Brussels, 18/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is taking advice from experts and the general public on pilot exemption certificates in navigation. A public consultation was opened on 13 February, to evaluate whether actions at European level are required.
The use of a pilot in territorial waters is obligatory, because the pilot is better able to guide vessels through dangerous or congested waters. Using local expert knowledge, the pilot advises the captain, who remains in sole command of the vessel. However, in exceptional cases, Pilotage Exemption Certificates (PEC) can be issued to captains for certain areas only, if the captains are capable of supervising navigation alone in the areas in question.
The Commission notes that having a pilot sometimes brings about additional costs, and that the issuance of an exemption is not harmonised at European level. Certificates can be obtained easily in certain member states, yet are inaccessible in others. The prerequisites for obtaining these certificates are also believed to vary greatly between countries. However, a study published by the Commission in late 2012 shows that the issuing of a pilotage exemption has “no significant negative impact” on maritime safety.
The Commission may therefore decide to act at European level to improve the use of these exemptions. Before starting any legislative work, the institution is consulting with stakeholders to evaluate the problems and measures to be considered. The public consultation is accessible until 9 May of this year. (MD/transl.fl)