Certificate of Proficiency ship's cook

If the crew on the crewlist consists of more than nine persons, it is mandatory to have a ship's cook on board. A ship's cook must be in possession of a certificate of proficiency ship's cook. This regulation follows from the Maritime Labour Convention (MAV) and is included in the new Seafarers Act. This certificate of proficiency is issued by Kiwa Register.

What do I need?

An application for a certificate of proficiency ship's cook can only be submitted via the application portal of Kiwa Register. In the portal, you can also view the status of your request:

• This portal does not work on mobile devices, so use a PC or laptop;
• Already have an account? Then go to Portal.kiwaregister.nl;
• Do you not yet have an account and are you registered in a Dutch municipality?
  • Private Dutch citizen: Read here how to create an account;
  • Company: As a company you can log in via eHerkenning. Read here how to request this and how to log in to the portal;
• Don't have an account yet and live abroad?
  • Request a Kiwa-ID by sending an e-mail to NL.Scheepvaart@kiwa.com.

During the application in the portal, you'll have to upload several of supporting documents. It is useful to have these available before you start the application:

Delivery

Within 7 to 9 business days after your application is complete and paid, your certificate of proficiency will be sent.

Validity

A certificate of proficiency ship's cook has no end date.

Costs

The rate for the certificate of proficiency ship's cook is legally determined by the Dutch government in the Regeling tarieven transportsectoren (Dutch) and includes 21% VAT. A certificate of proficiency ship's cook costs € 171,82.

Payment

You can pay directly online via iDEAL and credit card (MasterCard or VISA). You can also pay via bank transfer, after receiving your invoice. An application will always only be processed when it is complete and paid.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can find more information via the Frequently Asked Questions.