Aptitude for master and his/her substitute functions

Please find a RIF Office made synthesis about the aptitude conditions to command a RIF-French flagged ship :

Synthesis about the aptitude conditions to command a RIF-French flagged ship_RIF Office_2024 pdf - 1.3 Mb

Flow chart_Understanding the aptitude to command under the French flag_RIF Office

Master and his/her substitute

A distinction must be made between the master and his/her substitute as defined by French legislation and the master and his/her deputy as defined by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

The ability to command under the French flag is therefore specific to the French Transport Code, which confers numerous responsibilities on the captain and the officer in charge of deputising for him (chief officer), including public authority prerogatives:

  • security and investigation powers in the event of criminal offences committed on board ships;
  • disciplinary powers;
  • maritime security powers;
  • civil status and notarial powers.

In addition to holding the relevant certificates, access to the positions of master and his/her substitute on ships flying the French flag is subject to 3 cumulative criteria (art. L. 5612-3, French Transport Code):

  • nationality ;
  • French language skills;
  • knowledge of French legal matters.

Article L5612-3 of the French Transport Code specifies that in the absence of a deputy, the knowledge requirements may be met by the chief engineer. However, this article does not mention any possibility of waiving the chief officer’s nationality requirement, even if it is the chief engineer who meets the knowledge requirements.

Nationality criterion

The first criterion of aptitude for command under the French flag is nationality. The officer must be a national:

  • either of a European Union (EU) Member State (Nationals of the 27 Member States can command under the French flag);
  • or a State party to the European Economic Area - EEA (Nationals of the following 3 countries can command under the French flag: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway);
  • or of the Swiss Confederation (Swiss nationals can command under the French flag);
  • or of a State that is party to any international agreement signed with France that has the same scope in terms of the right to reside and work (so Nationals of the following 7 countries can command under the French flag: Benin, Burkina Faso, Congo, Ivory Coast, Niger, Togo and Tunisia).

List of the 38 States whose nationals are eligible to command under the French flag:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Benin
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Congo (Brazzaville)
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Niger
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Togo
  • Tunisia

French language skills criterion

The ability to command under the French flag implies knowledge of the French language. This knowledge is verified in 3 ways. The officer must present:

  • either a French secondary or higher education diploma (example: baccalauréat diploma or 1st class diploma of higher studies in the merchant navy (DEO1MM) awarded by the French Maritime Academy - ENSM);
  • or a certificate less than 1 year old attesting to a B2 level of proficiency as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;
  • or a certificate of passing the exam of the national jury responsible for evaluating the knowledge of French language and legal matters of officers intending to command (or their substitute) French flagged ships.

The aptitude to command under the French flag implies knowledge of French legal matters.

This knowledge is verified in 4 ways. The officer must present:

  • either a certificate of successful completion of the national bridge 1 exam (« module national pont/NP-1 » in French);
  • or any French higher education diploma certifying training relating to the powers and prerogatives of public authority conferred on the master of a ship flying the French flag (e.g: a diploma issued by the French Maritime Academy – ENSM) ;
  • or a certificate of successful completion of the tests leading to such training, approved under the conditions governing the approval of providers of maritime vocational training;
  • or a certificate of passing the exam of the national jury responsible for evaluating the knowledge of French language and legal matters of officers intending to command (or their substitute) French flagged ships.

Is an officer of French nationality automatically qualified to command a ship under the French flag?
No, because nationality is only 1 of the 3 criteria to qualify for command under the French flag. Thus, an officer of French nationality must also satisfy the condition of French language knowledge and the condition of knowledge of French legal matters (e.g. hold a French COC).

Temporary easing for fleet growth

For each ship registered under the RIF which complements a fleet operated under the French flag by a shipowner, a ship operated by this shipowner and registered under the RIF may have on board only one person who meets the requirements for knowledge of the French language and legal matters mentioned in art. L. 5612-3 of the Transport Code, either the captain, or the substitute, or, in the absence of a chief mate on a commercial ship, the chief engineer, for a period of 2 years following the registration of the ship granting this right. This option is withdrawn if the beneficiary fleet decreases during the 2-year period. The condition related to the fleet growth is assessed over the 18 months preceding registration.

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