Improvement of the procedure for issuing service records to seafarers: it is now possible to send documents by mail

The Ministry of Communities, Territorial Development and Infrastructure of Ukraine has announced a simplification of the procedure for issuing seafarers' service records. Seafarers can now apply for this important document and receive it by mail. This initiative is aimed at facilitating the receipt of service records and combating the possibility of speculation regarding these documents.

The seafarer's service record book is one of the key documents used by seafarers to confirm their seniority and ranks. It contains information about the seafarer's length of service on board a vessel.

Previously, a seafarer's record book could only be obtained in person, but now this process has become more convenient due to the possibility of sending documents for a seafarer's record book and receiving it by mail.

To obtain the LCS, you need to pay UAH 245.28 for the form and collect a package of documents, including an application for the issuance of the book, copies of your passport, seafarer's identity card (if any), diploma or certificate confirming qualifications, two 3×4 cm photographs, a receipt for payment for the form and a letter of guarantee for payment for delivery services.

The documents should be sent to the Shipping Administration at 14 Beresteysky Avenue, Kyiv, 01135. After the application is processed, the seafarer receives the service record book at the address specified in the letter of guarantee, and the entire process usually takes up to 10 days.

It is also worth noting that the new service books have more pages, which allows them to serve longer, and the standards for entering information about a seafarer's work experience on ships have been simplified in line with international standards. At the same time, seafarers who have the old version of their service record book can continue to use it.

According to the Ministry of Community Development, Territorial Communities and Infrastructure, since the launch of this service, more than 2,600 seafarers have applied to the Shipping Administration to confirm their seniority and obtain qualification documents. In addition, more than 800 seafarers have signed up for a qualification exam through the Diia system.