Covid, where and how to sail in the Mediterranean: the rules, country by country

Once again this summer, we sailors find ourselves forced to balance our desire to sail, to enjoy the sea, to go free on a cruise or charter, and the actuality of a global Covid pandemic with its undeniable aftermath that imposes limitations on our travels both at home and abroad.

As much as the situation with respect to numbers of contagions and regulations is constantly evolving in ours as well as in other countries bordering the Mediterranean, we still want to offer you an outline on how to navigate our boating vacations, with an invitation for everyone to inform themselves well before leaving for a specific destination, to consciously assess the situation and to put their health before all other needs. A good website where to stay constantly updated for entry into various countries is https://reopen.europa.eu/it.

ITALY

No travel and travel restrictions are currently in place in Italy, since as of today (July 17) all regions are in the white zone. Should a region return to the yellow, orange or red zone these are the rules currently in effect:

– It is possible to move freely between regions in the yellow zone;

– Between regions in red or orange zone (currently no region is in the red or orange zone), in addition to the normally permitted travel for work, health or necessity reasons, one will be able to move with the “Green Pass,” which consists of certification of completion of the vaccination cycle in the previous 6 months issued by the health facility, recovery from Covid in the previous 6 months (certificate of recovery is valid) or negative result of a molecular or antigenic test, in this case valid 48 hours after execution.

Green Passes issued by other European Union member states will also be considered valid, while those from third states will be valid only if the vaccination carried out is recognized by the Italian state. These requirements also apply to minors: children under 2 years of age are excluded.

CROATIA

At present, persons holding the EU digital Covid certificate without being subject to testing or quarantine can enter Croatia provided their certificate contains proof of vaccination. The accepted vaccines are: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Gamaleya.

Those who do not yet hold an EU digital Covid certificate will be admitted if they have one of the following certificates:

• Evidence of vaccination;
• Proof of recovery from Covid, valid 180 days (at least 11 days after a positive Covid test result);
• Negative result on a Covid test. Both PCR and Rapid Antigen test (RAT) are accepted. Validity: PCR test results should not exceed 72 hours, RAT test results should not exceed 48 hours.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from the requirement to submit a negative PCR test result and self-isolate if their parents/guardians have a valid EU digital Covid certificate or a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result or certificate of vaccination or recovery from Covid.

In the absence of a valid certificate, travelers will be required to perform a PCR or rapid antigen test upon arrival in Croatia at their own expense, with an obligation to remain in self-isolation until they receive a negative result. If the test cannot be performed, a 10-day quarantine is imposed.

GREECE

Regardless of nationality and mode of entry into Greece all travelers (including minors who have already turned 12 years old) must:

– Fill out the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) online no later than the day before arrival in Greece, with which they must provide information on where they are from, length of previous stays in other countries, and the address of their stay in Greece.

– Submit Covid-EU Digital Certification or:

1. (a) Vaccination certificate stating that the vaccination cycle has been completed for at least 14 days;
2. (b) Negative PCR test performed in the 72 hours before entry into Greece;
3. (c) Rapid antigenic test performed within 48 hours before entry into Greece;
4. (d) A certificate of cure issued following a PCR test or by rapid antigenic test.

All certificates may be in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, or Greek and must include the person’s name as given in an identity document. Some tests may be performed at random when entering the country from the Greek side. If selected, you must take the test. After the test, one must remain in voluntary isolation in the boat for 24 hours. If no one contacts you within 24 hours, the test result is considered negative and you can continue your cruise without worry.

FRANCE

France accepts “EU digital Covid certificates,” and Green holders can enter the country without being subject to further restrictions (testing or quarantine) as long as their certificate contains:

• Proof of vacc ination The following vaccines are accepted: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson (Janssen).
• Negative result on a Covid test. Both PCR and antigenic tests are accepted. Validity: 72 hours (before ‘arrival) for PCR and 48 hours for antigenic tests.

For entry without an EU digital Covid certificate or with a certificate that does not meet national requirements, France adopts its own national classification of risk areas. Travelers from the EU+ area may enter without being subject to additional testing or isolation requirements if they present:

• Valid vaccination certificate;
• A negative pre-departure Covid test performed within 72 hours (for PCR test) or 48 hours (for antigenic test) before arrival. Children under the age of 11 are exempt.

Specific rules are instead established for those coming from French overseas territories-French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and the Wallis and Futuna Islands.

MONTENEGRO

As of July 1, 2020, Montenegro has arranged to reopen its borders with all European Union countries. Entry into the country is allowed without special conditions (there is no requirement to submit a test or even to prove vaccination) if coming from the following countries: Serbia, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, North Macedonia, all European Union member states, Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Norway and Kazakhstan.

If you are from all other countries, you are allowed to enter Montenegro only:

– with a negative PCR (SARS-CoV-2) test result no older than 72 hours, or a rapid antigen test performed no earlier than 48 hours prior to entry into the country;

– With a positive IgG test result no older than 30 days, or

– with a certificate attesting to the administration of the second dose of Anticovid vaccine as a minimum 7 days prior to entry.

The test submission requirement does not apply to children up to 5 years of age.

If the above conditions are not met, a self-isolation quarantine period of 14 days will be ordered upon entry into Montenegro.

SLOVENIA

In general, to simplify travel to Slovenia, the country’s police have set up the free “Entering Slovenia” app. At present, persons holding the following certificates may enter Slovenia:

• EU digital Covid certificate in digital or paper format, with QR code, which contains data on the negative PCR or HAG test result, a certificate of vaccination, a certificate of cure, or a certificate of vaccination for those who are cured;
• Evidence of vaccination;
• Proof of cure valid 180 days (at least 11 days after a positive Covid test result);
• Negative result on a Covid test. Both PCR and Rapid Antigen test (RAT) are accepted. Validity: PCR test results should not exceed 72 hours, RAT test results should not exceed 48 hours.

A person who fails to turn in any of the above certificates will be quarantined at home for 10 days. If he or she is an alien who does not reside in Slovenia, he or she is not allowed to enter Slovenia and will be placed in home quarantine for 10 days only if he or she proves beyond doubt that he or she has an intended place to stay during the quarantine period, otherwise he or she is not allowed to enter Slovenia.

SPAIN

To enter Spain, travelers with an EU digital Covid certificate will get a “Fast Control QR Code” after filling out the Health Check Form before departure (also available in the “Spain Travel Health” app). EU digital Covid certificate holders can enter Spain without being subject to testing or quarantine provided their certificate contains:

• Certificate of vaccination, valid from 14 days after the administration of the second dose of vaccine (or single dose, for single dose vaccines).
• Certificate of recovery from Covid. Validity: Between 11 and 180 days from the first positive result.
• Negative result on a Covid test.

Travelers without an EU digital Covid certificate arriving by air, sea or land must have one of these three requirements:

• Certificate of vaccination issued by the competent authorities or medical service. The certificate is valid from 14 days after the date of administration of the last dose of the full vaccination schedule.
• Certificate of recovery from Covid issued by the relevant authorities or medical service.
• – A negative PCR or PCR test (NAAT type) or a negative antigen test of those included in the European Commission ‘s common list, issued within 48 hours before arrival in Spain.

All these certificates must be provided in Spanish, English, French or German.

TURKEY

Starting June 1, 2021, one can enter Turkey from Italy by showing the certificate of vaccination carried out at least 14 days before departure, or by showing certificate of recovery from Covid in the previous 6 months.

Those who are not vaccinated can still enter Turkey by performing a molecular PCR test in the 72 hours before departure or a rapid antigen test in the 48 hours before departure.

Turkish authorities have also introduced a requirement to acquire a tracking code called the “HES Code” in order to be able to perform a range of activities, such as boarding public transportation, making domestic flights, entering shopping malls and bars or restaurants. Obtaining the code is mandatory for all foreigners arriving in Turkey, so a special Form must be filled out within 72 hours of departure.

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