After Brexit changes for UK flagged vessels operating in German waters

Vessels flying a non-EU flag (except Norway) generally require a Cabotage Approval when operating in German waters.

After the Brexit this regulation also applies to UK flagged vessels operating in German waters.

Cabotage is the fee-based carriage of passengers or goods with a foreign-flagged vessel from one place to another within German territory using German coastal waters (12 nautical mile area).

Shipping companies do not require a Cabotage Approval if their ships

• carry goods or passengers to places outside coastal waters (12 nautical mile zone) – for example to offshore wind farms in an Exclusive Economic Area or

• do not carry goods or passengers for a fee, as for example is the case with assistance tugs in a port.

Vessels flying an EU flag are not required a Cabotage Approval.

The Cabotage Approval is often understood to be the same as the Certificate of Equivalence (CoE). However, they are actually two different documents with different purposes. Cabotage is about counteracting disadvantages for the freedom of economic activity of German shipping while the Certificate of Equivalence ensures a comparable degree of safety of all vessels operating in German maritime waters.

The Cabotage Approval is being issued by the German Authorties.

Major additions and changes in IMCA Audits

Due to recent changes and amendments by IMCA with regard to IMCA Audits, we would like to draw attention to a newly added section concerning data protection and cyber security.

With respect to this section in the IMCA Report and the requested standards vessels have to fulfill further requirements.

We assume that vessel owners/operators should expect more findings and also more time for audits and follow-up which we also have to take into account as surveyors for inspections, office work and follow-up.

New tailored service for IMCA clients

BRAGER solutions has recently established a new service tailored especially for vessel operators to deal with IMCA Audits request. A new fixed rate system for IMCA Audit services allows our clients requesting an IMCA CMID/MISW Audit to act faster and to safe time and act independently. No need to send us your request for a quotation. Just select the required service (CMID or MISW) and location of the vessel from a list and give us some further basic information on the vessel and your company and we can directly respond by confirming or offering another date proposal. Sign the email with the confirmed survey date, send it back to us and we are on it.

We are always keen to adapt to the needs of the industry and to offer high flexibility, short-term service and transparency and hope with this new service we are again one step further.

The service is accessible through our company website on a client restricted area.