#2026-440France Updates Maritime Pilotage and Port Police Rules
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This decree makes targeted updates to France’s maritime pilotage and port rules. It shifts some wording from “port police authority” to “port authority,” allows local pilotage station rules to set exceptions to age and navigation conditions, and clarifies what must be covered in local pilotage regulations. The practical impact is mainly for maritime pilots, pilotage stations, port authorities, regional prefects, and shipping operators using French ports. Local rules will play a stronger role in defining compulsory pilotage areas, staffing, tariffs, pilotage fees, required service assets, and certain exemptions.
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Key Changes
- Replaces certain references to the port police authority with the port authority.
- Allows local pilotage station rules to provide exceptions to age limits and navigation conditions under defined procedures.
- Clarifies that local regulations set compulsory and optional pilotage zones, pilot staffing, tariffs, pilotage compensation, required service assets, and related payments.
Obligations
What this law requires
For each maritime pilotage station, the regional prefect must establish the local pilotage regulation after obtaining the opinion of the commercial assembly referred to in Article R. 5341-48.
Local pilotage regulations must determine the boundaries of the area where pilotage is compulsory for each station.
Local pilotage regulations must determine the boundaries of the competence area where pilotage is optional for each station.
Local pilotage regulations must specify the knowledge area included in the pilotage competition programme for each station.
Local pilotage regulations must determine the number of pilots assigned to each pilotage station.