In accordance with Decree No. 2020-1454 of 27 November 2020 of the Ministry of Solidarity and Health prescribing the general measures necessary to deal with the outbreak of Covid-19 as part of the state of health emergency, the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean has taken a new decree number 238/2020 of 30 November 2020 online on the site of the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean.
Access to ports and the Mediterranean coast remains subject to local authorisations by the competent territorial authorities.
Pursuant to Prefectural Order 238/2020:
- Previously authorised activities (including all professional activities) remain authorised;
- Recreational and water-related activities are now permitted subject to compliance with government measures. There is no longer a specific attestation at sea: the attestation is the same as that used on land;
- Nautical events remain prohibited, unless their terms are compatible with the provisions of the aforementioned decree (in particular 6 persons maximum during rallies);
- Any vessel flying a foreign flag is authorized to cross, continuously and rapidly, the French territorial sea or to join the high seas. It is also authorized to reach its home port when it is located on the French coast of the Mediterranean or a shipyard subject to having a repair contract with it;
- Foreign vessels flying the flag outside the Schengen area are not allowed to anchor or stop along the French coasts unless exceptions are provided for in Article 2 of Decree No. 85-185 of 06 February 1985 and in cases of force majeure.
After several weeks of inactivity for crews and boaters, and thus a period without checking and routine maintenance of the equipment, the maritime prefecture recommends to proceed before any sea trip to:
- Checking for physical fitness.
- checking the general condition of the vessel (engine, sails, anchorage, etc.);
- compliance and condition of mandatory security equipment;
- control of the ability to manoeuvre;
- verification of the reception conditions of the port of destination.
Finally, the maritime prefecture recalls that it is essential to have a means of communication with battery charged to reach the CROSS Med if necessary (196 from any phone or channel 16 by VHF).
