BG Verkehr / Dienststelle Schiffssicherheit
Referat Nautik
Brandstwiete 1
20457 Hamburg

Oya Sönmez
Phone: +49 40 361 37-239
Fax: +49 40 361 37-204
Mobile: +49 171 88 53 239
Mail: oya.soenmez@bg-verkehr.de

Certificate of Equivalence

Up until 30 November 2024, sea-going vessels under foreign flag (also EU flag) that

  • operated commercially
  • were deployed on German maritime waterways and within German coastal waters (12 nautical mile area) and
  • without international certificates according to the SOLAS Convention

required a Certificate of Equivalence. This requirement is now void due to amendments of the "Schiffssicherheitsverordnung" (ship safety ordinance) that have entered into force on 30 November 2024.

The term "Equivalence" is also relevant for the recognition of certificates of competency and other professional certificates for the service on board (e.g. in fishing) . Information about this is given under our heading Training · Competence.

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