Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)
This course enables seafarers to demonstrate continued competence ashore in sea survival and firefighting with sea service in the preceding 5 years.
This procedure sets out AMSA’s requirements for Registered training organisations delivering appropriate STCW courses which enable seafarers with sea service in the preceding 5 years to demonstrate continued competence ashore in sea survival and fire fighting.
The International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978, as amended (STCW) requires serving seafarers to demonstrate continued competence every five years in fire fighting and sea survival to maintain the validity of their certificate. Failure to do this means that the seafarer certificate of competency becomes invalid. The relevant Sections in the STCW Code permit AMSA to accept on-board training and experience for maintaining some of the competencies as listed in the relevant Table on the following pages.
It is the responsibility of the seafarer to ensure that the continued competence training remains valid while serving on a vessel.
To demonstrate the necessary on-board training and experience, the seafarer is required to obtain a letter from their employer stating that they have participated in training on- board, including mandatory fire and abandon ship drills.
In addition, some of the competencies cannot be completed through onboard training and must be completed ashore at an AMSA approved college. This is in addition to the mandatory qualifying sea service revalidation requirements for Masters and Deck and Engineer officers.
While the STCW Convention and Code do not specify any qualifying sea service to revalidate a Certificate of proficiency as Rating (Deck or Engine) or Certificate of safety training, the following are the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) requirements which vary for different certificates issued by AMSA. They can be categorised into 3 groups:
Masters, and Deck and Engineer Officers who have not met revalidation qualifying sea service requirements in the preceding 5 years will have to meet AMSA approved full revalidation course requirements.
To revalidate a certificate from 1 January 2014 all seafarers are required to satisfy the Security awareness training requirements specified in STCW Regulation VI/6 and STCW Code Section A-VI/6 paragraph 4.
The tables on the following pages set out the competence levels and methods for demonstrating competence in each of the above three groups.
AMSA anticipates that the nominal hours for the following shore based component of the practical fire fighting training will take at least 5 hours to complete.
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Minimise the risk of fire and maintain a state of readiness to respond to emergency situations involving fire |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction or attendance at an approved course |
Fight and extinguish fires |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction or during attendance at an approved course, including practical demonstration in spaces which provide truly realistic conditions—for example simulated shipboard conditions—and, whenever possible and practical, in darkness, of the ability to:
|
AMSA anticipates that the nominal hours for the following shore based component of the practical sea survival training will take at least 3 hours to complete.
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction or during attendance at an approved course or approved in-service experience and examination, including practical demonstration of competence to:
|
AMSA anticipates that the nominal hours for the following shore based component of the practical fire fighting training will take at least 5 hours to complete.
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Minimise the risk of fire and maintain a state of readiness to respond to emergency situations involving fire |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction or attendance at an approved course. |
Fight and extinguish fires |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction or during attendance at an approved course, including practical demonstration in spaces which provide truly realistic conditions—for example simulated shipboard conditions—and, whenever possible and practical, in darkness, of the ability to:
|
AMSA anticipates that the nominal hours for the following two shore based components of the practical sea survival training (Tables A-VI/1-1 and A-VI/2-1) will take at least 6 hours to complete. Both components must be included in the Sea Survival course.
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction or during attendance at an approved course or approved in-service experience and examination, including practical demonstration of competence to :
|
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Take charge of a survival craft or rescue boat during and after launch |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to:
|
Use locating devices including communication and signalling apparatus and pyrotechnics |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to:
|
** Note: The practical training in off-load and on-load release devices must use an AMSA approved off-load and on-load release simulator.
AMSA anticipates that the nominal hours for the following two shore based component of the practical and theoretical fire fighting training (Tables A-VI/1-2 and VI/3) will take at least 8 hours to complete. Both components must be included in the Firefighting course.
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Minimise the risk of fire and maintain a state of readiness to respond to emergency situations involving fire |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction OR attendance at an approved course. |
Fight and extinguish fires |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction OR during attendance at an approved course, including practical demonstration in spaces which provide truly realistic conditions (e.g. simulated shipboard conditions) and, whenever possible and practical, in darkness, of the ability to:
|
Competence |
Knowledge, understanding and proficiency |
---|---|
Control fire-fighting operations aboard ships |
Use of water for fire extinguishing, the effects on ship stability, precautions and corrective procedures. |
Organise and train fire parties |
Preparation of contingency plans. |
Inspect and service fire-detection and fire-extinguishing systems and equipment |
Fire detection systems; fixed fire-extinguishing systems; portable and mobile fire- extinguishing equipment, including appliances, pumps and rescue, salvage, life-support. |
Investigate and compile reports on incidents involving fire |
Assessment of cause of incidents involving fire.
|
We anticipate that the nominal hours for the following two shore based component of the practical sea survival training (Tables A-VI/1-1 and A-VI/2-1) will take at least 6 hours to complete. Both components must be included in the Sea Survival Course.
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment |
Assessment of evidence obtained from approved instruction or during attendance at an approved course or approved in-service experience and examination, including practical demonstration of competence to:
|
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Take charge of a survival craft or rescue boat during and after launch |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to:
|
Use locating devices including communication and signalling apparatus and pyrotechnics |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to: |
The practical training in off-load and on-load release devices must use an AMSA approved off-load and on-load release simulator.
AMSA anticipates that the nominal hours for the following shore based component of the practical fast rescue boat training will take at least 6 hours to complete.
Competence |
Methods for demonstrating competence |
---|---|
Understand the construction, maintenance, repair and outfitting of fast rescue boats |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical instruction |
Take charge of the launching equipment and appliance as commonly fitted, during launching and recovery |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to control safe launching and recovery of a fast rescue boat, with equipment as fitted |
Take charge of a fast rescue boat as commonly fitted, during launching and recovery |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to conduct safe launching and recovery of a fast rescue boat, with equipment as fitted |
Take charge of a fast rescue boat after launching |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to:
|
Operate a Fast Rescue Boat Engine |
Assessment of evidence obtained from practical demonstration of ability to start and operate a fast rescue boat engine |