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STCW78, as amended | Marine Engineer - Marine Engine Driver Guide

STCW78 as amended Upgrade

Seafarers holding a Certificate of Competency to the STCW78 standards who wish to upgrade to a STCW78, as amended Certificates should do so as all STCW78 Certificates expired on31 January 2002.

Specific requirements for upgrading Certificates of Competency are outlined below.

For upgrading of Australian Certificates of Competency, upgrade courses referred to below must be those approved by AMSA. Please contact the nearest AMSA Office for details of which courses are approved.

Upgrading of valid Deck Officer Certificates of Competency to STCW78, as amended standards

For upgrade of all Australian certificates to STCW78, as amended standards, deck officers are required to hold a valid GMDSS Certificate and:

  1. complete a five-day approved Navigation Safety Management upgrade course covering:
    1. ARPA;
    2. introduction to Bridge Resource Management;
    3. basic introduction to ISM Code - the completion of a company ISM Code familiarisation training course or equivalent, either ashore or on board ship, of at least 4 hours duration is acceptable for this purpose;
    4. passage planning; and 
    5. electronic navigation including Electronic Chart Display Information System (ECDIS); or
  2. complete individual courses/subjects covering the topics specified in above.

This provision also includes Certificates of Competency issued in recognition of Certificates of Service and overseas qualifications.

To apply for a new STCW78, as amended Certificate of Competency to replace an STCW78 Certificate of Competency an applicant must:

  1. complete the application form Application form for an AMSA Certificate and/or Endorsement (AMSA 63) [PDF Icon PDF: 289Kb]with signatures and provide a colour passport style photograph;
  2. provide a certified copy of their STCW78, as amended Upgrade Course Certificate and any relevant short course certificates;
  3. provide a copy of their superseded Certificate of Competency; and
  4. provide proof of sea service at least equivalent to revalidation requirements -this should be verifiable evidence in the form of an original letter from the shipping/management company on company letterhead.

Note:  Seafarers NOT providing proof of relevant sea service, i.e. to meet the revalidation requirements, are to have their STCW78, as amended Certificate(s) issued with an expiry date of five years from the date of the last revalidation of their STCW78 Certificate.

Completion of the STCW78, as amended revalidation course is acceptable for upgrade of Certificate(s) of Competency.

Applicants must meet all upgrade requirements in Australia at an AMSA approved maritime college.

 

Upgrading of valid Engineer Officer Certificates of Competency to STCW78, as amended standards

For upgrade of all valid Australian Certificates to STCW78, as amended, standards, engineer officers are required to prove completion of the following:

  1. an advanced fire fighting course - there is no period of validity for this course and it is only required for holders of Engineer Watchkeeper Certificates (applicants with a valid STCW78 Engineer Class 1 or Class 2 Certificate are deemed to have already met the requirements, however when upgrading to a higher grade Certificate they must then have the Advanced Fire Fighting Certificate);
  2. basic introduction to ISM Code - the completion of a company ISM Code familiarisation training course or equivalent, either ashore or on board ship, of at least four hours duration is acceptable for this purpose (see also Approved college courses and short courses for list of approved courses); and
  3. basic 'hands-on' electrical and electronics course of at least two days duration. Persons completing one of the approved Australian maritime colleges Certificate of Competency courses after 1 September 1988 are considered to meet the basic 'hands-on' electrical and electronics course requirement. Persons who have completed or are completing the five weeks Marine Engineers Automation, Electronics and Electrical (AEE) Course are also considered to meet this particular requirement (see also Approved college courses and short courses for list of other approved courses).
To apply for a new STCW95 Certificate of Competency to replace a valid STCW78, as amended Certificate of Competency an applicant must:
  1. complete the application form Application form for an AMSA Certificate and/or Endorsement (AMSA 63) [PDF Icon PDF: 289Kb] with signatures and provide a colour passport style photograph;
  2. provide a certified copy of their STCW78, as amended Upgrade Course Certificate and/or any relevant short course certificates;
  3. provide a copy of their superseded Certificate of Competency; and
  4. provide proof of sea service at least equivalent to revalidation requirements - this should be verifiable evidence in the form of an original letter from the shipping/management company on company letterhead.

Note:  Seafarers not providing proof of relevant sea service, ie to meet the revalidation requirements, are to have their STCW78, as amended Certificate(s) issued with an expiry date of five years from the date of the last revalidation of their STCW78 Certificate.

Completion of an approved STCW78, as amended upgrade course (three day course which covers one day ISM and two days electrical) is acceptable for upgrade of a valid Certificate(s) of Competency.

Except for the ISM Code segment applicants must meet all other upgrade requirements in Australia at an AMSA approved maritime college.

Revalidation and upgrade of Certificates of Recognition

Persons seeking to revalidate an Australian Certificate of Recognition granted in recognition of their STCW78, as amended overseas qualification must first revalidate their overseas qualification before the revalidation of their Australian Certificate of Recognition can be considered.

It is an IMO requirement that for a country to recognise another country's seafarer's certificate there must be an agreement in place between those two countries.  The list of countries with which AMSA has an agreement may be found at Certificates of Recognition.

It is not possible for an STCW78 Certificate of Recognition to be upgraded by the applicant completing an Australian STCW78, as amended upgrade course. In order to upgrade an STCW78 Certificate of Recognition the applicant must:

  1. upgrade their primary overseas certificate to STCW78, as amended standards and then apply for issue of an STCW78, as amended, Certificate of Recognition; and
  2. meet the equivalent AMSA revalidation upgrade requirements for the relevant grade of certificate, i.e. complete the relevant STCW78, as amended, short courses in Australia, or equivalent overseas short courses, and satisfy the sea service requirements. For the upgrade of Certificates of Recognition only, the person must hold a valid overseas upgraded STCW78, as amended, certificate of competency.


AMSA will not recognise an overseas STCW78 Certificate of Competency for the issue of a Certificate of Recognition.


Note: A second oral exam is not required for the upgrade of STCW78 Certificates of Recognition to STCW78, as amended, standards.

Guide for obtaining STCW78, as amended endorsement of Engineering Certificates of Competency issued by Australian States

Please refer to Guide for obtaining STCW78, as amended endorsement (Marine Engineer/Marine Engine Driver)  [PDF Icon PDF: 200Kb]

NOTE: STCW Endorsement no longer available for Deck Certificate.

 

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