Chief mate

To obtain this certificate, you need to:

Provide proof of medical fitness

Prior to the initial issue of a Certificate of competency you must obtain a Certificate of medical fitness in Australia.

The medical examination can be organised by contacting Sonic HealthPlus. We strongly recommend that you complete the medical examination before you commence training to ensure that you are medically fit for a seagoing career.

To book a medical examination, you can:

• Call toll free: 1300 763 822
• Email: seafarermedicals@sonichealthplus.com.au

Read more about medical fitness.

Complete training courses

You will need to complete these courses:

• Chief mate
• Basic safety training, including security awareness training
• Advanced firefighting
• Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats
• Medical care on board ships.

These courses must be completed with an approved training organisation.

All of the certificates and training you complete and provide evidence of must comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

Provide evidence of sea service

Chief mate certificate

You will need to provide evidence that you have completed 12 months sea service in charge of navigation watch on ships greater than or equal to 500 gross tonnage. This service must have been completed on voyages of at least 24 hours duration while holding one of the following:

• Watchkeeper deck
• Master less than 500 gross tonnage
• Master less than 3000 gross tonnage
• Chief mate less than 3000 gross tonnage
• A foreign certificate we consider equivalent.

How to apply for sea service assessment

You will need to complete this sea service and then submit a Seafarer form 419 to us so we can assess your sea service and issue you with an AMSA assessment letter. This letter is the evidence you need to prove that you have met the sea service requirements for your qualification. This letter will also instruct you to complete your oral examination.

Oral Examination

Once you have been assessed and issued with an assessment letter you will need to book and successfully pass an oral examination. Read more about booking an oral examination.

Additional requirements

You will need to hold one of the following valid certificates:

• GMDSS radio operators certificate
• GMDSS certificate of recognition.

How to apply

You will need to lodge a formal application using the Seafarer form 419.

Lodging from within Australia

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419, attach all required supporting documents and lodge it at a participating Australia Post retail outlet.

You will need to pay the fees for your application at the post office at the time of lodgement.

Lodging from overseas

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419, attach all required supporting documents including a colour passport-style photograph and send the paperwork to us by email to STCW.applications@amsa.gov.au. When we receive your email, we will let you know how to pay the fee for your application via AMSA online portal.

What do I need to do?

To revalidate your certificate, you need to:

Provide proof of medical fitness

You will need to provide evidence that you are medically fit to perform duties in the capacity of a Chief mate.

To revalidate your current certificate you will need an AMSA medical completed on form 303. If this form is completed outside Australia it must be completed in a country that holds an agreement with us.

Obtain a Certificate of medical fitness in Australia

You can organise a medical examination by contacting Sonic HealthPlus.

To book a medical examination, you can:

• Call toll free: 1300 763 822
• Email: seafarermedicals@sonichealthplus.com.au

Obtain a Certificate of medical fitness from overseas

We will accept a Certificate of medical fitness completed in a country we have an agreement with for revalidation purposes.

You will need to print the relevant medical paperwork and make an appointment with a medical examiner. The medical examiner must be approved by the administration of the country which has an agreement with us.

Read more about medical fitness.

Provide evidence of sea service

You will need to provide evidence that you have completed sea service performing functions for your current certificate for either:

• At least 12 months in total during the preceding 5 years before application
• 3 months in total during the preceding 6 months prior to revalidating.

All submitted sea service must be documented qualifying sea service. Read more about sea service.

Complete training courses

All certificates and training must comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

If you are revalidating your certificate and you are an overseas permanent resident, some STCW short courses may be completed in a country we have an agreement with.

If you are serving on an ECDIS equipped ship, you will need to hold an ECDIS endorsement.

With required sea service

If you already have the required sea service, you will need to:

• Obtain a letter(s) from your employer(s) confirming:
  • sea service
  • your participation in the mandatory abandon ship and fire drills required by SOLAS
  • your participation in scheduled drills required by the on board Safety Management System (see sample template).
• Keep the original of this letter and send us a copy with your application.
• Complete continued competence training for the STCW short courses in Advanced firefighting and Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats in the previous 5 years.

These continued competence training courses are valid for up to 5 years.

It is a requirement of the STCW Code that seafarers, every five years, provide evidence of having maintained the required standards of competence in firefighting and sea survival at the appropriate level, as well as fast rescue boats. Currently AMSA considers this requirement as one of the criteria for issue or revalidation of an Australian seafarer certificate issued under the Navigation Act, as specified in the Marine Order 70 series. In the case of revalidation, this is considered every five years. An Australian seafarer certificate will not lapse or expire if, during the five-year period of the certificate’s validity, STCW training has not been maintained by the seafarer. 

However, AMSA nonetheless strongly recommends seafarers maintain the currency of their STCW Code training over the life of their Australian seafarer certificate, as this is often enforced by foreign Administrations and companies operating foreign flagged vessels. This simply means that seafarers need to be conscious of the period that has elapsed since they last completed STCW Code training requirements and ensure they renew their training five years from this date, even if the five year period does not coincide with the renewal date of their Australian seafarer certificate. 

Without required sea service

If you do not have the required sea service, you will need to complete the full STCW short courses in:

• Advanced firefighting
• Survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats.

You will also need to complete one of the following options:

• Complete an approved revalidation course for your certificate within 5 years before applying to revalidate your certificate.
• Complete an oral examination.
• Perform duties and functions that we consider at least equivalent to sea service.

Read more about approved training organisations and revalidating your current certificate.

Additional requirements

You will need to hold one of the following valid certificates:

• GMDSS radio operators certificate
• GMDSS certificate of recognition

How to apply

You will need to lodge a formal application using the Seafarer form 419.

Lodging from within Australia

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419, attach all required supporting documents and lodge it at a participating Australia Post retail outlet.

You will need to pay the fees for your application at the post office at the time of lodgement.

Lodging from overseas

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419, attach all required supporting documents including a colour passport-style photograph and send the paperwork to us by email to STCW.applications@amsa.gov.au. When we receive your email, we will let you know how to pay the fee for your application via AMSA online portal.

Endorsed Master less than 3000 gross tonnage near coastal and Master less than 500 gross tonnage

You will need to provide evidence that you have completed one of the following options:

Option 1

You will need to complete 36 months sea service as an officer in charge of a navigation watch on ships greater than or equal to 24 metres, of which at least 24 months was served on voyages of at least 24 hour duration. You must have held one of the following certificates: 

• Unrestricted Master less than 35 metres NC competency
• Mate less than 500 GT certificate of competency
• Chief mate certificate of competency
• Chief mate less than 3000 gross tonnage certificate of competency
• Master less than 500 gross tonnage certificate of competency
• Watchkeeper deck certificate of competency
• Watchkeeper deck less than 500 gross tonnage certificate of competency (with Watchkeeper deck less than 3000 gross tonnage near coastal endorsement)
• Any other certificate we consider equivalent.

Option 2

You will need to complete at least 24 months documented qualifying sea service in charge of a navigation watch on ships greater than or equal to 24 metres.

Of this 24 months, at least 16 months must have been served on voyages of at least 24 hour duration.

Of this 24 months, at least 12 months must have been served on vessels as Master or Chief mate, while holding one of the following certificates:

• Chief mate certificate of competency
• Chief mate less than 3000 gross tonnage certificate of competency
• Master less than 500 gross tonnage certificate of competency
• Mate less than 500 gross tonnage certificate of competency.