Serving before the paper arrives
Governing: MS Notice 92 Rev.2; STCW Reg. I/10; CYC 2025 17.9.5. Builds on: L2.1–L2.2.
The rule
MS Notice 92 Rev.2 states: an officer "may be accepted to serve on board Maltese ships without an Endorsement certificate for a maximum period of three months, provided that the initial application has been submitted to the Directorate." This mirrors STCW Regulation I/10, which lets a flag allow up to three months' service on documentary proof that an endorsement has been applied for.
Two words carry the weight: maximum and submitted. Three months is the ceiling, not the norm. And without a submitted application, there is nothing to rely on.
The acknowledgement
The Seafarer Portal produces a printable acknowledgement of application. MS Notice 92 Rev.2 is precise about what it is: it "shall serve as proof of application" but "shall not replace the Endorsement certificate". Law firms sometimes call it a CRA (certificate of receipt of application). The name does not matter; its limits do.
| The acknowledgement does | The acknowledgement does not |
|---|---|
| Prove an application exists | Prove the application will succeed |
| Let the officer serve for up to 3 months | Extend beyond 3 months |
| Count for a Crew Authorisation Attestation (CYC 17.9.5) | Cure a CoC from an administration Malta does not recognise |
| Go in the certificate file for port state control | Replace the original CoC, which must still be on board |
When does the clock start?
The notice ties the period to the application having been submitted, but does not say whether three months run from submission or from the date the officer starts serving. The cautious reading, and the one to plan on, is from submission. If there is a gap between applying and joining, part of the allowance has already gone.
Worked example: application submitted 20 May, officer joins 1 June. Counting from submission, the allowance ends around 20 August. Counting from joining, around 1 September. Plan crew changes to the earlier date.
WARNING — Delays on TM's side are still your problem If the endorsement is late because TM asked for a document and you missed the 15-day window, the application was abandoned. You may have no valid acknowledgement at all. Check the application status on the Portal every week, not the week before the three months run out.
Using it well
- Apply before joining. The management company can file as soon as the contract is signed.
- Print and file the acknowledgement with the CoC in the ship's certificate folder.
- Diary the three-month date on the crew matrix beside CoC, GOC and medical expiry.
- Chase at six weeks. If nothing has moved, email TM quoting the application number.
TIP — Charter licences Some Mediterranean port authorities want a Crew Authorisation Attestation before issuing a charter licence (CYC 17.9). CYC 17.9.5 accepts a valid acknowledgement where the endorsement is in process, so an officer on an acknowledgement does not block the charter, provided it is within its three months.
The same idea exists for the Red Ensign and RMI registers; compare RMI Endorsements for Yacht Crew and Red Ensign Flag Endorsements for Yacht Crew.