The General Directorate of Merchant Marine calls for port pilot aptitude tests for 2026.
The General Directorate of Merchant Marine has announced the general knowledge tests required to obtain the professional qualification of port pilot, opening the application submission window for captains interested in the Canary Islands as well as the rest of the national territory. The call has been issued following its publication in the Official State Gazette on 6 August 2026.
Applicants have one month to submit their applications, from 7 August to 7 September 2026. Applications, addressed to the Director General of the Merchant Marine, may be processed at the Maritime Captaincies of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, as well as in the maritime districts of Arrecife, Puerto del Rosario, Santa Cruz de La Palma, San Sebastián de La Gomera and Valverde. To be admitted, candidates must attach a photocopy of the professional card of Merchant Marine Captain, proof that they have held command on vessels over 1,000 GT for at least 730 days within the last ten years, and the receipt for the exam fee, amounting to 46.68 euros.
At the end of the registration period, on 8 September 2026, the Maritime Administration will publish the provisional list of admitted and excluded candidates at the Maritime Captaincies and on the official notice boards. A ten-day period of natural days will be granted for error corrections, after which the definitive list will be published together with the exact calendar, classroom and venue for the first test in Madrid.
The in-person examinations for the first theoretical phase — focused on command of the English language and on national and international nautical legislation — will take place in Madrid throughout October 2026. Provisional results will be published within a maximum of seven days after each of the tests. Professionals who pass this general phase will keep recognition of the test for four years, during which time they may apply for the specific calls published for ports in the Canary Islands or the Peninsula.
The entry Qualify as a Port Pilot in 2026: Deadlines and Requirements to Apply in the Canary Islands was first published on canarymaritime.com.
