Amending regulations on maritime pilot professional certificates

The Ministry of Transport is seeking comments on a draft to replace the Circular regulating training, granting and revoking maritime pilot professional certificates and maritime pilot operating area certificates.

According to regulations, a Premier Marine Pilot is a pilot who is granted a Premier Marine Pilot Competency Certificate. A Premier Marine Pilot is allowed to pilot all types of ships. sea.

To be granted the Premier Class Marine Pilotage Certificate of Competency, a pilot must have a minimum of 300 safe navigations as a First Class Marine Pilot or 200 safe navigations within a minimum period of 36 months.

The notable point in the draft is the proposed criteria and specific regulations for exceptional pilots. In particular, to be granted a Certificate of Professional Competence for Exceptional Pilotage, in addition to having a First Class Certificate, the pilot must have at least 300 safe ship-piloting trips as an exceptional first class pilot or 200 safe ship-piloting trips within a minimum period of 36 months, confirmed by an agency that certifies the number of safe ship-piloting trips.

At the same time, the pilot must have at least 50 safe ship piloting practices for ships with a gross tonnage of over 20,000 or a maximum length of over 175m; or have 30 safe ship piloting practices within a minimum period of 6 months of Premier maritime piloting practice under the guidance of a maritime pilot with a Premier maritime piloting competence certificate, confirmed by the pilotage organization where the practice test is conducted and the agency that confirms the number of safe ship piloting practices.

In the responsibilities of maritime pilotage organizations, the draft stipulates that maritime pilotage organizations must organize internships for maritime pilots, examine maritime pilots during the internship period, as well as confirm the actual time of piloting practice and the number of safe piloting turns for maritime pilots or maritime pilot trainees.

At the same time, arrange maritime pilots in accordance with the Maritime Pilot Competency Certificate and the Maritime Pilotage Area Certificate. The maritime pilotage organization is also responsible for temporarily suspending work and handling disciplinary actions in accordance with legal regulations when the maritime pilot is at fault in leading a ship, leading to a maritime accident.

In addition, regularly train and update maritime pilots on expertise, English, maritime safety, maritime security and environmental pollution prevention.

Monitor and confirm the pilot's or captain's piloting practice.

In particular, the draft proposes that in the case of a Premier maritime pilot guiding a ship with a gross tonnage of over 30,000 and a maximum length of over 190m, the head of the pilotage organization must arrange for a pilot to have at least 30 safe piloting turns for the ship with a maximum length of over 175m to 190m.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, currently, according to statistics on ship arrivals in 2023-2024, the number of large ships entering and leaving Vietnamese seaports is increasing (over 1,700 ships with a length of 175m).

To ensure safety in navigating ships in and out of ports, Premier Marine Pilots need to be gradually familiarized with the large ship segment for a period of time before being assigned to unlimited ship navigating is necessary.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/sua-quy-dinh-ve-chung-chi-chuyen-mon-hoa-tieu-hang-hai-192250120155218745.htm