Legal frame
Governing: π.δ. 119/2014 arts 20–21 as amended by π.δ. 49/2021; Υ.Α. 2241.2/29164/2023 art. 2; law 4926/2022 art. 11. Builds on: L3.1.
The EU procedure for third-country CoCs
Greece cannot simply decide that a UK, US or Marshall Islands certificate is good on a Greek-flag yacht. Under π.δ. 119/2014 as amended in 2021:
- ΔΕΚΝ applies to the European Commission to recognise the third country, with a preliminary analysis of its STCW compliance.
- The Commission, assisted by EMSA, assesses the country's training and certification system, including fraud prevention and whether it has ratified the MLC 2006.
- The Commission decides by implementing act within 24 months of the request, or 36 months if major corrective measures are needed.
- Pending that decision, the Ministry may recognise the country unilaterally, and reports the number of endorsements issued.
- If no member state has endorsed that country's CoCs for more than eight years, the recognition is reviewed.
Once a country is recognised, holders apply to ΔΕΚΝ for an endorsement in the same way as EU holders.
WARNING — The Greek list was not confirmed Greece's list of recognised third countries sits on the Ministry and Coast Guard websites, which blocked automated reads for this course. Whether MCA, US or RMI CoCs are endorsable in Greece is unconfirmed. Ask ΔΕΚΝ before you sign.
The UK after Brexit
The EU recognised the UK system by Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1973. That decision was not re-read for this course, and how Greece applies it was not confirmed. The practical answer for most British yacht officers remains the same: foreign-flag yachts are governed by their flag, and Greek-flag service needs an endorsement you should confirm first.
Other personnel
Not everyone on board is a seafarer in a manning post. The manning decision (art. 2(6)) lets the owner or master hire "λοιπό προσωπικό" — other personnel serving passengers, such as stewards, chefs and hosts — as needed, over and above the scale.
- Foreign nationals may work in these roles if they hold a Greek residence and work permit, or are recruited from abroad under ΚΥΑ 4803/13/10η/2000.
- They are entered in the remarks pages of the crew list.
- On Greek- and EU-flag yachts with no manning obligation, crew and auxiliary staff are insured with e-ΕΦΚΑ, subject to the EU right to flag-state insurance (law 4926/2022 art. 11(1)(β)).
Officers on Greek-flag yachts
Those commanding the ship or running the engine room must hold an Α.Ν.Ι. (Greek certificate of competency) giving that right (manning decision art. 2(3)), or a recognised foreign one. No primary text read reserves these posts to Greek or EU nationals; a secondary registry guide mentions Greek-crew quotas for merchant ships, which were not verified for yachts.
CAUTION — Crew lists record nationality Non-EU crew on any yacht appear on the passenger and crew list with embarkation dates and ports, and on private yachts a separate list of non-EU employees is visaed at the first and last Greek port (law 4926/2022 art. 13). See L5.2.