New certificates of competency
for fishermen and seafarers
31 October 2013
As of 1 January 2017, all seafarers on merchant ships must hold new STCW certificates because new STCW regulations take effect. Already now it is possible for Danish seafarers to be issued with the new certificate, which will be valid for 5 years.
The new international provisions introduce stricter training requirements, for example as regards the use of electronic charts (ECDIS). This already applies today to quite a few of the Danish training programmes. This means that persons who have completed training programmes as a navigating officer during recent years already meet the requirement.
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The issue of a new certificate will cost DKK 500.
More information about the major changes:
Amended regulations on certificates of competency
On the basis of an assessment of the new requirements of the Convention on Standards of Training, Certifi- cation and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, the Danish Mar itime Authority has issued new regulations on certifi- cates of competency for service on merchant ships. Th e new regulations mean that everybody must, at the end of 2016 at the latest, be issued with new STCW cer tificates. It is possible to apply for certificates already now. At the same time, the new regulations mean that it will again become possible for seafarers to be issued with certificates of competency for mercha nt ships with a validity of 5 years.
New regulations have also been introduced on certif icates of competency for fishing vessels as a conse-quence of the STCW-F Convention. In this connection, it is not necessary to apply for new certificates, but existing certificates can be furnished with an STCW-F endorsement, just as the new certificates of compe- tency for navigating officers in fishing vessels will have a reference to the STCW-F Convention. There are no changed training requirements. The issue of new certifi cates of competency will be started on 25 October 2013.
Certificates of competency in merchant ships
The new training requirements of the STCW Conventi on (STCW 2010) do not introduce any major changes in relation to the previous requirements for the issue of certificates of competency in merchant ships. This is the case because the Danish training programmes have, for several years, more or less met the new requirements. The specific requirements for certificates of comp etency for navigating officers and engineer officers, respectively, are given below.
Certificates of competency for navigating officers The amended STCW Convention introduces requirements for navigating officers in merchant ships to have completed training in the use of electronic chart di splay information systems (ECDIS). If you have completed your training programme during recent years, you must meet the requirements, but the timeframe varies from one training programme to another, cf. below.
If you have passed a master (home trade) exam in 2009 or later, a master (restricted) exam in 2003 or later or a higher navigating officer exam in 2003 or later, you can be issued with a certifi cate of competency in ac- cordance with the new regulations without having to complete an ECDIS course.
If, on the other hand, you have passed a master (restri cted) exam or any other hi gher navigating officer exam before 2003 or a master (home trade) exam before 2009, you can still be issued with a new STCW certifi- cate, but your certificate of competency will be furnis hed with an endorsement stating that it will not be possible to use the certificate on ships fitted with ECDIS after 31 December 2016. Thus, it will still be possible to serve on these ECDI S ships until 31 December 2016 in accordance with the current provisions. At the same time, the relevant shippi ng company must be able to prove that the necessary instructions and training in the ship's ECDIS equipment have been given to navigating officers using the equipment.
You will not have any limitations on your certificate if, in connection with your application for a new STCW certificate, you enclose proof that you have already completed an ECDIS course when applying for a certificate of competency. The course certificate must have a relevant reference to the STCW Convention.
It is still possible to be issued with a certificate of proficiency in sailing for merchant ships or a certificate as a second hand without any ECDIS training.
Certificates of competency for engineer officers
There are also minor changes to the competency requi rements for engineer officers in relation to electrotechnical competences. In this connection, it is decisive that you have initiated your engineer officer training programme after June 2003.
If you have initiated training for a ship's engineer officer in June 2003 or later, it will be possible for you to immediately be issued with a certificate of competency with an endorsement stating that you meet the new requirements for electro-technical competences (chapter III/6 of the STCW Convention). If you have initiated training before June 2003 to be issued with a certificate of competency as a ship's engineer officer, the electro-technical competences can be given when it is issued on the basis of completed training as a mechanist initiated in 2013.
In the future, you can be issued with a certificate as a watchkeeping engineer officer if you have passed the engineer officer training programme. When you have served as an engineer officer for 12 months, you can be issued with a certificate as a ship's engineer officer, 1st class. Thus, it is not sufficient to have completed engine service as, for example, a junior officer or any other service as a rating on board.
In the future, certificates as a ship's engineer officer, 2nd class, will not be issued. If you have had such a certificate, you can however still be issued with a copy or re-acquire your certificate as a ship's engineer officer, 2nd class.
Renewal of new certificates of competency issued in accordance with STCW 2010 You must observe that, when you are to renew your new STCW certificate (STCW 2010), you must have maintained your competences in basic maritime safety and fire-fighting. During 2014, the Danish Maritime Authority will issue an order describing the requirements for the maintenance of these competences.
Certificates of competency for service in fishing vessels
Since Denmark has already implemented the STCW-F Convention, there will not be any changed training requirements for being issued with the new certificates of competency for service in fishing vessels. If you hold a certificate as a navigating officer in fishing vessels, your new certificate of competency will be furnished with an endorsement stating that you meet the requirements of the STCW-F Convention. If you have a certificate of competency that is still valid, it need not be replaced. However, it can be an advantage to have a new certificate is you intend to work on board foreign fishing vessels. Engineer officers in fishing vessels can, as previously, be issued with certificates of competency with references to the STCW Convention, cf. above.
Danish Maritime Authority press release