Find below the prefectoral decree of April 24, 2020, concerning the regulation of ships and maritime activities.
You have many questions about the application of the decree 54/2020, click on the link below to get the answers to these questions:
List of articles of the decree of April 24, 2020:
ARTICLE 1 This decree applies in the French internal and territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea as well as on the water bodies of lagoons and salt ponds on the public maritime domain until the end of the measures enacted by the Government to regulate travel.
ARTICLE 2 In order to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus and subject to the powers of the mayors by virtue of Article L.2213-23 of the General Code of Territorial Communities, nautical activities are prohibited. With regard to maritime navigation, and subject to the provisions laid down in Article 5 of this Order, only the navigation of the vessels listed below remains authorized:
commercial vessels providing logistical links;
Vessels providing a personnel transport service for the purpose of relieving the crews of commercial vessels (subject to compliance with the conditions set forth in Article 6 of this Order);
professional fishing vessels used within the framework of their fishing activity;
passenger vessels providing a regular service under the territorial continuity ;
professional vessels providing supplies to the islands of the French Mediterranean coast;
Pleasure boats of permanent residents, proving main residence on an island under Article 150 U of the General Tax Code, solely to ensure the provisioning of the home, for direct trips to the nearest mainland port;
cruise ships and non-scheduled passenger ships whose call is accepted by the port police authority ;
ships used for work on infrastructure and facilities at sea, for protection against coastal erosion or in ports;
Vessels participating in marine scientific research campaigns or campaigns of strategic interest, as well as monitoring campaigns authorized by the maritime authority or by the prefects of the coastal departments;
ships under repair in a shipyard as part of a convoy or sea trials;
professional ships providing a pilotage service;
ships providing bunkering services for the benefit of other ships.
These vessels are also authorized to anchor in compliance with the regulations in force. The masters of the vessels whose navigation remains authorized in accordance with the exclusions listed above and the operators of the shipyards must make a declaration (see document in Appendix 1), with 72 hours notice (working days) before their movement, to the following e-mail address: contact@premar-mediterranee.gouv.fr and keep a copy on board during navigation. If there is no response from the maritime authority within 72 hours (working days), the movement will be considered as authorized.
ARTICLE 3 For measures of public order, the organization of any nautical event at sea is also prohibited.
ARTICLE 4 Subject to the provisions set forth in Article 5 of this Order, any vessel flying a foreign flag is authorized to exercise its right of innocent passage in order to cross, in a continuous and rapid manner, the French territorial sea or to reach the high seas. With the exception of those belonging to the categories of vessels listed in Article 2, foreign vessels are not authorized to anchor or stop along the French coasts except for the exceptions provided for in Article 2 of Decree No. 85-185 of February 6, 1985 and in case of force majeure.
ARTICLE 5 French and foreign-flagged vessels subject to the prohibitions of the present Order are authorized to reach their home port on the French Mediterranean coast subject to having made a declaration, with 72 hours notice (working days) prior to their arrival, to the following e-mail address: contact@premar-mediterranee.gouv.fr. If no response is received from the maritime authority within 72 hours (working days), the movement will be considered as authorized.
ARTICLE 6 Crew relief at sea is authorized, for French and foreign commercial vessels, in the French internal and territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in compliance with the regulations in force, at the right of an entry point as defined in Art.