Initial issue of advanced tanker endorsement
To gain this endorsement, you must:
- Hold a certificate of competency as a master, deck officer or engineer officer.
- Have completed an approved advanced tanker safety course within the last 5 years..
You must also complete one of the following options:
- At least 3 months of approved sea service on a tanker appropriate for the endorsement, performing functions appropriate for the endorsement including at least 3 loads and 3 discharges.
- Approved on board training of at least 1 month in cargo handling duties on a tanker performing functions appropriate for the endorsement including 3 loads and 3 discharges, documented in an approved training record book.
We accept the following Merchant Navy Training Board record books for approved on board training:
- Oil tankers
- Chemical (incl. vegetable oil) tankers
- Liquefied gas (LPG) tankers.
Revalidation of advanced tanker endorsement
You must have completed one of the following:
- At least 3 months of approved sea service, performing functions appropriate for the endorsement, during the 5 years before the date of application for the revalidation.
- Appropriate seafarer training course within the 5 years before the date of application.
Advanced tanker courses
The appropriate training course is:
- Oil tanker—a course of training that complies with STCW code section A-V/1-1 paragraph 2.
- Chemical tanker—a course of training that complies with STCW code section A-V/1-1, paragraph 3.
- Liquefied gas tanker—a course of training that complies with STCW code section A-V/1-2, paragraph 2.
Required sea service
Approved sea service for tanker endorsement must meet the following pre-requisites:
- The subject vessel must be certified as an oil tanker, chemical tanker or liquefied gas tanker.
- The subject vessel must be carrying a cargo which is listed in any of the following while the applicant was serving on that vessel:
- Appendix I of annex I of the protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the prevention of pollution from ships (MARPOL)
- Chapter 17 of the International Code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous chemicals in bulk (IBC code) or chapter VI of the Code of safe practice for solid bulk cargoes (BC code).
- Chapter 19 of the International Code of the construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk (IGC code) or chapter XIX of the Code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk (GC code).
- You were engaged in cargo operation on board that vessel in the capacity as master, deck officer, ship’s engineer engaged in cargo operation, and provides documentary evidence of that service.
Oil means a kind of cargo which satisfies the definition of Regulation 1.1 of Appendix 1 of Annex 1 of MARPOL.
Oil tanker means a cargo ship that meets the definition of Annex 1 of the Protocol of 1978 relating to MARPOL.
Chemical means any chemicals listed in Chapter 17 of the IBC code or Chapter VI of the BC code.
Chemical tanker means a cargo ship that meets the definition of IBC code or BC code; listed in either of the following:
- Chapter 17 of the IBC code.
- Chapter VI of the BC code.
Liquefied gas means any liquefied gas or other products listed in Chapter 19 of the IGC code or Chapter XIX of the GC code.
Gas carrier is a cargo ship constructed or adapted and used for the carriage in bulk of any liquefied gas or other products listed in either of the following:
- Chapter 19 of the IGC code.
- Chapter XIX of the GC code
Advanced tanker courses completed overseas
If you hold a master or deck or engineer certificate of competency and live overseas, advanced oil, chemical and gas courses completed overseas in eligible countries may be recognised by AMSA for the initial issue or revalidation of the endorsement providing you satisfy the requirements below.
Requirements
Before we can accept the advanced tanker course you have completed overseas in eligible countries, for initial issue you are required to:
- Be a resident overseas—permanently living in a country other than Australia.
- Contact the country’s flag State administration to obtain information regarding the location of an approved course provider IN that country.
- Make sure you are completing the course IN the country which has an agreement with Australia.
- On completion of the course, obtain a course completion certificate which contains your name, the title of the course, STCW regulation number, issue date and name and contact details of the overseas course provider.
- You must obtain a letter from the overseas course provider that states the course is approved by the administration of that country and you have attended the course.
(Example: If you completed an advanced tanker course in India, which has an agreement with Australia, and at an Indian maritime training organisation that was approved by the Directorate General of Shipping, India, AMSA will recognise the course.)
Floating production storage and offloading vessels and floating storage units
Floating production storage and offloading vessels and floating storage units are vessels adapted primarily for a purpose other than to transport oil and are therefore excluded from this definition. However, due to the nature of operation, we will accept sea service gained on board floating production storage and offloading vessels and floating storage units in the capacity as master, deck officer, or ship's engineer engaged in cargo operation as approved sea service to obtain an oil tanker endorsement or revalidate an oil tanker endorsement.
Sea service on offshore support vessels and drilling platforms does not count for issue of a tanker endorsement.
To obtain or revalidate an oil tanker endorsement, a person is required to comply with Schedule 2, Table 2.1 or Table 2.3 of Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014.
Combined cargo vessels
Service on a combined oil/bulk/ore vessel is acceptable provided that during the claimed period of sea service the vessel carried oil cargoes. Service where oil is carried one way and ore the other is acceptable.
Where tankers have a designation to carry both petroleum and chemical products or gas tankers also carry chemical products, you must supply a letter from the company—on company letterhead—indicating the cargoes carried and the periods of time each cargo is carried in your application for a tanker endorsement. You must meet the full sea service requirement for each endorsement and cannot claim the same sea service for more than one endorsement.
To obtain or revalidate an oil, chemical or gas tanker endorsement you are required to comply with Schedule 2, Table 2.1 or Table 2.3 of Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014.
Service as cadet or trainee without watchkeeping certificate of competency
Service as a cadet or trainee without a watchkeeping certificate of competency will not count for the issue of a tanker endorsement unless you have completed the following form of training:
- The cadet must have a log of all cargo operations (loading, discharge, tank washing etc), times, dates, port and duties in a designated training book or other appropriate format, which must record your full name and details and signature. This log should be signed off by the officer of the watch and certified by the master of the vessel.
- The logged entries must comply with the periods as set out in Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014—over a minimum of 3 months with 3 loads and 3 discharges—and this period of service must be verified by a copy of the letter from the company on their letterhead.
If this training cannot be completed, you can:
- Show evidence of at least 6 months service on appropriate tanker vessels, verified by a copy of a letter from the company on their letterhead, confirming the full summary of details of the sea service and testimonials to the tanker cargo assistance abilities of the cadet
The cadet must have completed an approved advanced tanker safety course appropriate to the tanker endorsement being sought.