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Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)

Regulations

Merchant Shipping (Training and Certification) Regulations, 1999

Part 1 : General

2. Introduction and classes of certificates

 

(1) These regulations prescribe, for the purposes of section 73 of the Act, the standards of competency and the conditions to be satisfied for certification as master, ship's officer or rating on South African ships other than fishing vessels.

 

(2) A person is qualified as a master, ship's officer or rating for the purposes of section 73 of the Act and entitled to serve in the capacity and perform the functions involved at the level of responsibility specified in his or her certificate on a ship of the type, tonnage and power and means of propulsion so specified while engaged on the particular voyage concerned, if—
(a) in the case of a master or ship's officer, he or she holds—
(i) a valid certificate of competency as such referred to in subregulation (3) or (4);
(ii) a valid certificate of competency as such that is treated as equivalent to a certificate contemplated in subparagraph (i) by virtue of regulation 23 of the Merchant Shipping (Safe Manning) Regulations, 1999; or
(iii) a valid certificate as such issued by or on behalf of the government of another country and has been authorized to serve on a South Africa ship under section 83(1) of the Act; and
(b) in the case of a rating, he or she holds—
(i) a valid certificate of qualification as such referred to in subregulation (5);
(ii) a valid certificate of qualification as such that is treated as equivalent to a certificate contemplated in subparagraph (i) by virtue of regulation 23 of the Merchant Shipping (Safe Manning) Regulations, 1999; or
(iii) a valid certificate as such issued and endorsed in accordance with the STCW Convention by or on behalf of the government of another country; or
(iv) any other certificate issued by or on behalf of the government of another country which, in the opinion of the Authority, qualifies the person to serve on a South African ship in the capacity concerned.

 

(3) Subject to subregulation (7), the certificates of competency, with their limitations, endorsements and relative levels of responsibility (if any), applicable to deck officers are—
(a) master (special grade);
(b) master
(i) master of a ship of any tonnage on unlimited voyages; (management level)
(ii) limited to mining operations;
(c) chief mate
(i) chief mate of a ship of any tonnage on unlimited voyages; (management level)
(ii) endorsed master of a ship of less than 3 000GT  on unlimited voyages; (management level)
(iii) endorsed master of a ship of less than 500GT on near-coastal voyages (management level);

[Regulation 2(3)(c)(iii) substituted by regulation 4(a) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(iv) limited to mining operations;
(d) deck officer
(i) officer in charge of a navigational watch on a ship of any tonnage on unlimited voyages (operation level);

[Regulation 2(3)(d)(i) substituted by regulation 4(b) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(ii) endorsed chief mate of a ship of less than 3000GT on unlimited voyages; (management level)
(iii) endorsed master of a ship of less than 500GT  on unlimited voyages; (management level)
(iiiA) endorsed master of a ship of less than 3000GT  on unlimited voyages (management level);

[Regulation 2(3)(d)(iiiA) inserted by regulation 3(a) of Notice No. 1196 of 2004]

(iv) endorsed master of a ship of less than 500GT  on near-coastal voyages; (management level)
(ivA) endorsed master of a ship of any tonnage operating within a port operations area, with or without a port breakwater limitation;

[Regulation 2(3)(d)((ivA) inserted by regulation 4(c) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(v) limited to mining operations;
(e) master (coastal)
(i) master of a ship of less than 500GT  on near-coastal voyages; (management level)
(ii) endorsed officer in charge of a navigational watch on a ship of any tonnage on unlimited voyages (operation level);

[Regulation 2(3)(e)(ii) substituted by regulation 4(d) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(iii) limited to mining operations;
(f) mate (coastal)
(i) chief mate/officer in charge of a navigational watch on ships of less than 500GT  on near-coastal voyages (operational level);

[Regulation 2(3)(f)(i) substituted by regulation (b) of Notice No. 1196 of 2004]

(iA) endorsed master of a ship of less than 500GT  on near-coastal voyages (management level);

[Regulation 2(3)(f)(iA) inserted by regulation 4(f) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(iB) endorsed master of a ship of any tonnage operating within a port operations area, with or without a port breakwater limitation;

[Regulation 2(3)(f)(iB) inserted by regulation 4(f) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(ii) limited to mining operations;
(g) master (port operations)
master of a ship of any tonnage operating within a port operations area, with or without a port breakwater limitation;

[Regulation 2(3)(g) substituted by regulation 4(g) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(h) skipper (unlimited)
master of a ship of less than 100GT  on unlimited voyages; (management level)
(i) skipper (coastal)
master of a ship of less than 100GT on near-coastal voyages; (management level) and
(j) skipper (port operations)
master of a ship of less than 200GT operating within a port operations area, with or without a port breakwater limitation.

[Regulation 2(3)(j) substituted by regulation 4(h) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

 

(4) Subject to subregulation (7), the certificates of competency, with their limitations, endorsements and relative levels of responsibility (if any), applicable to engineer officers are—
(a) chief engineer officer (special grade);
(b) chief engineer officer
(i) chief engineer officer of a ship of 3 000 kW propulsion power or more; (management level)
(ii) chief engineer officer of a ship of less than 3 000 kW propulsion power; (management level)
(c) second engineer officer
(i) second engineer officer of a ship of 3 000 kW propulsion power or more; (management level)
(ii) second engineer officer of a ship of less than 3 000 kW propulsion power; (management level)
(iii) endorsed chief engineer officer of a ship of less than 3 000 kW propulsion power; (management level)
(iv) endorsed chief engineer officer of a ship of less than 750 kW propulsion power; (management level)
(v) endorsed chief engineer officer of a ship of any kilowatt propulsion power operating within a port operations area;

[Regulation 2(4)(c)(v) inserted by regulation 4(i) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(d) engineer officer
(i) officer in charge of an engineering watch on a ship of any kilowatt propulsion power operating in a port operations area;

[Regulation 2(4)(d)(i) substituted by regulation 4(j) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(ii) endorsed chief engineer officer of a ship of any kilowatt propulsion power operating within a port operations area;
(iiA) endorsed chief engineer officer of a ship of less than 1 500 kW propulsion power operating within a port operations area;

[Regulation 2(4)(d)(iiA) inserted by regulation 4(k) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(e) chief engineer officer (port operations)
chief engineer officer of a ship of any kilowatt propulsion power operating within a port operations area, with or without a port breakwater limitation;

[Regulation 2(4)(e) substituted by regulation 4(l) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(f) second engineer officer (port operations)
(i) second engineer officer/officer in charge of an engineering watch on a ship of any kilowatt propulsion power operating in a port operations area;

[Regulation 2(4)(f) substituted by regulation 4(m) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

(ii) endorsed chief engineer officer of a ship of less than 1 500 kW propulsion power operating within a port operations area, with or without a port breakwater limitation.

 

(5) Subject to subregulation (7), the certificates of qualification, with their limitations and relative levels of responsibility (if any), applicable to ratings are—
(a) ordinary seaman (support level)
limited to port operations;
(b) able seaman (support level)
limited to port operations;
(c) wiper (support level)
limited to port operations;
(d) oiler (support level)
limited to port operations;
(e) efficient general purpose rating (port operations); and
(f) efficient cook.

 

(6) The other certificates of qualification are—
(a) proficiency in liferafts;
(b) proficiency in survival craft; and
(c) proficiency in fast rescue boats.

 

(7) The certificates referred to in subregulations (3), (4) and (5) may, in addition, be endorsed for service on tankers, ro-ro passenger ships or passenger ships other than ro-ro passenger ships, in accordance with regulation 51, 52 or 52A respectively.

[Regulation 2(7) substituted regulation 4(n) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

 

(8) The ranking of voyage limitations is such that the holder of—
(a) a certificate unlimited as to voyages may serve in the certificated capacity on ships engaged on unlimited voyages or voyages of any limitation;
(b) a certificate limited to near-coastal voyages may serve in the certificated capacity on ships engaged on near-coastal voyages and in port operations but not on unlimited voyages;
(c) a certificate limited to port operations may serve in the certificated capacity only on ships engaged in port operations; and
(d) a certificate limited to mining operations may serve in the certificated capacity only on ships employed in mining operations.

[Regulation 2(8)(d) substituted by regulation 4(o) of Notice No. R. 502 of 2002]

 

(9) The certificates referred to in subregulations (3) to (6) shall be issued and endorsed in accordance with the STCW Convention, except—
(a) the certificate of competency as master (special grade);
(b) the certificate of competency as chief engineer officer (special grade);
(c) any certificate limited to port operations;
(d) the certificate of qualification as efficient cook;
(e) the certificate of qualification as efficient general purpose rating (port operations); and
(f) the certificate of qualification as proficient in liferafts.