From 1 January 2027, recreational boaters will be able to use the Kiel Canal free of charge. This means that the approximately 10,000 pleasure craft that use the canal each year will, in future, save between 12 and 43 euros per passage, depending on the length of the boat. This is intended to relieve the administration of a procedure whose costs have now become significantly greater than the revenue it generates.
“We want to cut red tape where it brings no added value to people,” said Federal Minister of Transport Steffen Bilger regarding the measure, the underlying regulation for which comes into force today and contains seven further simplifications designed to reduce the administrative burden and thereby ease the strain on the maritime industry.
A significant simplification concerns the manning of ships flying the German flag. In future, it will be possible in certain cases to deviate from the previous requirement that captains and officers must be EU citizens only. This will allow qualified seafarers from third countries to be employed as well. The condition is that they must have been trained in the European Union or that the shipowner creates additional training or entry-level positions on their ships.
“Our maritime industry needs skilled workers. That is why we must remove unnecessary barriers whilst ensuring that more people can enter the maritime sector. The new rules combine both objectives: they give shipping companies greater flexibility in manning their vessels, whilst at the same time creating additional opportunities for training and career entry. In this way, we are strengthening Germany as a business location and securing a skilled workforce for the future,” said the Minister.
Lasse Johannsen
Deputy Editor in Chief YACHT
