The International Certificate of Competency, commonly referred to as “ICC” is a certificate of competency, not necessarily a “course”. The ICC is a certificate confirming that an individual is competent to the level required to meet the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Inland Water Committee (UNECE IWC) Resolution 40.
IT IS WISE TO HOLD BOTH FLOTILLA SKIPPER (OR HIGHER) & THE ICC
In the past, if you were chartering in Europe, an International Certificate of Competency (ICC) may have been sufficient proof of your ability to safely operate a boat.
However, it has recently been brought to our attention that a number of European charter companies and insurance companies will not accept an ICC as sufficient proof to command a yacht for a one week bareboat charter (power or sail). These companies are insisting that the charterer should hold an IYT International Flotilla Skipper or IYT International Bareboat Skipper, power or sail (or equivalent qualification that is on their “approved” list).
The charter companies and insurance companies do not have a comfort level handing over an expensive yacht to someone who they feel is not sufficiently qualified to command it for a weeks duration.
Some customers have had their charters cancelled because they have only held an ICC.
However, some charter companies in Greece are rejecting the IYT International Flotilla and/or Bareboat Skipper as it notes the restriction of “daylight hours”. This restriction is applied as charter companies do not allow their boats to be operated after sundown. Chartered boats are expected to be at dock or anchored by sundown.
The charter companies’ response has been to insist on an ICC which does not state this restriction. So, bottom line, we recommend holding both Flotilla Skipper or higher as well as the ICC to avoid any issues when chartering.
It is imperative that you check with your charter company in advance of your charter to make sure that you hold the required qualifications.
The ICC is required for operators of most vessels on both inland and coastal waters in a large part of the European Union.
- Candidates who successfully complete the International Flotilla or Bareboat Skipper course may be automatically awarded the 24M ICC provided the course was taken with a partner school approved to offer the 24M ICC.
- Candidates who successfully complete the Small Powerboat & RIB Master – MCA Recognised course may be automatically awarded the 10M ICC. Schools that offer the Small Powerboat & RIB Master – MCA Recognised course will also be approved for the 10M ICC Certification so there will be no issue regarding the partner school chosen for the “RIB” course.
WHO MAY OBTAIN AN ICC
IYT Worldwide has had approval from the M.C.A. (Maritime and Coastguard Agency of Great Britain) for many years to issue ICCs to United Kingdom passport holders and persons of other nationalities provided they are eligible under Resolution 40. See below. The school must be approved by IYT Worldwide to instruct the ICC course. The applicant must:
- be 16 years of age or older.
- be physically and mentally fit to operate a pleasure craft, and in particular, must have sufficient powers of vision and hearing.
- have successfully passed a written and practical examination or prove the necessary competence for pleasure craft operation by holding an acceptable IYT Worldwide certificate.
WHO MAY RECEIVE AN ICC BASED ON RESOLUTION 40
In accordance with UNECE Resolution 40 (Revision 4), citizens and residents of countries (listed below), that are signatories to Resolution 40, will be obliged to obtain an ICC from their own national issuing authority and not from IYT (with the exception of the United Kingdom and Latvia, see below). The only exception for IYT to issue ICCs to citizens of these countries, is if the applicant can provide proof of residency* in a country not on this list. For example: an Austrian National living in Spain or Greece that can provide “proof of residency” in Spain or Greece would be allowed to receive an ICC from IYT.
*Proof of residency (examples) Utility bill (electric or gas), Property tax bill, Telephone bill, Insurance bill, IYT can issue ICCs to any other country’s citizens that are not listed below.
As of June 2023 the following countries have adopted resolution 40.
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Latvia**
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- South Africa
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom***
**The government of Latvia has given written permission for IYT to issue ICCs to their own nationals and residents.
*** IYT has been authorised to issue ICC’s to United Kingdom Nationals for the past 16 years which are issued on behalf of the British Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). Reference: UNECE Resolution 40 document https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/doc/2015/sc3wp3/Guidelines_to_Resolution_No._40_e.pdf