Leistungen A-Z

• Online procedure possible: yes
• Written form required: yes
• Personal appearance required: no

• Application for authorisation to guard seagoing vessels in accordance with § 31 GewO
• Form for uploading the signed application form and subsequently uploading documents

You must apply for approval from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) whenever you want to offer armed services with the aim of countering pirates on seagoing vessels flying the German flag or if your company is based in Germany.

Before the BAFA grants approval, it checks together with the Federal Police whether your company meets the approval criteria. They must then ensure themselves that the security guards deployed meet the requirements placed on them in terms of reliability, suitability and expertise.

Your security company must meet certain requirements in order for it to be approved. The following are tested:

• the operational organisation and procedures,
• the equipment,
• the professional and personal suitability and reliability of the persons employed and the management, and
• business liability insurance.

• Documentation of the operational organization
• Process manual for the procedures
• Service instructions
• List of equipment used by the security company
• Documents proving the reliability, suitability and expertise of the person responsible in the company, including the certificate of good conduct or an equivalent foreign document in german or, if applicable, in certified translation
• Proof of liability insurance
• Company profile with a description of the security company's market position in the field of maritime security
• Excerpt from the commercial register or a comparable foreign document
• if applicable, export, import or transit permits for weapons and equipment subject to authorisation

With the exception of the certificate of good conduct, all documents can also be submitted in English. However, the Federal Office reserves the right to request translations for individual documents.

• Initial application: EUR 10,297 – 19,400
• Fee for follow-up application: EUR 2,949 – 10,632
• Fee for recognition of a foreign authorisation: EUR 2,949 – 17,960

You can apply for permission to guard seagoing vessels at the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control.

• the form is available online
• then print the application form and upload it with the signature of the person responsible via the upload form
• please attach the necessary application documents in pdf format to the application form
• You can speed up the processing of your application by uploading the completed self-assessment form in pdf format
• the BAFA and the Federal Police examine the operational organisation and procedures in the company, the equipment, the requirements for the executive employee designated as the person responsible the business liability insurance
• if necessary, the BAFA requests documents

BAFA will then inform you in writing whether your application has been granted.

• You should submit the application about 6 months before the planned start of a security activity.
• Validity of the authorisation: 2 years

Federal Office of Economics and Export Control

Federal Office of Economics and Export Control
Unit 224 – Cooperation with investigative and supervisory authorities, authorisation of private security services for the protection of seagoing vessels
Frankfurter Str. 29 – 35
65760 Eschborn, Germany

Phone: 06196 908-2827
fax: 06196 908-1800
E-mail: pbs@bafa.bund.de

Reachability
Monday to Thursday: 08:30 am – 04:00 pm
Friday: 08:30 am – 03:00 pm

• Industrial Code (GewO)
• Seagoing Vessel Guarding Ordinance (SeeBewachV)
• Seagoing Vessel Guarding Implementation Ordinance (SeeBewachDV)
• (Seeschiffbewachungsgebührenverordnung (SeeBewachGebV)

In addition to the approval, you need a weapons permit in accordance with § 28a Weapons Act for the armed guarding of seagoing vessels under the German flag. This is granted by the Ministry of the Interior and Sport – Weapons Authority – of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

If your security company is established in Germany and you want to carry out guarding tasks with weapons on seagoing vessels under other flags, a weapons permit from your local weapons authority may be required.

If you would like to export weapons and equipment subject to authorisation from Germany in order to carry out your guarding activities, you must apply for an export licence from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control.

Please note the information and further links on the website of the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control.

• Federal Office of Economics and Export Control: Maritime vessel guarding

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy