Germany has eased one of the strictest crew requirements among Europe’s major maritime powers. Citizens of countries outside the European Union may now serve as captains and senior officers on German-flagged vessels.
Amendments to Germany’s regulation on minimum crew requirements allow shipowners to hire captains and officers from countries outside the EU and European Economic Area, subject to certain conditions.
Previously, German-flagged vessels generally had to have a captain who was a citizen of an EU or EEA country. In addition, vessels with a gross tonnage of 8,000 or more were required to have at least one deck officer from the EU or EEA.
The changes are intended to address the shortage of officers and improve the competitiveness of the German flag.
Shipowners hiring a captain or officer from a non-EU country with a corresponding national certificate must prove that no suitable EU candidate could be found and that internal promotion is not possible. In addition, for each replaced EU or EEA officer, the company must create two positions for completing sea service.
The permit is issued to the shipping company, not to an individual vessel. It initially remains valid for six months and, after the required training positions have been created, may be extended for up to five years.
A simpler procedure is provided for officers from third countries who already hold an EU certificate of competency: they must obtain German recognition of their certificate and complete a course in German maritime law.
At present, around 395 merchant vessels with a gross tonnage of 100 or more operate under the German flag. Germany’s total merchant fleet, meanwhile, numbers more than 1,400 vessels.
The German Shipowners’ Association has previously highlighted the scale of the transfer of vessels owned by domestic companies to foreign flags. The new rules are intended both to broaden access to an increasingly international pool of officers and to help bring German-owned vessels back under the national flag.
