Marine Engine Driver Grade 3, Engineering Certificate of Competency
- What your certificate will qualify you for
- Sea Service
- ROPES books
- The paperwork and payment
- Training
- What you need to renew
To be eligible for this Certificate of Competency you must be at least 18 years old.
Your Certificate of Competency will expire after 5 years. It is up to you to renew it.
What your Certificate of Competency will qualify you for
With a Marine Engine Driver Grade 3 Certificate of Competency you are qualified to take charge of machinery, including engines, as Chief Engineer on:
- Seagoing vessels with a propulsion power of less than 250 kilowatts in Offshore Waters up to 100 nautical miles from the coast.
- Seagoing vessels with a propulsion power of 250 kilowatts and over but less than 500 kilowatts in Inshore Waters up to 15 nautical miles from the coast.
Sea Service
You must provide us with evidence of sea service which will differ if you have an approved trade qualification or not.
- With no approved trade qualification applicants must have a minimum of 180 days (6 months) sea service on vessels not less than 75kW (approx. 100hp) propulsion power.
- With an approved trade qualification applicants must have a minimum of 90 days (3 months) sea service on vessels not less than 75kW (approx. 100hp) propulsion power.
Approved trade qualifications are:
- Marine Fitter
- Electrical Fitter Mechanic
- Diesel Mechanic
- Motor Mechanic; or
- Refrigeration Mechanic.
Some trades under the Australian Quality Framework have content which is also part of our approved trades. If your trade has a large amount of the content found in the approved trades we will assess it on its merits.
You need to provide the Commercial Marine Qualifications office with evidence of this sea service which can be in the form of one of the following:
- A Record of Service book signed by the Master, Owner or Agent of the vessel.
- a testimonial from the Master or owner of the vessel(s) on which the service took place.
- A Statutory Declaration with all the required details.
For a full Marine Engine Driver Grade 2 Certificate of Competency only, sea service may be reduced by up to 50% on completion of a Record of Practical Experience and Sea-Service (ROPES) Book.
Only engineering related activities can be counted towards your sea service, any deck related activities will not be counted.
ROPES Books
The national Record of Practical Experience and Sea-Service (ROPES) book has been designed to allow you to gain relevant workplace experience and to record the details of your sea service in a format that can then be submitted to any marine authority for assessment.
ROPES books can be purchased for a fee from the Commercial Marine Qualifications office. For more information please contact the Commercial Marine Qualifications Officer on (08) 8348 9562 or (08) 8348 9506.
The paperwork and payment
If this is the first time that you are applying for the Certificate of Competency you will need to submit the following forms:
- Application for a Marine Certificate of Competency (MR 502a).
- Certificate of Medical Fitness (MR 504).
- Character Declaration Passport Photo and 100-Point Identification (MR1134).
You can pay on line, in person or you can mail your payment to the Commercial Marine Qualifications office. If paying by mail please do not send cash. Our fees are available on this site.
Training
To obtain this certificate you need to undertake a written and oral exam and may undertake a training course. To assist your study please refer to our study guide. Alternatively you can apply to undertake this course interstate. Remember that passing an exam is only part of the process of obtaining your certificate.
Before we issue you with a Certificate of Competency you will need to do the following training and provide evidence of the following:
- Certificate in Elements of Shipboard Safety or Occupational Health & Safety at Sea.
- Current Senior First Aid Certificate. We will not accept expired certificates.
What you need to renew
Certificates of Competency are issued for 5 years and can be renewed at any time in the 12 months before it expires or at any time after it has expired.
You need to complete and provide to the Commercial Marine Qualifications office with:
- Application for Marine Certificate of Competency (MR 502a).
- Medical Declaration for Renewal of Marine Certificate of Competency (MR 504c).
- Eyesight (Vision) Test for Renewal of a Marine Certificate of Competency (504b) which must be signed by an optometrist or doctor to show that you have passed an eye test.
- Identification requirements by providing a copy of a document such as a photographic driver's licence, signed by a Justice of the Peace or Authorised Officer as being a true and correct copy.
- On line payment for the renewal fee or send payment to Commercial Marine Qualifications office.