ADMINISTRATIVE RULING No. 111, ISSUANCE OF THE MARITIME MEDICAL CERTIFICATE

In the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 78, numeral 1 of the Decree with Rank, Value, and Force of the Organic Law of Aquatic Spaces, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 73, numerals 1 and 2, and 74, numerals 3, 4, and 5 ejusdem, in conjunction with Articles 283 of the Decree with Rank, Value, and Force of the Law of Marinas and Connected Activities, 4 of the Law for the Practice of Medicine, and 17 of the Organic Law of Administrative Procedures.

CONSIDERING

Whereas the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA), in the exercise of its role as the Aquatic Authority and Administration, must guarantee that Seafarers holding or applying for titles, certificates, licenses, and/or permits present to the Institute the Maritime Medical Certificate evidencing their physical and mental fitness to perform the duties inherent to their respective competencies on board vessels,

CONSIDERING

Whereas the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces maintains a registry of authorized physicians to conduct maritime medical examinations for Seafarers, in accordance with Regulation I/9, Section A-I/9 of the Approving Law of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended, and issues Maritime Medical Certificates pursuant to Article 283 of the Decree with Rank, Value, and Force of the Law of Marinas and Connected Activities,

CONSIDERING

Whereas the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces, through the Seafarers Management Directorate, utilizes a single official Maritime Medical Certificate form, which contains the data to be evaluated and recorded in the respective form by physicians authorized to perform maritime medical examinations for Seafarers, in accordance with Regulation I/9, Section A-I/9 of the Approving Law of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended,

CONSIDERING

Whereas the medical examination to ascertain the health status of Seafarers and the granting of the Maritime Medical Certificate is the responsibility of the Physician Authorized by the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces and/or an Internal Medicine physician from the National Public Health Network,

CONSIDERING

Whereas the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces must implement agile and simplified mechanisms in order to provide legal certainty to the administered parties and the administration, preventing delays in the procedures carried out by Seafarers.

DECIDES

HEREBY ISSUES THE GUIDELINES FOR THE GRANTING OF THE MARITIME MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND MARITIME MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS FOR SEAFARERS.

Article 1. The maritime medical examination to assess the health status of Seafarers and the granting of the Maritime Medical Certificate is the responsibility of the physician authorized by the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces and/or an Internal Medicine physician from the National Public Health Network.

Article 2. The examining physician must use the single official Maritime Medical Certificate form, which contains the data to be evaluated for Seafarers, in accordance with Regulation I/9, Section A-I/9 of the Approving Law of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended.

Article 3. The examining physician must record all data required therein on the single official Maritime Medical Certificate form established by the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces, without erasures or corrections; furthermore, they must legibly include their personal details, signature, and wet ink stamp.

If the medical examination is performed by an Internal Medicine physician from the National Public Health Network (exclusively for artisanal skippers), it must additionally bear the wet ink stamp of the health center.

Article 4. Seafarers requiring the issuance of their Maritime Medical Certificate must present their corresponding identification document to the authorized physician or internal medicine physician, as applicable, to verify their identity, and must hand over their previous medical certificate, if they possess one.

Article 5. The examining physician, after recording the personal data, examining the patient, and noting any observations, if applicable, must request the Seafarer to provide their signature and fingerprint before signing the Maritime Medical Certificate.

Article 6. Maritime medical certificates shall have a maximum validity period of two (2) years, except when the seafarer is under 18 years of age, in which case the maximum validity period shall be one (1) year.

In the event of an illness requiring monitoring, the treating physician shall determine the validity period.

Article 7. Seafarers must be vigilant that their Maritime Medical Certificate is issued on the single official form established by the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces, and they must verify that it is delivered to them with all the data contemplated in this form, without erasures or corrections.

Article 8. Seafarers (artisanal skippers) who require the issuance of their Maritime Medical Certificate and have it performed by an Internal Medicine physician from the National Public Health Network must hand over the physical copy of the single official form established by the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces to the respective physician; they must also present this Administrative Ruling for viewing so that the guidelines established for filling out the form are complied with.

Article 9. Seafarers shall not work on board a vessel unless they hold a valid Maritime Medical Certificate certifying their physical fitness to perform their duties.

Article 10. Seafarers who require lenses must have at least two (2) pairs on board.

Article 11. Physicians performing maritime medical examinations for Seafarers must possess the necessary qualifications, experience, and expertise, and must take into account the minimum physical fitness standards provided for in Section A-I/9 and Section B-I/9 of the Approving Law of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended.

Article 12. The authorized physician or Internal Medicine physician performing the maritime medical examination must be aware of and comply with the guidelines concerning Seafarers issued by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Article 13. In order to issue the Maritime Medical Certificate to Seafarers, the authorized physician or internal medicine physician must request a chest X-ray, audiometry, a “Perfil 20” blood test, and a urinalysis, as well as a report issued by a medical specialist, the latter only if required.

Article 14. For Seafarers aged 40 and older, the authorized physician or internal medicine physician must request a cardiovascular evaluation with its respective electrocardiogram, as well as a chest X-ray and an audiometry with its respective audiogram.

Article 15. Cardiovascular evaluations may be performed by the following medical specialists: cardiologists, internal medicine physicians, intensivists, or emergency physicians.

Article 16. The authorized physician or internal medicine physician performing the maritime medical examination must keep the following in mind:

The minimum uncorrected distance vision standard in both eyes must be 0.1.
The hearing capacity of seafarers should be at least an average of 30 dB (uncorrected) in the better ear and an average of 40 dB (uncorrected) in the other ear at frequencies of 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 Hz (approximately equivalent to speech hearing distances of 3 m and 2 m, respectively).
Color vision tests shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the international recommendations for color vision requirements for transport published by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE 143-2001, including all subsequent versions) or according to an equivalent testing method.

Article 17. The authorized physician or internal medicine physician performing the maritime medical examination must not have any professional dependence on shipping companies or lines.

Article 18. The facilities where the medical examinations are carried out must have the means and equipment necessary to perform the medical examination of seafarers.

Article 19. The single official Maritime Medical Certificate form to be used is the one published on the website of the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces: www.inea.gob.ve.

Article 20. Seafarers working outside the country may process their maritime medical certificate with non-Venezuelan physicians abroad who are authorized by their corresponding aquatic authority, complying with the following procedure:

The Venezuelan seafarer must contact the Seafarers Management Directorate via the email address provided for this purpose to report their employment status outside the country, and must submit the following for the review and verification of their legal status:
1. A copy of the Employment Certificate from the company where the Seafarer works outside the country.
2. A complete copy of the passport pages showing the immigration entry stamp of that country or, if this is not possible, a copy of an official and verifiable document that allows the immigration status to be verified.
Upon receiving said information, the Seafarers Management Directorate will contact the company to verify the validity of the employment certificate.
Once the data has been validated by the Seafarers Management Directorate, authorization will be sent by email to the Venezuelan seafarer to obtain the maritime medical certificate in the country where they are located.
The Venezuelan seafarer will proceed to process the maritime medical certificate and, once the document is obtained, will submit it via email to the Seafarers Management Directorate, attaching the information (email address and telephone number) of the physician who issued the maritime medical certificate and of the clinic, hospital, or doctor’s office where the medical examination was performed, in order to verify and validate the information.
The Seafarers Management Directorate will proceed to verify the information as follows:
1. It will contact the authorized physician to validate the issuance of the maritime medical certificate and/or the clinic, hospital, or doctor’s office, as applicable.
2. It will verify on the website of that country’s aquatic authority whether the physician is authorized to issue maritime medical certificates.
3. Once the above has been verified, if the results are positive, the user will be instructed by email to begin their process before SINEA; if negative, they will not be able to make any request using said maritime medical certificate.
Once the Venezuelan Seafarer receives the validation of the Maritime Medical Certificate and the authorization from the Seafarers Management Directorate to initiate the required procedure, they will proceed to make the request before the Aquatic Spaces Information System (SINEA), attaching the following as a single document in the maritime medical certificate section:
1. The Maritime Medical Certificate verified and approved by the Seafarers Management Directorate.
2. The Employment Certificate indicating that they are working outside the country.
3. A complete copy of the passport pages showing the immigration entry stamp of the country where the maritime medical certificate was conducted, so that these documents remain on record in the seafarer’s file.

Article 21. This Administrative Ruling repeals Administrative Ruling No. 032 dated June 17, 2021, and shall enter into force upon its notification.

Article 22. Notify the National Public Health Network and disseminate the content of this instrument by all available means.

Article 23. The General Directorate of Marine Affairs shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of this Administrative Ruling.

Let it be communicated.

GERMÁN EDOARDO GOMEZ LAREZ

Acting President of the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces

Appointed pursuant to Decree No. 4,852 dated August 28, 2023.
Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela No. 42,701 dated August 28, 2023.

Download PDF report in Spanish

ADMINISTRATIVE RULING No. 111, ISSUANCE OF THE MARITIME MEDICAL CERTIFICATE

BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA

MINISTERIO DEL PODER POPULAR PARA EL TRANSPORTE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AQUATIC SPACES