management (ERM) training at the operational and management level – engineer officers;
• training in the use of high-voltage equipment – engineer and electro-technical officers;
• training is survival craft and rescue boats other than FRB;
• firefighting training according to the advanced programme;
• radio operator training GMDSS (COG) – deck officers.

Estonia recognises foreign safety training certificates if the training included:

• personal survival techniques;
• basic firefighting training;
• basic first aid;
• personal safety and social responsibility.

Holders of a valid certificate of safety and advanced training in tanker operation issued abroad must demonstrate their continuing competence through a skills and knowledge assessment at a maritime educational and training institution. A person who has completed advanced training in service on tankers and who has expired such a certificate shall be required to complete the same training in full and to demonstrate previous seagoing service of at least three months, as a member of the management or operational level responsible for cargo operations on the corresponding type of , or at least 1 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. extended 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.

Exchanging a certificate of competency for 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 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 the 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

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

Issue of an Estonian certificate of competency as officer in charge of 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 seagoining 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.

Registration for assessment and performance of assessment

Any person who wants to undergo an assessment contacts the secretary of the Permanent Committee (anna.neeme@transpordiamet.ee or inna.velbaum@transpordiamet.ee). The secretary of the Permanent Committee coordinates the time of the assessment with the chair of the Committee and the person to be assessed will be informed of this. Assessment is subject to payment of the state fee. Assessment will be carried out on the basis of applications according to a schedule. The chair or the vice-chair of the Committee will present the assessment procedure before the assessment.

The knowledge of the person to be assessed must meet the requirements of Sections A-II/1, A-II/2, A-II/3, A-III/1, A-III/2, A-III/3, A-III/6 and A-IV/2, B IV/2, paragraphs 15 to 28 of the STCW Code, the knowledge of the ship’s refrigerating plant engineer officer must comply with the refrigerating plant engineer officer’s curriculum and in addition the requirements of Sections A-III/1 and A III/2 of the STCW Code.

The assessment consists of a combination of computer tests (COLREG and SEAGULL) and verbal assessment. In the case of a seafaring document issued abroad, there is also a test of knowledge of the Estonian maritime legislation (written questions).

An assessment is carried out as follows:

1.       the test of the knowledge of maritime legislation is the first part of the assessment and consists of 15 questions, which must be answered in 60 minutes, and the test is considered passed if the share of correct answers is at least 75%.

2.       Professional knowledge will be assessed with computer tests, the results of which will form the basis for the subsequent verbal assessment:

• COLREG test – at least 90% of the answers are correct and the time limit for answering 50 questions is 30 minutes.
• SEAGULL test – at least 85% of the answers are correct, the time limit for answering the questions is 2 minutes per question and the number of questions is at least 70 (depending on the position and vessel type).

3. The verbal assessment will be based on tickets (5 to 15 questions), which are approved by the Head of the Seafarers Certification Unit The person being assessed selects a ticket from the numbered tickets provided. The time limit for answering the questions is 30 minutes, the share of correct answers must be at least 85%. The Permanent Committee has the right to ask additional questions.

If a result mentioned in one of the above points is below the established criteria, the Committee will end the assessment with its resolution and a new assessment is set up.

The assessment has two categories: ‘passed’ and ‘failed’. The person who underwent the assessment will be immediately notified of the decision of the Permanent Committee. The result of the assessment is entered in a record. The minutes will be signed by the chair or vice-chair, members and secretary of the Committee and the person who underwent the assessment. The record will be kept in the Seafarers Information System.

In case of disagreement with the results of the assessment, the person who underwent the assessment has the right to lodge a protest with the chair or vice-chair who led the work of the Committee immediately after the assessment. The Permanent Committee reviews the protest immediately, adopts a decision and enters it in the record, which will be signed by the chair or vice-chair who led the work of the Committee and the person who underwent the assessment.

If the person who underwent the assessment disagrees with the decision of the Permanent Committee, they have the right to contact the director of the Maritime Division.

Physicians authorised to carry out health assessments

On the basis of subsections 26¹ (1) and (4) of the Maritime Safety Act, and in accordance with subsection 95 (4) of the Maritime Safety Act, the following physicians are authorised to carry out the medical examination of all crew members of vessels for international voyages and students applying for studies or studying at maritime educational and training institutions.

Check the Health Board web page here.

Any endorsement issued by the Estonian Transport Administration which is valid after 01 January 2017 certifies that the holder has successfully completed all training required by the Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code under Regulation II/1, II/2, II/3, III/1, III/2, III/3 and III/6. Therefore, no further documentation of the successful participation in approved training, such as Leadership and Managerial Skills, High Voltage, Bridge Resource Management, Engine-Room Resource Management and Radar/ARPA, is needed.