Certificate Revalidation and Continued Competence, including Security Awareness Training and ECDIS

1. Certificate of Competency Revalidation

General Requirement

Marine Orders Part 3 - Seagoing Qualifications, provision 10, specifies the requirements for revalidation of a Certificate of Competency or a Certificate of Recognition. In summary, the four options are:

  1. Approved qualifying sea service as a deck or engineer officer (including electrical engineer) for a period of at least 12 months in total within the preceding 5 years or at least 3 months in total within the preceding 6 months; or
  2. Satisfactorily completion of an approved revalidation course appropriate to the grade of certificate held within the previous 12 months; or
  3. Passed an oral examination in operational knowledge appropriate to the grade of certificate held, conducted by an examiner and completed appropriate short courses as determined by the Manager within the previous 12 months; or
  4. Functions relating to the duties appropriate to the grade of certificate held that are, in the opinion of the Manager, Ship Operations & Qualifications (Manager), at least equivalent to the service specified in 1 above. (Refer to the Notes, and Equivalent functions below)

Notes:

  • In all cases, to revalidate (whether restricted or not) a Certificate of Competency or a Certificate of Recognition, the applicant must possess a valid Certificate of Medical Fitness (refer to Marine Orders Part 9). Applications for revalidation are to be made using AMSA form 107 obtainable from the AMSA website at:
    http://www.amsa.gov.au/Marine_Qualifications/Application_Forms_and_Fees/
  • Holders of an AMSA Certificate of Recognition (CoR), must first revalidate their primary qualification with the issuing Authority, prior to application for revalidation of their AMSA CoR. Holders of AMSA CoRs are to note that the requirements for revalidation of their CoR are the same as for holders of an AMSA Certificate of Competency, and in some cases this could involve them in being required to complete part or all of the appropriate revalidation course in Australia.
  • For unrestricted revalidation of Deck Certificates of Competency or Certificates of Recognition, the applicant must hold a valid and current Australian GMDSS GOC or Australian GMDSS Certificate of Recognition at the time of application.
  • Both individual applicants and supporting organisations are reminded that giving false or misleading information to enable a Certificate of Competency or Certificates of Recognition to be revalidated is a criminal offence and may lead to prosecution of the individual or organisation concerned and the suspension of the Certificate of Competency or Certificates of Recognition that was revalidated.
  • Holders of expired STCW 78 or pre STCW 78 Certificates of Compentency, or anyone else requiring further information, should contact their nearest AMSA office.
  1. To revalidate for a full 5 years a holder of a Certificate of Safety Training, Certificate of Proficiency as Rating and Certificate of Competency must demonstrate continued competence is sea survival and fire fighting for a period of at least 12 months in total within the preceding 5 years or at least 3 months in total within the preceding 6 months. In this regard the STCW Convention allows certain training to be recognised on board ship but mandates that other elements are completed at an AMSA approved college. Seafarers may ask their employer to use the template letter found in Section 3 of this page to verify that they have completed the onboard training requirement. A course completion statement will be issued by the AMSA approved college on satisfactorily completing the shore based training component.  The company letter and course completion statement together with the completed application, appropriate fee and certificate should then be sent to AMSA for revalidation. 
    Those seafarers completing a revalidation course, as outlined in paragraph 2, will satisfy the continued competence requirement in that course.
    Applicants should refer to Marine Notice 02/13 which provides further details of specific training requirements
  2. All holders of a Certificate of Safety Training, Certificate of Proficiency as Rating and Certificate of Competency must, after 31 December 2016, hold a Security Awareness training endorsement. Until 1 January 2014 there is a transitional arrangement that permits the recognition of at least 6 months sea service on approved vessels from 31 December 2008 to 31 December 2011. Seafarers who  believe they satisfy this requirement may ask their employers to complete the template letter found in Section 3 of this page to verify  that they have completed the required sea service.  The company letter, together with the completed application, appropriate fee and certificate should then be sent to AMSA for the issue of the endorsement. Once  a seafarer has satisfactorily completed a Security Awareness training course there is no revalidation requirement and the endorsement will be issued in perpetuity.
    3. Those seafarers completing a revalidation course, as outlined in paragraph 2, will be given the option to complete the Security Awareness training course, however after 31 December 2016 it will be included in the revalidation course.
    Applicants should refer to Marine Notice 02/13 which provides further details of specific training requirements
  3. It is a requirement that a Master or Deck Officer who serves on an ECDIS equipped ship must hold an ECDIS endorsement. The endorsement will be issued on satisfactorily completing the generic course as outlined in the IMO Model Course 1.27. This is in addition to the familiarisation training that is required for ship specific equipment. Applicants should refer to Marine Notice 02/13 which provides further details of specific training requirements

Equivalent functions

  1. The holder of a Certificate of Competency or Certificates of Recognition, may make a submission to the Manager for FULL revalidation of either their Deck or Engineer Certificate of Competency or Certificates of Recognition, in accordance with option 4 of the general requirements above. This submission is to include proof of at least two and a half years service, in the five years immediately preceding application, in a responsible non-seagoing sector of the maritime industry. The following positions will be considered:
    • Technical, engineering, and marine superintendents;
    • Surveyors appointed under the Navigation Act or working for a “survey authority” as defined in the Navigation Act;
    • Lecturers in AMSA approved RTO's.

    The written statement from their employer organisation must demonstrate to the Manager that the person has maintained their continued professional competence as required by STCW and includes the criteria as outlined for Deck or Engineer Officers below. The statement will also demonstrate to the Manager that the person will be capable of exercising the full capacity, function levels and limitations applying to their Certificate of Competency or Certificates of Recognition.


    For Deck Certificates of Competency or Certificates of Recognition, a combination of either “Part A” (e.g. fire fighting, survival, shipmasters medical, legislation, stability and cargo work, etc.) or “Part B” (e.g. BRM, passage planning, navigational equipment, etc.) AND a written statement from their employer covering the other competencies required for Deck Officers, as shown below, is acceptable. All course completions where applicable must be completed within 12 months of application for revalidation.


    In meeting the above, any statement provided must address the criteria below and clearly demonstrate how continued proficiency is maintained.


    For specific requirements for Deck and Engineer Officers refer to sections below.

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  2. Port Pilots serving in Australian ports will have that service accepted as meeting the qualifying sea service requirement to revalidate their AMSA Deck Certificate of Competency RESTRICTED to use within a 12 mile radius to seaward of the port limits where they are a licenced pilot. Such applicants will NOT need to hold a valid Australian GMDSS GOC or Australian GMDSS Certificate of Recognition. A Port Pilot may have such a restriction removed at any time by revalidating in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 3. NOTE this option does NOT apply to holders of a Certificate of Recognition.
  3. Port pilots serving in Australian ports and Coastal pilots employed in the compulsory pilotage areas of the Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef will have that service accepted as meeting the competencies of “Part B” of an AMSA approved revalidation course. To be eligible for FULL revalidation of their AMSA Deck Certificate of Competency or Certificates of Recognition, such applicants will be required to satisfy the following:
    • Within 12 months of application for revalidation, complete “Part A” of an AMSA approved deck revalidation course, OR an AMSA approved Advanced Pilots Development course including deck revalidation and short course refresher components
    • Hold a valid Australian GMDSS GOC or Australian GMDSS Certificate of Recognition
    • Hold a valid certificate of medical fitness
    • Complete the application process
  4. Service of at least two and a half years in the preceding 5 years as a Harbour Tug Master/Mate employed in Australian ports, will have that service accepted as meeting the qualifying sea service requirement to revalidate their AMSA Deck Certificate of Competency RESTRICTED to use within the port limits where the tug operates. Such applicants will NOT need to hold a valid Australian GMDSS GOC or Australian GMDSS Certificate of Recognition. NOTE this option does NOT apply to holders of a Master or Deck Officer Certificate of Recognition.
  5. Service as a Master or Deck Officer on a FPSO or FSO for a period of at least 12 months in total within the preceding 5 years, will be deemed equivalent to satisfying the skill set of “Part A” of an AMSA approved deck revalidation course. Such applicants holding AMSA Deck Certificates of Competency or Certificates of Recognition, on completing “Part B” of an AMSA approved revalidation course within 12 months of application for revalidation, holding a valid Australian GMDSS GOC or GMDSS CoR, and meeting medical fitness standards will satisfy requirements for FULL revalidation.

Service on disconnectable FPSO’s or MODU’s on voyages, and only when operated in the self propelled mode, is accepted in full for revalidation, when the total sea service onboard during self propelled voyages meets the qualifying sea service revalidation requirements.

Deck Officer

  1. Developments in international and national regulations concerning safety of life at sea and protection of the marine environment;
  2. International Safety Management Code, quality assurance and occupational health and safety;
  3. Use of fire fighting equipment and self contained breathing apparatus; life saving and survival including wet drills and resuscitation;
  4. Update of medical procedures including amendments to the ship captain's medical guide, and maintenance of a satisfactory knowledge of first aid;
  5. Developments in electronic navigational aid systems; ENC and ECDIS operational procedures and limitations; the use of radar, ARPA and other navigational aids;
  6. Passage planning (appraisal, planning, execution and monitoring); bridge resource management and where applicable, command navigation; collision avoidance; search and rescue; and
  7. Ship stability and cargo operations, including methods of computation, damage stability and case studies.

Engineer Officer

  1. Developments in international and national regulations concerning safety of life at sea and protection of the marine environment;
  2. International Safety Management Code, quality assurance and occupational health and safety;
  3. Use of fire fighting equipment and self contained breathing apparatus; life saving and survival including wet drills and resuscitation;
  4. Maintenance of a satisfactory knowledge of first aid;
  5. Review of recent machinery and boiler casualties, including review of safe operational and working practices, and case studies; and
  6. Review of marine engineering developments, including case studies.
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2. GMDSS General Operators Certificate Revalidation

General Requirement

Marine Orders Part 6 – Marine Radio Qualifications - Provision 8.3, specifies the requirements for revalidation of a GMDSS General Operators Certificate (GOC).

In summary, a GMDSS GOC remains current for an initial term of 5 years.  It will be revalidated for further periods of up to 5 years if the Manager is satisfied that the holder meets one of the following:


  • has performed radio service in a seagoing ship fully fitted with GMDSS equipment for a period of at least 12 months in the five years preceding the application for revalidation. "Fully fitted" means fitted, in accordance with Marine Orders Part 27 or 8.1 of Marine Orders Part 26, for A3 sea areas. Service on ships fitted in accordance with 8.2 of Marine Orders Part 26 may be taken into account if the manager is satisfied that service covers the full range of GMDSS radio equipment, or in combination with approved training
  • has satisfactorily passed an approved test or successfully completed approved training. Meeting this requirement is met by the holder satisfactorily completing an approved GMDSS revalidation course at an AMSA approved provider within the previous 12 months to application for revalidation
  • has performed functions relating to the category of GMDSS Certificate held which are considered by the Manager to be at least equivalent to the seagoing service required above. Refer to equivalent functions below

Equivalent functions

The holder of an AMSA GMDSS GOC may make a submission to the Manager for revalidation of their GMDSS GOC in accordance with the third option of the general requirements above. This submission is to include proof of being employed in the service specified in the five years immediately preceding application in a responsible position in a non-seagoing sector of the maritime industry. This must be in the form of a written statement from the employer. The following positions will be considered:

  • Radio Technicians working for a company regularly involved in the use, installation and testing of the full suite of GMDSS equipment
  • GMDSS Lecturers in AMSA approved RTO's regularly conducting GMDSS courses
  • Dedicated radio operators in fully GMDSS equipped installations other than ships

    Note: Sea Service only on FPSOs, FSOs and dynamically positioned ship type OSIMUs as a deck officer/marine technician will not satisfy the 12 months sea service in the preceding 5 years, required to revalidate a GMDSS GOC under Marine Orders Part 6, section 8.3, and such persons wishing to revalidate their GMDSS GOC will need to complete an AMSA approved GMDSS revalidation course (3 days).

The written statement from their employer organisation must clearly demonstrate to the Manager how the person has maintained their continued professional competence. The statement will also demonstrate to the Manager that the person will be capable of exercising the full capacity, function levels and limitations applying to their GMDSS GOC.

Notes:

  • Applications for revalidation are to be made using AMSA form 107 obtainable from the AMSA website at:http://www.amsa.gov.au/Marine_Qualifications/Application_Forms_and_Fees/
  • Both individual applicants and supporting organisations are reminded that giving false or misleading information to enable a GMDSS GOC to be revalidated is a criminal offence and may lead to prosecution of the individual or organisation concerned and the suspension of the GMDSS GOC that was revalidated.
  • Holders of expired STCW 78 or pre STCW 78 GMDSS certificates, or anyone else requiring further information, should contact their nearest AMSA office.

3. Letter templates for Revalidation, including Continued Competence, and Security Awareness training endorsement

The attached letter templates may be used by shipping companies and issued to seafarers to:

  1. revalidate Certificates of Safety Training, Certificates of Proficiency as Rating and Certificates of Competency (Masters & Mates and Engineers), including demonstration of continued competence in sea survival and fire fighting, and
  2. apply for a Security Awareness training endorsement during the transitional period up to 1 January 2014.

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