“This is a highly significant step for the maritime sector, as two countries have agreed to mutually recognize each other’s seafarers’ certificates. The agreement creates new opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of Estonian seafarers in the international labor market, particularly in light of the growing offshore oil and gas industry in the Philippines and the increasing demand for qualified crews on vessels supporting these operations,” said Edgar Peganov, Director of the Maritime Division of the Estonian Transport Administration.
The Maritime Division of the Estonian Transport Administration prepared the inter-agency agreement in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The agreement is based on Regulation I/10 of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and the provisions of European Union Directive 2022/993.
Under the Directive, an EU Member State may conclude such an agreement with a third country only if that country has been audited by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), recognized by the European Commission, and included on the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) White List.
In September 2024, the Estonian Transport Administration signed a similar mutual recognition agreement for seafarers’ certificates with Ukraine.
