Before the first boarding: the application for the seafarer number

Before boarding a ship registered under the RIF, any seafarer residing in France, and any seaman residing outside France, affiliated to the ENIM, receives an identification number prior to being recorded on the crew list of a French-flagged ship registered with the RIF (art. L. 5521-2-1, Transport Code and Decree no 2015-1191 du 28, September 2015 regarding seafarers identification).

Introduction: working as a seafarer or a seaman

The seafarer and seaman professions are regulated. Criteria must be met to work as a seafarer. Check the article on the State Minister for the Sea website..

The oceans are a major aspect in our societies, from an environmental, economic and scientific point of view. It has always been inseparable from human life, for its food resources, and for commercial exchanges.

The maritime industry is a dynamic professional sector, employing more than 400 000 persons, including over 36 000 seamen. Seamen are passionate about the sea and work in four main sectors, each offering a large choice of ships and missions. Discover more with the brochure Working at sea.

Step 1: Provisional identification number

Prior to step 2 (obtaining a medical fitness certificate for navigation), seafarers must contact the competent local maritime administration (DDTM) to obtain a provisional identification. The seafarer’s request is done with form

formulaire GM-12 pdf - 103.9 KiB

.

A photocopy of the identity document must be provided.

Upon presentation of these documents, the DDTM issues a provisional seafarer number consisting of ** and 5 digits (example: **41200), which is recorded on the form.

Step 2: Certificate of medical fitness for navigation

The appointment for checking the medical fitness for navigation ensures that seamen (art. L. 5545-3-1, Transport Code) seafarers not seamen (art. L. 5549-1, Transport Code), meet the standards of medical fitness to work as sea, as such:

  • They are medically fit to carry out their daily duties at sea and the tasks that would be required in the event of an emergency;
  • They do not have a condition likely to be aggravated by service at sea, to make them unfit for this service or to endanger the health and safety of others on board.

After the medical examination, a certificate of medical fitness for navigation is issued to the seafarer for a fixed period. It is performed by a Seafarer doctor in a dedicated health center or by an authorized doctor.

Medical examination in France

Anyone wishing to enter the regulated profession of seafarer in France must make an appointment with a doctor approved by the National Seafarers’ Health Service (SSGM).

With the provisional identification number obtained in step 1, the seafarer contacts an SSGM doctor to make an appointment, specifying that this is a medical examination for initial medical fitness.

A medical certificate of fitness is issued at the end of the visit. It will be useful at the next step.

Medical examination in a foreign State

Par dérogation prévue à l’art. L. 5521-1-1 du code des transports, il est possible de faire reconnaître un certificat d’aptitude médicale à la navigation établi par un médecin exerçant dans un pays étranger.

By way of derogation under art. L. 5521-1-1 of the Transport Code, it is possible to use a certificate of medical fitness for navigation issued by a doctor practising in a foreign State.

To find out more about the endorsement of medical certificates issued abroad, an article on the RIF website is dedicated to this subject.

Step 3: National identification number

Prior to boarding a French flagged ship, should be identified:

An identification number is given prior to being recorded on the crew list (art. L. 5521-2-1, Transport Code and decree no 2015-1191 of 28, Septembrer 2015 regarding seafarers identification).

To obtain it, the applicant must send to the competent local maritime administration (DDTM) the form cerfa n°15463 duly filled, and all the supporting documents mentioned in sections 2 and 3 of the form.

Step 4: Maritime professional Book/Seaman Book

The order of January 24, 2007 on seaman book specifies that the maritime professional book ("livret professionnel maritime") constitutes the professional document for seafarers to justify their status. It is issued free of charge to any seafarer who request it from the local maritime administration (DDTM) in charge of the identification.

Who should be contacted? The request for a Seaman book shall be sent to the DDTM that has performed the identification.

The applicant shall provide the following documents :

  • firm promise for a contract of work at sea or a maritime contract or employment contract with a shipowner;
  • certificate of medical fitness for navigation issued by a doctor from the Health service SSGM (or a doctor excercising abroad, under conditions) ;
  • identity documents (title and identity photos) and proof of the applicant’s residence (proof of residence of less than 3 months - e.g. electricity invoice, internet or telephone bill…).

In addition to these documents, the following must be provided based on the category of seafarer:
Seamen A photocopy of diplomas and/or certificates of maritime professional qualifications.
Seafarers not seamen Any element to verify the 45-day period as spent on board, continuous or not, over a period of 6 consecutive months.
Security officers Copy of the professional card issued by the National Council for private security activities (CNAPS) mentioning "protection of ships".

More details on the State Minister for the Sea website

Step 5 (Seafarer seamen): affiliation to the social protection system for seamen

To get affiliated to the ENIM regime,a seaman should held a social security number. This number is a personal number, it can not be a parent’s number. More about issuance of a social security numbere.

For affiliation, the employer must, before hiring, and regardless of the type of contract (fixed-term or permanent contract) send the form of affiliation AF01 at the ENIM - Centre de prestations maladie de Saint-Malo (CPM) - Arsenal de la marine - Quai Solidor 35 415 Saint-Malo Cedex - cpm1.sdpo@enim.eu

Formulaire A01 (FR-ENG) - Affiliation ENIM_092023 pdf - 139.3 KiB

Step 5 (seafarer non seamen): affiliation to the general social protection system

Non-seamen seafarers (not eligible for the ENIM) shall be affiliated to a social security system.

If you reside in a Member State of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, and your employer is not located in the same state as your place of residence, then you are covered by the general social security system in France, once you board a ship flying the French flag.

The registration formalities for the general social security system vary depending on whether you were born in France or abroad, regardless of your nationality.

1) Non-seamen seafarers born in France: you should already have a social security number.

  • However, if you do not have any document as evidence (e.g.: Carte Vitale, rights certificate, salary slip), you can visit a Social Security center. You must show an identity document (national identity card or passport). A person will let you know your social security number.
    Unlike the procedure for affiliation to the ENIM, it is here the non-seaman seafarer (not the employer) that carries out the tasks for the affiliation with the general social security system. It is advisable to make an appointment with the social security local administration ("Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie", CPAM) closest to you.

2) Non-seamen seafarers born abroad: visit the service-public website for details on the procedure.

Once your affiliation to the general French social security system is completed, you must communicate your social security number to your employer.

Which local maritime administration (Departmental Directorate for Territories and Sea, DDTM)* should I contact?

For seafarers residing in France, the local maritime administration (DDTM) 1 competent is that of the department:

  • in which the seafarers’ domicile is located; or
  • within the jurisdiction of which the seafarer’s port of embarkation, port of registration or the administrative management port of the ship on which the seafarer boards is located.

For seamen residing outside France and affiliated to the ENIM, the competent local maritime administration (DDTM) is that of the Bouches-du-Rhône department (Marseille).

Contact details of the competent services:

Notes and references

1. for overseas territories: Directorate for the Sea (DM) Martinique, Guadeloupe or Reunion and Directorate for Territories, Food and the Sea (DTAM) in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon

Share page

Subscribe
Top of page