Exemption 17—Marine Safety (Great Barrier Reef Region and Torres Strait zone)

You do not need to apply to us for this exemption. 

You need to keep all the supporting documents on board and ready to be presented to authorities if required.

What this exemption allows you to do 

Exemption 17 allows you perform duties of a master or crew member without the certificate of competency that would otherwise be required for particular operations.

This exemption does not allow a vessel to be operated outside the operational area specified on the certificate of operation.

Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait zone 

If you hold a Master less than 35 metres, or less than 45 metres near coastal certificate of competency, you may be master or chief mate of a vessel that is 35 metres or longer and less than 80 metres long.  The vessel must be surveyed to service category 1C, 2C or be operating as a fishing vessel and surveyed to service category 3C. 

If you hold at least a Master less than 24 metres near coastal certificate of competency, you may be the chief mate of a vessel that is 35 metres or longer, and less than 80 metres long.  The vessel must be surveyed to service category 1C, 2C or be operating as a fishing vessel and surveyed to service category 3C.

Great Barrier Reef

If you hold a Coxswain Grade 1 or 2 NC certificate of competency, you may be the master of a vessel surveyed to service category 1D, 1E, 2D or 2E operating from a 1E pontoon, where the vessel stays within sight of and capable of communicating with the pontoon. 

Queensland

If you hold a Coxswain Grade 1 or 2 NC certificate of competency, you may be the master of a vessel surveyed to service category 1D, 1E, 2D or 2E that is operating from an island and that remains in sight of, and capable of, communicating with the island.

Legislation and incorporated material

• Marine Order 505 (Certificates of competency—national law)
• National Standard for Commercial Vessels 

Related information 

• Domestic qualifications
• Vessel classes and service categories
• Tenders and auxiliary vessels

Superseded

• Exemption 17 – In force 1 July 2020 – 1 January 2023 PDF68.05 KB
• Exemption 17 – In force 1 February 2018 – 30 June 2020 PDF195.35 KB
• Exemption 17 – In force 12 January 2015 – 31 January 2018 PDF141.71 KB
• Exemption 17 - In force 8 April 2014 – 11 January 2015 PDF40.04 KB
• Exemption 17 - In force 1 July 2013 – 7 April 2014 PDF39.78 KB