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Limitations on a New Zealand certificate in Australia

Our interpretation of the capacities and limitations on a New Zealand certificate of competency, compared to Australian qualifications.

Find the terms or functions below shown on your New Zealand certificate of competency to see the Australian equivalent function. Understand what your operational limits are as contained in the National Standards for Domestic Commercial Vessels (NSCV) Part B—general requirements:

Coastal limits

Australian equivalent function

Restricted offshore operations.

NSCV Part B—general requirements

Restricted offshore operations (Operational category C).

Generally, no more than 30 nautical miles from land except in Great Barrier Reef region and the Torres Strait zone where it is 50 nautical miles from mainland Queensland.

Enclosed water limits

Australian equivalent function

Partially smooth water operations and smooth water operations.

NSCV Part B—general requirements

Partially smooth water operations and smooth water operations (Operational category D and E).

Partially smooth and smooth water operations means waters that are designated be state or territory waterway management legislation to be smooth or partially smooth waters.

Inshore fishing limits

Australian equivalent function

Inshore operations.

NSCV Part B—general requirements

Inshore operations—within inshore operations, which mean operations of a vessel that are conducted laterally along the coast from either the base or a regular port of departure of the vessel that is 15 nautical miles to seaward from:

  • The baseline of any of the following:
    • The Australian mainland
    • The Tasmanian mainland
    • A recognised island.
  • Sheltered water limits.
Inshore limits

Australian equivalent function

Inshore operations.

NSCV Part B—general requirements

Inshore operations—within inshore operations, which mean operations of a vessel that are conducted laterally along the coast from either the base or a regular port of departure of the vessel that is 15 nautical miles to seaward from:

  • The baseline of any of the following:
    • The Australian mainland
    • The Tasmanian mainland
    • A recognised island.
  • Sheltered water limits.
Offshore limits

Australian equivalent function

Offshore operations.

NSCV Part B—general requirements

Offshore operations—within offshore operations, which means vessel operations that are:

  • Within 200 nautical miles seaward of the baseline of either:
    • the Australian mainland
    • the Tasmanian mainland
    • a recognised island.
  • in waters to the outer limits of the exclusive economic zone.
Passenger and non-passenger ships

NSCV Part B—general requirements

We recognize all New Zealand national seafarer valid for service on Australian domestic commercial passenger vessels provided that you undertake training in crowd management as detailed in the vessel’s safety management plan.

Less than 4 systems

Australian equivalent function

Not relevant.

NSCV Part B—general requirements

Systems is defined in New Zealand legislation but not Australian legislation.

Last updated: 27 October 2020