Information bulletin for pilots and seafarers: The extension of the validity of pilotage certificates and facilitations performing the practical pilotage assessment

The coronavirus pandemic makes it more difficult and, in some cases, prevents the person in question from completing the module of the pilot examination that is required for the renewal of a pilotage certificate in a Finnish maritime training institute or university of applied sciences. There can also be situations where the examiner who is performing the practical pilotage assessment cannot board the ship, in which case it is not possible to perform the practical pilotage assessment.

Extending the validity of Pilot Licences, Pilotage Exemption Certificates and Exemptions over the last day of validity

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) grants pilotage certificates, which include the Pilot Licence, the Pilotage Exemption Certificate and the Exemption.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, provisional changes have been made to the Pilotage Act (940/2003) in force with the Act 408/2020. The validity of the pilotage certificates granted under the Pilotage Act whose validity expires on 16 March 2020 or later but at the latest on 31 October 2020 is extended for six months from the last day of validity of the Pilot Licence, Pilotage Exemption Certificate or Exemption without a separate application.

Practical pilotage assessment

One of the requirements for obtaining a Pilot Licence or a Pilotage Exemption Certificate is a practical pilotage assessment that is performed by an officer of Traficom.

The practical pilotage assessment referred to in the Pilotage Act is not required when granting new Pilot Licences or Pilotage Exemption Certificates during the period starting from 16 March 2020 and ending on 31 October 2020. A Pilot Licence or a Pilotage Exemption Certificate that is granted without a practical pilotage assessment is valid for six months from the date on which it was issued.

If the examiner can perform the practical pilotage assessment normally, the granted Pilot Licence or Pilotage Exemption Certificate is valid for five years from the date on which it was issued.

More information:

by e-mail luotsausasiat(at)traficom.fi