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    Spain · National · Royal Decree

    Royal Decree 258/1999 · On-board medical care and medicine chests

    In force and amended; healthcare for workers at sea

    Current official Spanish title: Real Decreto 258/1999, de 12 de febrero, por el que se establecen condiciones mínimas sobre la protección de la salud y la asistencia médica de los trabajadores del mar.

    Original publication and analysisConsolidated textELI identifier
    On this page
    1. What it regulates
    2. Who it applies to
    3. Key provisions
    4. History and versions
    5. Transitional provisions and application notes
    6. Official BOE legal relationships
    7. Official sources
    8. Explore the concepts in Sabentis Explore

    What it regulates

    Regulates medical supplies, medicine-chest management and inspection, training and medical consultation for workers on board. Its purpose is to improve care for accidents and health problems at sea.

    Who it applies to

    Vessels registered in or flying the flag of Spain engaged in maritime navigation or fishing, subject to Article 2 exclusions. It covers crew and signed-on trainees; it does not automatically cover all work in ports.

    Key provisions

    Medicine-chest category and contents depend on the vessel and navigation conditions; updated annexes must be used.

    Article 3

    General and auxiliary medicine chests are inspected at intervals of no more than one year; liferaft kits are checked with raft maintenance under the Article’s rules.

    Article 7

    The employer pays for medical supplies and their renewal; the crew must not bear these costs.

    Article 10

    The master or person in command is responsible for medicine-chest management, with tasks delegable to competent crew; medical advice and care must be sought where appropriate.

    Article 11

    Personnel receive basic medical training; masters, skippers and those responsible for the medicine chest need specific training renewed at intervals of no more than five years.

    Article 14

    Consultation through the Spanish Radio Medical Centre is a permanent, free service with medical confidentiality.

    Article 16

    History and versions

    Initial publication: 24/02/1999 · Initial entry into force: 16/03/1999

    BOE-A-1999-4527

    Published on 24 February 1999 and effective from 16 March 1999. The text and annexes were corrected or amended in 1999, 2002, 2009, 2011, 2015–2016 and 2021. The latest published wording of the Decree itself is dated 22 December 2021; the 2025 training rules are not a new version of the whole Decree.

    1999 correction.

    BOE-A-1999-9658

    Order PRE/930/2002: replaces Annexes II and VI.

    Publication: 30/04/2002 · Effective date: 01/05/2002

    BOE-A-2002-8260

    Order PRE/3598/2003: rules on medicine-chest inspections.

    BOE-A-2003-23588

    Order PRE/646/2004: earlier medical training programmes; read with the 2025 implementing rules.

    BOE-A-2004-4535

    Order PRE/568/2009: replaces medical-supply and documentation annexes.

    Publication: 11/03/2009 · Effective date: 11/09/2009

    BOE-A-2009-4091

    Royal Decree 568/2011: amends Articles 3, 7 and 8 and several annexes, effective from 13 November 2011.

    Publication: 13/05/2011 · Effective date: 13/11/2011

    BOE-A-2011-8342

    Order PRE/2315/2015: updates annexes with effect from 5 May 2016.

    Publication: 05/11/2015 · Effective date: 05/05/2016

    BOE-A-2015-11931

    2016 correction affecting the amending provisions of Order PRE/2315/2015.

    BOE-A-2016-956

    Royal Decree 1120/2021: amends and adds provisions and updates medical supplies.

    Publication: 22/12/2021 · Effective date: 23/12/2021

    BOE-A-2021-21104

    Order PJC/1424/2025: specialised medical training programmes.

    BOE-A-2025-25271
    All text versions recorded by the BOE

    Publication and effective dates are different. The table retains the dates and provisions of each recorded text version; it does not treat future transitional deadlines as requirements already applicable.

    PublicationEffective dateOfficial referenceAffected provisions
    24/02/199916/03/1999BOE-A-1999-4527Introductory note, Preamble, Chapter I, Article 1, Article 2, Chapter II, Article 3, Article 4, Article 5, Article 6, Article 7, Article 8, Chapter III, Article 9, Article 10, Article 11, Chapter IV, Article 12, Article 13, Article 14, Article 15, Chapter V, Article 16, Additional provision sole, Transitional provision sole, Repealing provision sole, Final provision sole, Signature, Annex I, Annex II, Annex III, Annex IV, Annex V, Annex VI, Annex VII, Annex VIII, Annex IX
    30/04/200201/05/2002BOE-A-2002-8260Annex II, Annex VI
    11/03/200911/09/2009BOE-A-2009-4091Annex II, Annex IV, Annex VI, Annex VII
    13/05/201113/11/2011BOE-A-2011-8342Article 3, Article 7, Article 8, Annex I, Annex II, Annex IV, Annex VI, Annex VII, Annex VIII
    05/11/201505/05/2016BOE-A-2015-11931Annex II, Annex IV, Annex VI, Annex VII
    22/12/202123/12/2021BOE-A-2021-21104Article 3, Article 4, Article 6, Article 7, Article 8, Article 9, Additional provision sole, Final provision sole, Annex I, Annex II, Annex IV, Annex VI, Annex VII, Annex VIII, Annex X

    Transitional provisions and application notes

    • Inland navigation, warships, certain recreational vessels without professional crew and harbour tugs are excluded; the people covered are also defined.

      Article 2

    • Training is developed through specific rules, including Order PJC/1424/2025. This Decree does not replace fitness-for-sea-service rules or general prevention requirements.

      Article 14

    Official BOE legal relationships

    Relationships may affect only specific provisions. They do not by themselves determine the status of the whole instrument: consult its history and application notes.

    Earlier references (8)
    Subsequent references (10)

    Official sources

    Official sources checked on 14/11/2026. Updating a database record does not by itself mean that the legislation has been amended.

    1. BOE-A-1999-4527
    2. Consolidated text
    3. ELI identifier

    Official sources checked on 14 November 2026. The original publication and subsequent provisions determine the legal scope; consolidation, where available, is informative. The editorial history focuses on OSH-relevant relationships and does not replace the sources.

    Sabentis editorial translation; it is not an official translation and does not replace the official text.

    Editorial information

    Publication date: 14 November 2026.

    Editorial responsibility: Sabentis editorial team.

    Editorial review by Pablo RodríguezLinkedIn

    Executive Vice President of the International ORP Foundation and Chief Financial Officer of Sabentis.

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