MT-END-L1.3

RMI, SAMSA and Cayman Holders: Working the Gaps

MT-END-M1 · Recognition: The Legal Gate · MT-END-M1-A What a Malta endorsement is, which administrations Malta recognises, and what to do when yours is not listed.

Holding a CoC from an administration Malta has not listed does not have to end the job offer, but it does change the timetable. **Written contact with the Yachts Section comes first.**

Unlisted administrations

Governing: CY Notice 15 (24 Apr 2026); CYC 2025 17.2.5 item 15. Builds on: L1.2.

The problem stated plainly

Yacht crew are often certified by flags that grew up around yachting. The Marshall Islands, South Africa (SAMSA) and the Cayman Islands all appear in crew CVs, and none of them appears on the DONA list of administrations Malta recognises (Lesson 1.2). Transport Malta has published no specific procedure for these CoCs. This lesson sets out what the published documents do say and what a sensible captain does with that.

What the documents say

  • S.L. 234.17 reg 9(1): recognition is discretionary and depends on the Registrar-General being satisfied about the issuing administration.
  • CY Notice 15, Note 1: check the list first.
  • CYC 2025 17.2.5 item 15: STCW qualifications are accepted subject to endorsement; "other non-STCW/equivalent qualifications may be accepted by the Administration", with the Yachts Section to be contacted.
  • Vassallo Associates (law firm, secondary): a CoC from a non-recognised country "will not be accepted for officer roles" and written confirmation is needed before going further.

None of these sources promises acceptance. None of them rules it out completely either.

Working options

Option When it works Watch for
Ask the Yachts Section in writing Always the first step Allow time; there is no published turnaround
Use a second CoC from a listed administration Crew often hold an MCA or EU CoC as well The endorsement follows that CoC's limits
Use a CYC 17.2.5 qualification Smaller yachts within the listed limits (Lesson 3.2) Written acceptance is still required
Obtain a TM CoC Long-term Malta careers Requires TM courses, exams and orals; see the Malta exam-prep courses
Re-plan the manning The officer serves in a post the MSMC does not require CY Notice 15 still expects any officer with a foreign STCW CoC to be endorsed

WARNING — Do not lean on the three-month allowance The three months in MS Notice 92 Rev.2 depend on "the initial application" having been submitted. For a CoC from an administration Malta does not recognise, there may be nothing it can accept. Sailing on an acknowledgement that should not have been issued, or was never issued, leaves the Master exposed at the next port state inspection.

A note on Cayman

Cayman is a Red Ensign administration. Many crew carry a Cayman endorsement of a UK CoC rather than a Cayman-issued CoC. In that case it is the UK CoC that Malta endorses, and the Cayman paper is irrelevant. Where the certificate really was issued by Cayman, treat it as unlisted. See Red Ensign Flag Endorsements for Yacht Crew for the Red Ensign side of this.

TIP — Write the email properly Give the yacht's name, official number, GT, navigation notation and the post. Attach the CoC, the GMDSS certificate, the medical and the passport. Ask a closed question: "Will the Administration accept this CoC for the post of Chief Officer on this yacht, and on what conditions?" A vague email gets a vague answer.

Cross-refer: RMI Endorsements for Yacht Crew, RMI 350 GT Master / 500 GT Mate, and the SAMSA library for what those CoCs actually cover.

Practice questions

5 questions

recall · core

Which email address does CY Notice 15 give for written confirmations? (a) mrcsmalta@transport.gov.mt (b) certification.applications@transport.gov.mt (c) info.tm@transport.gov.mt (d) yachtsmalta.tm@transport.gov.mt

recall · core

Why is S.L. 234.17 reg 9(4) not the reason an RMI CoC falls outside the normal route? (a) Reg 9(4) was revoked in 2021 (b) Reg 9(4) applies only to engineers (c) RMI is not an STCW Party (d) RMI is an STCW Party; the issue is that it is not on Malta's recognised list

recall · core

A South African Master (Yachts) holder also has an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore with commercial endorsement. On a 180 GT yacht operating within 150 nm, which qualification gives the most straightforward route? (a) The SAMSA CoC, via the Seafarer Portal (b) The SAMSA CoC, via the 3-month acknowledgement (c) Neither; only a TM CoC is valid (d) The Yachtmaster, which CYC 17.2.5 accepts for Master up to 200 GT and 150 nm

recall · core

What does the secondary Vassallo commentary say about CoCs from non-recognised countries? (a) They are converted to TM CoCs without exams (b) They will not be accepted for officer roles, and Directorate confirmation is needed before proceeding (c) They may be used on private yachts only (d) They are endorsed automatically after 3 months

scenario · core

Your new Chief Officer holds only an RMI Chief Mate (Yachts) CoC. The yacht is Malta-flag, 480 GT, commercial, sailing in ten days. What is the sensible first action? (a) Submit a Seafarer Portal application and sail on the acknowledgement (b) Email the Yachts Section with the CoC and ask in writing whether and how it can be accepted, and plan a fallback officer (c) Sign him on as a deckhand and let him keep the watch (d) Get the RMI CoC endorsed by Cayman first

Independent study. xplor is not affiliated with Transport Malta and awards no certificate, endorsement or Certificate of Competency. Endorsements and written acceptances are issued only by the Merchant Shipping Directorate on application, and nothing in this course guarantees that any certificate will be accepted. AI-drafted content pending subject-matter-expert review.