Seafarer medical examination for inland navigation and maritime shipping
- If you want to apply for or renew a European Union qualification certificate or dienstboekje (service booklet) for inland navigation, you need a seafarer medical examination for inland navigation.
- To work as a crew member onboard a seagoing vessel registered in the Netherlands, you need a seafarer medical examination for maritime shipping every 2 years.
Medical examinations are not compulsory for vocational or tertiary students, however they are recommended. Without the medical examination, students will not be able to start an internship or work on a ship.
Examination by medical doctor
For the examination, you must visit a medical doctor who is authorised by the ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat, IenW (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management). This cannot be your general physician (GP), a consulting doctor nor your company doctor.
During the examination you can identify yourself with a passport or valid identification document (ID). A service book or monsterboekje (seaman’s book) is not considered a valid form of ID in this situation.
The medical doctor will check whether you meet the examination requirements. You answer questions about your health and previous examination results.
- The general inspection requirements for inland navigation (in Dutch) can be found in the Binnenvaartregeling (Inland Navigation Regulations). European Union (EU) directive 2020/12 lists the medical requirements for inland navigation by disorder.
- The general medical examination requirements for maritime shipping (in Dutch) can be found in the Regeling bemanning zeeschepen (Seagoing Vessels Crew Regulation). The Guidelines on the medical examinations of seafarers lists the medical requirements for maritime shipping per disorder (appendices A to E).
There are countries whose seafarer medical certificates are recognised by the Netherlands. In these countries, you may visit any authorised medical doctor for the seafarer medical examination. In all other countries, you may only see a medical doctor authorised by the IenW.
The Netherlands recognises seafaring medical certificates from:
- Any Member State of the European Union (EU)
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- Iceland
- India
- Liechtenstein
- New Zealand
- Norway
- South Africa
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
Ask the doctor beforehand what the examination costs. The maximum fees are listed in the Regeling tarieven transportsectoren (Transportation Sectors Tariffs Scheme, in Dutch).
Result of the seafarer medical examination
You will either receive from the doctor:
- A Geneeskundige verklaring (medical certificate) upon passing your medical examination.
- A Verklaring van medische ongeschiktheid (declaration of medical unsuitability) if you do not pass your medical examination.
If your application is suspended pending a re-examination, you must visit the same authorised examining doctor for the re-examination. A medical examination conducted by a different examining doctor is not valid.
If your application is denied or cancelled, re-examination or exemption is sometimes possible.