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Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, issued a ministerial decision regarding the issuance of a navigational license for national and foreign ships, with the aim of regulating the issuance of a navigational license for national ships registered under the flag of the state wherever they are, and for foreign ships operating in the country’s marine areas, in accordance with the requirements of the provisions of the federal law. No. 26 of 1981 regarding the Maritime Commercial Law and the requirements for registering and licensing ships of all types and international maritime agreements issued by the International Maritime Organization.
The decision, which will enter into force in early May, stipulates that the priority of work in the country’s waters is given to national ships, and the Maritime Administration may grant navigational licenses to foreign ships to work in the country’s marine areas, and the Maritime Administration has the right to reject a request to issue a navigational license for a foreign ship in the public interest.
The decision specified 4 restrictions for operation, namely: that every ship registered in the country must obtain a navigation license from the Department of Maritime Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and it is prohibited for it to sail without this license, and it is prohibited for any foreign ship to operate in the waters of the country unless It holds a valid navigational license issued by the Department, and it is prohibited to use ships and all types of marine units, including marine barges of various national and foreign names, as floating warehouses in transporting and storing oil or its derivatives in the marine areas of the state, unless they are classified, prepared and equipped for this purpose in accordance with the requirements International agreements ratified by the State, and the laws and regulations in force in this regard. All other ships are prohibited from towing or pushing any ship in violation of the provisions thereof. The Maritime Department, in accordance with the requirements of the public interest, may prevent any person from working on board any national ship, wherever it is located or Any foreign ship in the waters of the country.
The decision referred to the conditions for issuing the navigational license for the national ship, including the submission of a license application with all documents and certificates attached, and the minimum safe manning document for the ship. Licensing the ship and the sailors working on it, submitting the ship’s registration certificate, and that the foreign ship has a work contract with a maritime company, governmental or semi-governmental institution.
A navigational license may not be issued to national or foreign ships unless they are covered by valid insurance for the validity period of the license, and have a membership in a protection and compensation club, to cover the liability arising from damages that the ship may cause to others or to the marine environment, and the navigation license for the national ship is valid. For a period of one year, renewable for similar periods, provided that the requirements for issuing the navigational license remain valid. The Maritime Department may order the suspension or cancellation of the navigational license in the event that the ship loses one of the conditions for issuing the navigational license or because it violates the laws, decisions and circulars in force in the UAE.
The decision also stipulated the need for the country’s ports to ensure that national and foreign ships operating in the country’s waters have valid navigational licenses before allowing them to enter or exit, and the ship’s navigational license is revoked if it violates the provisions of the maritime commercial law and the decisions and regulations implementing it or the international maritime rules and agreements that have been ratified. From the state, and those that entered into force internationally, and the navigational license issued to the foreign ship is canceled in the event that it violates the areas of work, or the nature of the activity authorized to be carried out in the waters of the state.
