Are you a recent graduate?

Please be aware that there is a difference between the rules for fishermen and fishing compared to seafarers in the merchant navy.

Read more about the differences and what you as a fisherman should pay particular attention to.

NOTE: The 180 days of seagoing service included in the engineer training as an apprentice only count as qualifying sea time for the issuance of certificate as watchkeeping engineer officer. For subsequent certificate issuances, these 180 days do not count, as qualifying seagoing service must be earned as a watchkeeping engineer or higher.

Regardless of whether the 180 days of practice are earned between school stays or after graduation, they must be reported as engine cadet or other engine crew in self-service/My Maritime.

With your blue certificate, you can sail on deck as a commercial fisherman.

In addition, you can sail as a Master in fishing vessels up to 9 meters in length.

If you want to muster as a Second hand in fishing vessels and want to earn seagoing service as a Second hand, you must remember to be issued with a Certificate of Competency as Second hand in fishing vessels.

Furthermore, your blue certificate, supplemented by a course in fire fighting in ships, entitles you to muster as an ordinary ship's assistant.

When you have to sail in a position that requires a Certificate of Competency, it is important that you get your Certificate of Competency issued before you go to sea after completing your education.
It can have major consequences for you, your colleagues and your employer if you do not have a valid certificate.

If an accident occurs or the ship has a major breakdown and the crew does not have their papers in order, the insurance does not cover.

Sailing without a Certificate of Competency is also illegal and can be compared to driving a car without a licence. Violation may result in a police report and a fine.

You can see all the information we have about you in our app, My Maritime. The app is available for both IOS and Android.

Your certificates can be displayed in the app, but not all certificates are digital yet, so you must still carry your physical certificates, if you have any, when you are at sea.
You cannot apply for the issuance of certificates in the app. You must do this at the self-service.

GO TO GUIDE ABOUT THE APP

You can log in to our self-service via our website.
You log in with your MitID.

On the self-service, you can update your profile, upload your photo, pull out your CV, update and document your seagoing service and apply for the issuance of certificates.

You can see all the information we have about you in the self-service.
You cannot upload documents in self-service, e.g. if you have a course certificate you would like to submit. It is only the course provider who can report your courses and exams.
You can only upload documents in connection with an application.

GO TO GUIDE ON SELF-SERVICE

We currently have an average processing time of 5 working days, but always remember to apply in good time.

After applying, you will receive an e-mail with a receipt for your payment, confirmation that the application has been received and your case number.

If you have questions or need to send additional documentation for your case, you can reply to the e-mail you received with your case number.

You can also follow the status of your applications at any time in our self-service and app.

You must have a valid GMDSS radio certificate in order to be issued with a Certificate of Competency as a navigator in merchant ships.

In order to be issued a Certificate of Competency as second hand, mate or master in fishing vessels, you must have at least an LRC radio certificate.

In order to be issued a Certificate of Competency, you must be in possession of a valid health certificate in which you have been declared fit for service at sea.

Navigators must be fit for lookout.

Health certificates are accepted from countries that have implemented the STCW Convention and ratified the MLC.

Remember that there is an expiry date on your health certificate.
You can have a new medical examination done to renew your health certificate when there are less than 6 months until your health certificate expires.

The different certificates that you must have are issued separately.

This is because some certificates expire and need to be renewed, while others have no expiry date.

An example:

Certificate of proficiency in motor operation.
This certificate has no expiry date and must therefore only be issued once.
If we make an endorsement on e.g. a Certificate of Competency as a mate 1st class in fishing vessels to include a certificate of proficiency in motor operation, this course will have the same expiry date as the Certificate of Competency and must therefore be renewed every 5 years.
This will result in unnecessary costs for new courses for you.

Most Certificates of Competency and proficiency expire 5 years after issue. The expiry date is stated on the certificate.

You must remember to apply for renewal of your credentials BEFORE they expire. You will receive a reminder from us twice up until the expiry of your certificate.
We recommend that you apply for renewal when you receive the first reminder.
REMEMBER it is always your responsibility that your certificates are up to date.

Some certificates have no expiry date and only need to be issued once.
This applies, among other things, to Ship's cook, LRC, watchkeeping certificate, ordinary and able ship's assistant and certificate of proficiency in motor operation.

You must record your seagoing service and document it in our self-service or app.

When recording your seagoing service, you must enter the effective seagoing service. That is the number of days you have been on board.
If you are in the fixed crew on the same ship for a longer time, e.g. 1 year, but have not been on board for the entire period, you can simply create a single seagoing service record for the year in question. BUT then you must remember to only enter the number of days you have actually been on board. Eg. 180 days of effective seagoing service.

You can document your seagoing service in 3 ways:

1: Once you have registered your seagoing service, you can send an electronic request to your employer to approve your seagoing service. You do this via self-service or the app.
Your employer must approve your seagoing service within 14 days, so it is a good idea to check in advance who at your employers office you must send to.

2: You can have your seagoing service recorded in your discharge book and upload pictures of your discharge book as documentation.
Remember that your discharge book must be filled in correctly with the effective seagoing service and correct job title. It is your responsibility to check that your captain fills in the book correctly and to ask questions if you are in doubt.

3: You can ask your employer to fill in a seagoing service declaration for your records. You can then upload a picture of the seagoing service declaration when you fill in your application.
It is important that the seagoing service declaration documents the effective seagoing service. You can find a form for the seagoing service declaration here.

NOTE that we will not process your seagoing service until we have received an application for the issuance of a certificate.
This means that your seagoing service can remain in the system as "created" or "documented" for a long time before it is approved.

There is a seagoing service counter on the self-service system. It only counts approved seagoing service, not seagoing service that is stated as created or documented.

If you lose your certificate, you must apply for a new one.
It costs DKK 855 for a new certificate, so take care of your certificates.

If you lose your exam and course certificates and would like a copy, you must contact the school where you took the education/course.

Certificates of Competency and certificates of proficiency cost DKK 855, which you pay in the self-service when you order your certificate.

You can always call the Danish Maritime Authority's department for Seafarers and Certificates (SOC) on 72 19 60 15 or you can write to us at bevis@dma.dk.

All the rules of certificates can seem confusing when you're new. So if you can't find an answer to your question on our website, call or write.

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When writing to us by e-mail, please refrain from providing sensitive personal information, such as your CPR number, as the e-mail connection is not encrypted. It is sufficient to state your full name and date of birth.
If you submit documentation by email where your CPR number appears, you should cover the last 4 digits.
You are also welcome to reply to e-box, cvr: 29831610.