The International Diving Regulators and Certifiers Forum (IDRCF) no longer accepts French diving certificates issued after 14 June 2024. As a member of the IDRCF, Havtil will therefore no longer recognise French diving certificates at Norwegian onshore facilities and on the Norwegian shelf until the French authorities go back to fulfilling the requirements for mutual recognition of diving certificates.
The decision is based on the fact that France no longer fulfils the criteria for mutual international recognition of diving certificates. Furthermore, the database of all previously issued French diving certificates is unavailable. This makes it impossible to verify the authenticity of French diving certificates issued before 14 June 2024 as well.
Divers with French certificates who have previously been verified by a Norwegian employer are still permitted to work as divers at Norwegian onshore facilities and on the Norwegian shelf subject to Havtil's jurisdiction.
Divers with French certificates who wish for further training (diving supervisor and/or saturation diving) cannot be granted this until it is possible to verify French certificates again.
The IDRCF is in dialogue with the French authorities and will make a new statement if and when the requirements are met.
Havtil has asked the operators to forward this information to their diving service providers on the Norwegian shelf.