Being unfit for service as sea pilot

What happens if I have been found unfit for service as sea pilot?

If a sea pilot wants to have his certificate renewed and the recognized medical practitioner has found him or her to be unfit for service as sea pilot, the sea pilot can apply for revision at the Maritime Medical Service (Seeärztlicher Dienst). If the unfitness is confirmed, the Maritime Medical Service will issue a decision to which the sea pilot may file an objection. If the objection is not redressed, the sea pilot may file a complaint at the Administrative Court Hamburg.

Is a temporary unfitness limited to a period of time?

No, a seafarer can be temporarily unfit for a longer period of time. The recognized medical practitioner should give, if possible, a prognosis as to how long the sea pilot will be temporarily unfit. However, for some health disorders (e.g. psychological diseases) such a prognosis is very difficult to make.

What happens if a sea pilot has a valid certificate but doubts have been raised regarding his or her fitness as sea pilot?

The Maritime Medical Service can order an examination for a sea pilot if there is reason to believe that he or she might be unfit (German "Seelotsgesetz" sec. 13 para. 4 sent. 1). If the examination shows that the sea pilot does not meet the requirements e.g. due to a deterioration of his or her health condition in the meantime, the Maritime Medical Service will declare the pilot's medical certificate as invalid and inform the supervisory authority.