Pilotage

Compulsory Pilotage

Some groups of vessels are subject to compulsory pilotage when sailing in and out of Faroese harbours. This means that the vessel can only sail in or out of a Faroese harbour with a pilot if the officer in charge of the navigational watch has a pilot exemption certificate.

These vessels are subject to compulsory pilotage:

1. Vessels of 500 GT or more
2. Oil-, gas- and chemical tankers irrespective of size
3. Vessels, irrespective of size, that carry dangerous good according to the IMDG-kode
4. Vessels that carry:
   • unclean cargo tanks not secured by inert air,
   • more than 1.000 tonnes of bunker oil on board, or
   • highly radioactive substances

These vessels are exempt from compulsory pilotage:

• Faroese fishing vessels
• Faroese merchant vessels less than 100 metres
• Vessels that are used for fisheries inspection in Faroese waters,
• Military vessels,
• State vessels,
• Vessels belonging to Strandfaraskip Landsins (the national transport company), and
• vessels on which the officer in charge of the navigational watch has a pilot exemption certificate.

Navigational officers who have sailed the vessel three times into the harbour in question in the last year or have ample experience are eligible to apply for a pilot exemption certificate. Read about the requirements for pilot exemption certificate here.

The municipalities are required to ensure that vessels that are subject to compulsory pilotage and vessels that request pilotage are piloted into Faroese harbours. The municipalities must also ensure that persons with a valid pilot certificate are available. Read more about the requirements for pilot certificate here.

[1] Merchant vessels on the list below are subject to compulsory pilotage even if they are Faroese and less than 100 m..:

1. Oil-, gas- and chemical tankers irrespective of size
2. Vessels, irrespective of size, that carry dangerous good according to the IMDG-kode
3. Vessels that carry:
   1. unclean cargo tanks not secured by inert air,
   2. more than 1.000 tonnes of bunker oil on board, or
   3. highly radioactive substances