Maritime Captain by Free Appointment 2026: positions, level and requirements

Key data

The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility convenes, through the Resolution of 15 October 2026 from the Under-Secretariat, the provision of Maritime Captain positions in various Port Authorities distributed throughout Spanish geography. The system chosen is free appointment, which means that the Administration discretionarily evaluates the candidate's merits within the established requirements.

The deadline for submitting applications is 15 business days counted from publication in the BOE on 26 October 2026. Anyone who does not submit their application within that deadline is automatically excluded from the process.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution convenes the provision of Maritime Captain positions in port authorities throughout Spain through the free appointment system. Unlike merit-based competition, free appointment allows the Administration to select with greater discretion the candidate who best fits the position profile, although always within the minimum required requirements.

The port authorities with convened positions include, among others:

• A Coruña
• Algeciras
• Alicante
• Cádiz

The resolution mentions "various Port Authorities", so the complete list of destinations should be consulted in the full text published in the BOE-A-2026-22343.

The characteristics of the convened position are:

Economic and operational impact

The specific allowance of €18,196.78 annually is added to the base salary and seniority bonuses of the civil servant at level 28, group A1/A3. This allowance compensates for the special technical difficulty, responsibility and dedication of the position, which involves inspection and maritime safety functions in ports of strategic relevance for foreign trade and navigation safety.

From an operational perspective, filling these positions has a direct impact on the capacity of port authorities to exercise their functions of control, inspection and coordination of maritime safety. A vacant position in a high-traffic port authority such as Algeciras or Cádiz can generate bottlenecks in ship dispatch and control procedures.

For the candidate, accessing a level 28 position represents a significant salary and responsibility increase compared to lower-level positions within the same body.

Who does it affect?

• Civil servants from group A1 with qualifications in Naval Engineering or Bachelor's degree in Civil Maritime who are active and meet experience requirements.
• Civil servants from group A3 with the same qualifications and experience profile in maritime management and inspection.
• Port Authorities of A Coruña, Algeciras, Alicante, Cádiz and others included in the convocation, which need to fill these technical management positions.
• The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, as the convening body and responsible for the final resolution of free appointment.
• Port operators and shipping companies that depend on the operability of these port authorities for their dispatch and safety procedures.

Practical example

A civil servant from group A1 with a Naval Engineer qualification, currently assigned to a port authority at level 26, decides to apply for one of the positions convened at the Port Authority of Algeciras (level 28, specific allowance €18,196.78).

Their specific steps are:

1. Access the Funciona portal with their electronic certificate before the 15 business day deadline from 26/10/2026 expires.
2. Complete the application indicating the Algeciras position as preferred destination.
3. Attach documentation proving their experience in management, inspection and maritime safety, as well as their specific training in the sector.
4. The Administration discretionarily evaluates their application along with other applicants' and resolves the free appointment.

If selected, they move from level 26 to level 28 and incorporate the specific allowance of €18,196.78 to their annual remuneration, in addition to assuming management responsibilities in one of Spain's highest maritime traffic port authorities.

What should candidates do now?

1. Verify compliance with requirements: confirm that you belong to group A1/A3 and that you have qualifications in Naval Engineering or Bachelor's degree in Civil Maritime, as well as proven experience in management and maritime inspection and safety.
2. Calculate the exact deadline: the 15 business day deadline starts on 26/10/2026. Deduct national and local holidays to avoid missing the actual submission deadline.
3. Prepare merit documentation: gather certificates of training in the maritime sector, accreditations of experience in leadership and team management, and any specific merits related to inspection and maritime safety.
4. Access the Funciona portal with electronic certificate: preferred submission is electronic through the Funciona portal. Verify that the electronic certificate is valid before starting the procedure.
5. Consult the complete list of destinations: review the full text of the resolution in the BOE-A-2026-22343 to identify all port authorities with convened positions, not just those mentioned in the summary.
6. Prioritize destinations: in the application, order destinations by preference taking into account the port authority profile and realistic chances of allocation according to your own profile.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-22343