Master Class 5 and Skipper Grade 3, Deck Certificate of Competency
- What your certificate will qualify you for
- Sea service.
- ROPES book.
- The paperwork and payment.
- Training.
- What you need to renew.
To be eligible for this Certificate of Competency you must be at least 19 years old.
Your certificate will expire after 5 years. It is up to you to renew it.
What your Certificate of Competency will qualify you for
- With a Master Class 5 Certificate of Competency, you are qualified to master commercial trading vessels less than 24 metres in length, within 100 nautical miles of the coast.
- With a Skipper Grade 3 Certificate of Competency, you are qualified to master commercial fishing vessels less than 24 metres in length, within 100 nautical miles of the coast.
- An endorsement to operate a vessel within 200 nautical miles of the coast may be issued on succesful completion of a Navigation and Position Determination exam.
Sea Service
Master Class 5 Certificate of Competency
You need at least 30 months (900 days) sea service which must include:
- Within the past five years, not less than 12 months (360 days) sea service on vessels of less than 35 metres in length.
- 90 days service on a trading vessel.
- If you hold an open Coxswain Certificate of Competency you will only need 18 months (540 days) commervial sea seavice.
- To obtain a Skipper Grade 3 Certyoificate of Competency you will need to provide an additional 3 months (90 days) sea service.
Skipper Grade 3 Certificate of Competency
You need at least 30 months (900 days) sea service which must include:
- Within the past five years, not less than 12 months (360 days) sea service on vessels of less than 35 metres in length.
- 90 days service on a trading vessel.
- If you hold an open Coxswain Certificate of Competency you will only need 18 months (540 days) commervial sea seavice.
- To obtain a Master Class 5 Certyoificate of Competency you will need to provide an additional 3 months (90 days) sea service.
You need to provide 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 (if possible on company letterhead). This testimonial should clearly indicate the name and registration number of the vessel, rank/duties on board, dates of commencement and completion of service. Any gaps (e.g. sick or annual leave) should be indicated.
- A Statutory Declaration with all the above details.
For a Master Class 5 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.
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 a 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 a 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. Fees are available on this site.
Training
To obtain this Certificate of Competency you need to undertake a training course or provide evidence of training. You will need to contact the training providers to obtain course details. Remember that passing a course of study 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. These are normally part of your course but can be undertaken seperately
- Marine Radio Operator's Certificate of Proficiency or equivalent.
- Certificate in Elements of Shipboard Safety or Occupational Health and Safety at Sea.
- Current Senior First Aid Certificate. Expired certificates will not be accepted.
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 the Commercial Marine Qualifications office:
- 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 the Commercial Marine Qualifications office.