SAS-ISM Agreement Extension 2026: What Changes for Sailors in Andalusia

Key data

Sailors residing in Andalusia who need to obtain or renew their maritime fitness certificate maintain a more streamlined process thanks to the extension of the agreement between the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) and the Social Institute of the Navy (ISM). The Resolution of May 11, 2026 of the General Technical Secretariat, published on May 16, 2026, formalizes the addendum extending the agreement that regulates access to electronic medical records for the purpose of mandatory medical examinations for sailors.

This agreement has direct consequences on the daily operations of mandatory medical examinations and indirectly affects shipping companies and shipowners who need their crews to maintain proper health documentation.

What does this regulation establish?

The extended agreement regulates two key aspects:

• Access to electronic medical records: The ISM can consult health data of sailors residing in Andalusia that already exist in the SAS system to conduct mandatory medical examinations, without needing to repeat tests already available.
• Data protection: Access to these personal health data is carried out under the guarantees of current data protection regulations. The transfer or communication of data is limited exclusively to the purpose of mandatory medical examinations.

The mandatory medical examination is the obligatory process that seafarers must undergo to obtain or renew their maritime fitness certificate. Without this certificate, they cannot perform their professional activity aboard.

The extension ensures the continuity of the agreement, preventing the original agreement from lapsing and forcing sailors and the ISM to return to a slower process with possible duplications in medical tests.

Economic and operational impact

The impact of this extension is primarily operational, with indirect economic consequences for Andalusian maritime sector companies:

• Reduction of duplications: By allowing the ISM to access the SAS medical records, sailors do not have to undergo medical tests that already exist in their health file, reducing time and costs associated with the examination process.
• Streamlined procedures: Andalusian shipping companies and shipowners benefit from shorter processing times for their crews to obtain or renew the fitness certificate, reducing the risk of a sailor being temporarily out of service due to administrative delays.
• Data protection compliance: The agreement ensures that the exchange of health information between organizations is carried out with the required legal guarantees, avoiding risks of non-compliance in data protection for both institutions.

The regulation does not establish direct costs for companies or seafarers resulting from this extension. The economic impact is time savings and reduction of procedures.

Who does it affect?

• Seafarers residing in Andalusia: They are the primary direct beneficiaries. They avoid repeating medical tests and expedite the obtaining or renewal of their maritime fitness certificate.
• Social Institute of the Navy (ISM): Organization that conducts mandatory medical examinations and accesses SAS data under the agreement framework.
• Andalusian Health Service (SAS): Organization that grants access to electronic medical records of Andalusian sailors to the ISM, under the agreement conditions.
• Andalusian shipping companies and shipowners: They benefit indirectly from more efficient processing. A crew with up-to-date medical examinations processed quickly reduces operational risks and activity disruption.

Practical example

A sailor residing in Seville needs to renew his maritime fitness certificate to join a vessel of an Andalusian shipping company. He goes to the ISM for the mandatory medical examination.

Thanks to the extended agreement, the ISM doctor can directly access his electronic medical record in the SAS system. If in recent months the sailor had blood tests or diagnostic procedures at an Andalusian health center, those results are already available to the ISM without needing to repeat them.

Without the agreement, the sailor would have to request and provide that documentation on his own, or undergo the same tests again, with the resulting delay in obtaining the certificate. The shipping company, for its part, could see the incorporation of that sailor into the crew delayed.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify the status of crew fitness certificates: Check that all sailors residing in Andalusia have their mandatory medical examinations current and, if they are about to expire, initiate the process with the ISM taking advantage of the agreement continuity.
2. Inform sailors about access to their medical records: Seafarers should know that the ISM can access their SAS medical records under this agreement, ensuring compliance with their data protection rights.
3. Confirm the effective date of the extension: The regulation published on May 16, 2026 does not specify the exact effective date. It is recommended to consult the full text in the BOE or contact the ISM directly to confirm from what date the extension is operational.
4. Review internal crew documentation management procedures: Ensure that processes for monitoring crew health documentation are updated and consider the renewal periods for the fitness certificate.