Decrees supplementing the Water Traffic Act enter into force on 1 June

Ministry of Transport and Communications
Publication date 28.5.2020 13.27
Press release

The Government and the Ministry of Transport and Communications have adopted two decrees that specify the new Water Traffic Act. The decrees deal with road ferries, the manning of ships and certification of seafarers, and they will enter into force simultaneously with the Water Traffic Act, on 1 June 2020. 

Provisions on road ferries and cable ferries will be updated to comply with the new Water Traffic Act. The new provisions concerning information entries on ferry services and prevention of collisions of ferries with other watercraft will be more specific than before.

The amendment concerning the manning of ships and certification of seafarers will speed up the obtaining of professional qualifications and promote the employment and business activities of personnel engaged in water transport services.

The decree will extend the opportunities for maritime training and facilitate the issuance of certificates for additional qualifications. For example, no maritime qualifications will be required from people working temporarily on board, like performing artists or people carrying out inspection, maintenance or pilotage duties.

The qualifications required from the operator of a rental boat will also be specified. By virtue of the new Water Traffic Act, inspection requirements for rental boats as well as the separate structural and equipment requirements will be abolished.

The qualification requirements for professional operators of boats, such as taxi boat operators, will remain in force, but they have been specified. In future, the requirements for a boatmaster's certificate for a rental boat will also include the knowledge of the Maritime Act, international regulations for preventing collisions at sea, and the Water Traffic Act.

Inquiries

Irja Vesanen-Nikitin, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 34 2544

Katja Peltola, Senior Officer, tel. +358 295 34 2031