Recognition and endorsement
Governing: S.L. 234.17 reg 9; STCW Reg. I/10; CYC 2025 17.2.1. Leads to: L1.2.
The principle
A Certificate of Competency is a promise by one administration that you are competent. When you serve under another flag, that flag has to decide whether it believes the promise. STCW Regulation I/10 gives it the mechanism: recognise the certificate, then endorse it so the recognition is on paper.
Malta writes this into regulation 9 of the Merchant Shipping (Training and Certification) Regulations, S.L. 234.17:
| Sub-regulation | What it does |
|---|---|
| 9(1) | Registrar-General may recognise an officer's CoC issued by another STCW Party, if satisfied the Convention's training, competence and record-keeping standards are met |
| 9(2) | Once recognised, the CoC is endorsed on payment of the prescribed fee |
| 9(3) | Other certificates from a Party may also be recognised |
| 9(4) | Certificates from a non-Party shall not be recognised |
| 9(5) | Recognition may be withdrawn or suspended |
Note the word may. Recognition is discretionary. It is not a right that comes with holding an STCW certificate.
Where yachts come in
The Commercial Yacht Code 2025 (5th ed. Rev 1, in force 1 July 2025 under MS Notice 194) adopts the same approach. Paragraph 17.2.1 says STCW qualifications are "generally accepted subject to Certificates of Competence being endorsed by the Maltese Administration" and sends you to MS Notice 92 for the procedure. The Transport Malta manning page adds two useful points: there is no nationality restriction on crew of Malta yachts, and non-STCW yacht certificates are considered case by case.
So the question for any officer joining a Malta commercial yacht is never "is my CoC good?" but "has Malta accepted my CoC, and does the paperwork prove it?"
Who needs one
- Officers holding a non-Maltese STCW CoC: Master, Chief Officer, OOW, Chief Engineer, Second Engineer. CY Notice 15 goes further (Lesson 3.3): an officer holding a foreign STCW CoC needs an endorsement even in a post the MSMC does not require.
- Not ratings. Deckhands, stewards and cooks need STCW VI/1 basic training, a medical and, on yachts of 500 GT and over, security awareness (CYC 17.2.4). They do not need endorsements.
- Non-STCW yacht certificates (Yachtmaster, IYT, TM Master on Yachts, AEC) are not endorsed at all. They are accepted either from the CYC 17.2.5 list or by written confirmation (Module 3).
CAUTION — Private yachts Everything in this course concerns yachts in commercial use under the CYC. The CYC excludes pleasure yachts not in commercial use (3.1.8). We found no Malta document setting crew certification for private superyachts. If your yacht switches between private and commercial use, plan for the commercial standard.
What an endorsement is not
It is not a new CoC. It does not raise your limits: an endorsement of a 500 GT ticket is still a 500 GT ticket. It lasts only as long as the underlying CoC, and it is revalidated every five years alongside it (MS Notice 92 Rev.2). If your home administration suspends your CoC, the endorsement goes with it.
TIP — Keep the chain intact Port state officers check the CoC, the endorsement and the medical as a set. Names, dates of birth and certificate numbers must match across all three. A passport renewal with a changed name spelling will cause more delays than any regulation.
For how the underlying certificates are gained, see the MCA, RMI, USCG, AMSA and SAMSA libraries. This course deals only with getting them accepted in Malta.