Endorsement

Masters and officers who hold a foreign STCW certificate of competency or a certificate of proficiency in advanced training for tanker ship cargo operations and wish to serve on vessels flying the Finnish flag must have an endorsement issued by the Finnish Transport Safety Agency. By issuing an endorsement, the flag state recognizes the original STCW certificate of competency issued by another flag state. The endorsement must always be presented together with the original certificate of competency. It is valid as long and has the same limitations as the original certificate. 

All masters' and officers' certificates issued in accordance with the STCW Convention as well as the following certificates of proficiency can be endorsed:

• Certificate in advanced training for oil tanker cargo operations (V/1-1.3)
• Certificate in advanced training for chemical tanker cargo operations (V/1-1.5)
• Certificate in advanced training for liquefied gas tanker cargo operations (V/1-2.3)

Certificates of ratings need not be endorsed.

When applying for endorsement at the management level, i.e. master (II/2), chief mate (II/2), master near-coastal voyages (II/3) chief engineer (III/2), second engineer (III/2) chief engineer on ships of less than 3000 kW (III/3) or second engineer on ships of less than 3000 kW (III/3), an examination in Finnish maritime legislation must be passed. For detailed information on the exam, please contact the Finnish maritime colleges providing such exams. The exam may be taken in English.

NB! Holders of watchkeeping officer and watchkeeping engineer certificates of competency are also required to take the examination in Finnish maritime legislation when serving in a management level capacity (master, chief mate, chief engineer, second engineer) in vessels where the minimum safe manning document allows this.

Please use the application form on this page to apply for the endorsement. The name of the endorsement applied for must be stated on the application.

Enclosures needed for the application:

• Copy of STCW certificate and endorsement pages, if any
• Copy of certificate on examination in Finnish maritime legislation, when applying for endorsement at the management level i.e. master, chief mate, master near-coastal voygaes, chief engineer, second engineer, chief engineer or second engineer on ships of less than 3000 kW
• Copy of valid seafarer's medical certificate
• Copy of passport identity page
• Passport photograph (See Passport photo guidelines)

In case of urgency the Finnish Transport Safety Agency can issue a certificate of received application (CRA) to the applicant. The CRA entitles the applicant to serve on a ship flying the Finnish flag until the endorsement is granted, 3 months at the most. If the application is turned down, the right to serve on board the ship ends at the next port of call.