Pilotage areas valid from 1 January 2021

The requirements for obtaining or maintaining a pilot certificate or pilot exemption certificate are intended to ensure that the applicant acquires sufficient local knowledge of the individual pilotage areas, ports, fjords, gutters and bridges so that the applicant can assess the risks associated with sailing in these pilot areas.

In order to be issued or keep a pilot certificate or pilot exemption certificate, the holder must meet the applicable requirements for sailing frequency. The sailing frequency is defined as a number of pilots / sailings, which are divided into the following categories:

• Category A - For ships covered by section 4 of the Pilotage Act; at least 20 pilots / sailings per. current year from the date of certification of the pilotage area (High risk)
• Category B - For ships covered by section 4 of the Pilotage Act; at least 10 pilots / sailings per current year from the date of certification of the pilotage area (Medium risk)
• Category C - 5 pilots / sailings and less per. current year from the date of certification of the pilotage area (Low risk and few pilotages). If the holder has not had at least one pilotage / sailing in a category C area for more than 5 years, the certification in that pilotage area is lost.
• Category D - For ships which are not covered by section 4 of the Pilotage Act; at least 10 pilots / sailings per current year from the date of certification of the pilotage area (High risk).
• Category E - For ships which are not covered by section 4 of the Pilotage Act; at least 5 pilots / sailings per. current year from the date of certification of the pilotage area (Medium risk).
• Category * - If the holder of a certificate with an A, B, or D pilot area has met the requirements for sailing frequency continuously for more than 5 years, the requirements are subsequently halved.

If the holder of a pilot certificate or pilotage exemption certificate no longer meets the conditions, the person in question is obliged to inform the Danish Maritime Authority immediately thereafter.

Especially for pilot certificates

The pilot certificate may be limited to different ship sizes, cf. section 2, subsection 3, in the Executive Order on the issuance of a pilot certificate and pilot exemption certificate.

A pilot must, as a rule, have completed at least three pilots at a certified upgrade stage in order to be certified for the next upgrade stage. The Danish Maritime Authority may, however, prepare individual upgrade plans for the individual pilot, taking into account his or her experience as a pilot, etc.

In case of reacquision no later than 5 years after the last completed pilotage in the pilotage area in question, the requirement for the pilotage area must be met again, but a pilotage test is not required. If it has been more than 5 years since the last pilotage in the pilotage in question, a pilot test must be held again.

Especially for pilot exemption certificates

Pilots must be used when fulfilling requirements for local knowledge for the acquisition of a pilot exemption certificate for port, fjord, gutter, bridge and STS pilotage areas as well as bunkering, cf. section 14, subsection. 1, no. 1, in the Executive Order on the issuance of a pilot certificate and pilot exemption certificate.

Pilots shall not be used when fulfilling requirements for local knowledge for acquiring a pilot exemption certificate for other pilot areas, if the applicant is accompanied and trained during the voyage by a navigator who is in possession of a valid pilot exemption certificate for the pilot area in question, cf. section 14, subsection. 2, in the executive order on the issuance of a pilot certificate and pilot exemption certificate.

In case of reacquision no later than 5 years after the last completed PEC sailing in the pilotage area in question, the requirement for the pilotage area must be met again, but a PEC test  is not required. If it has been more than 5 years since the last PEC sailing in the pilotage in question, a PEC test must be held again.