Apply for Pilotage Exemption Certificate (PEC) | Traficom
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Transport and Communications Agency

Apply for Pilotage Exemption Certificate (PEC)

Pilotage licences mean licences that are required for pilotage, exemption from compulsory pilotage or receiving a pilotage examination.

The current Pilotage Act (561/2023) entered into force on 1 September 2023. The objective of Pilotage Act is to enhance maritime safety and fairway navigation competence and to prevent the detrimental environmental impacts arising from vessel traffic. With the new Pilotage Act, there will be significant changes to the compulsory pilotage, pilotage certificates and the conditions for their issuance, as well as the sanctions and penalty provisions.

Compulsory pilotage will change so that there is a defined pilotage area at Finland's coastal area where vessels must follow the Finnish compulsory pilotage provisions. Pilotage limits have been defined for VTS fairways beyond which the bridge of the ship subject to compulsory pilotage shall be manned by the pilot carrying out the pilotage or the persons exempted from compulsory pilotage under Pilotage Act.

Pilotage exemption certificates and granted exemptions will be removed and in future the personnel licence granting exemption from the compulsory pilotage is a PEC licence stating the fairway-specific and area-specific exemptions from compulsory pilotage, as well as vessels for which the exemptions are valid. Adding vessels to the PEC licence will in future be done with a passed practical pilotage test.

Personnel licences connected to pilotage will in future be unrestricted or restricted, depending on if the applicant has experience in navigating vessels in Finnish fairways in ice conditions. If the licence is restricted, it is not valid in such fairways where at least an assistance restriction I C applies. 

According to the transitional provisions of the Pilotage Act, pilot’s licences, pilotage exemption certificates and granted exemptions are valid for the time period indicated in the granting decision.

Pilotage exemption certificate may be renewed to a PEC licence and marked with a fairway-specific exemption for it through renewal procedures, which are:

  • At least five back and forth voyages in fairways yearly or at least 50 during the validity of the certificate:
    • in this case you do not need to complete the parts connected to the PEC examination.
  • At least two back and forth voyages in fairways yearly or at least 15 during the validity of the certificate:
    • the practical pilotage test is also required in the other direction of the fairway.
  • Over five back and forth voyages in fairways yearly or at least 15 during the validity of the certificate:
    • the practical pilotage test and ship simulator test are also required.

For the PEC licence to be unrestricted, there must be at least five, or within the past 12 months at least two, voyages on any fairway marked on the licence where the assistance restriction is at least I C. Restrictions and the history chart on the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s website.

The PEC licence is granted as either restricted or unrestricted based on whether the applicant has experience in navigating a vessel in Finnish fairways in ice conditions. This means that if the PEC licence is restricted, it does not exempt from compulsory pilotage if the fairway has an assistance restriction I C or higher. However, if the PEC licence is unrestricted, the exemption is valid in such fairways where the assistance restriction is IC or higher.

To receive the unrestricted PEC licence, the applicant must complete at least one PEC familiarisation voyage in such a Finnish fairway where at least an assistance restriction I C is in force, and the parts of a ship simulator test concerning ice conditions. Additionally, the applicant must deliver a free-form report of navigating in ice conditions. The report can be, for example, a description of working history as a part of navigation personnel of a vessel that has operated in ice conditions, or other such reliable report. A familiarisation voyage completed in ice conditions can be accepted as a part of the experience required to receive the exemption, if it is completed in such a fairway for which the applicant is applying for the exemption. If the applicant does not have experience navigating in ice conditions, he or she must complete at least three PEC familiarisation voyages in differing ice conditions. Differing ice conditions can be connected to different assistance restrictions, ice cover, ice thickness and ice type.

The application is sent to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi.

Apply for a certificate

Contact information

Submitting an application:

If it is not possible to submit the application via My e-Services, the application and any attachments and supplementary information must be sent encrypted to Traficom’s Registry Office.

Applications for amendments to a pilot’s licence (adding an area or removing a restriction) must be submitted to Traficom’s registry.

How to send your message encrypted to the Registry Office

Enquiries by e-mail to: 

luotsausasiat(at)traficom.fi

PEC examination familiarisation voyage, fairway knowledge test, practical pilotage test and ship simulator test:

Finnpilot Pilotage Oy

Finnpilot Pilotage LtdCommissioning of examination services

How do I renew a valid pilotage exemption certificate?

The pilotage exemption certificate may be renewed by the procedures for the renewal of the fairway exemption marked on the PEC licence as provided for in Section 49 of the Pilotage Act. In this case, the pilotage exemption certificate in accordance with the old and repealed Pilotage Act will be converted into a corresponding fairway exemption for the PEC licence.

How do I start the PEC examination?

The PEC examination begins with a theory test based on the materials listed in the PEC regulation. The link to theory test and further details on the other stages of the examination are given above in the section PEC examination stages and order of completion.

What is the difference between restricted and unrestricted PEC licence?

Restricted and unrestricted PEC licences are connected to whether the applicant has experience in navigating a vessel in Finnish fairways in ice conditions. Restricted PEC licence does not exempt from compulsory pilotage in fairways where an assistance restriction of I C or higher is in effect. However, unrestricted licence is valid in fairways where an assistance restriction I C or higher is in effect. Obtaining an unrestricted licence requires certain performances, which are described in more detail above in the Restricted or Unrestricted PEC Licence.

How is a new vessel added to a valid PEC licence?

A new vessel may be added to a valid PEC licence if the applicant has completed an examination voyage as part of the practical part of the PEC qualification on one of the fairways marked on the PEC licence. Additionally, the applicant must prepare an updated pilotage plan where the attributes of the vessel to be added are observed. The plan shall be made for all fairways marked on the licence for which exemption the vessel is added to. The size and safety system of the vessel may affect the qualifications; additional qualifications are laid down in Section 48 of the Pilotage Act.

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