For those listed below, who are either currently serving in the RAN, or have left the RAN, we may recognise qualifying sea service towards an International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978 as amended (STCW) master, deck or engineer certificate of competency (provided certain requirements are fulfilled such as vessel size, engine power, etc.):
- RAN Ratings (specialist seaman department)
- RAN Maritime Warfare Officers (Maritime Warfare department)
- RAN Leading Seamen, Petty Officers, Chief Petty Officers or Warrant Officers (Marine Engineering or Electrical Technical department).
Our requirements are set out in:
- Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014
- Marine Order 71 (Masters and deck officers) 2023
- Marine Order 72 (Engineer officers) 2014
- Marine Order 73 (Ratings) 2014
- Marine Order 74 (Masters and deck officers – yachts) 2015
The above Marine Orders give effect to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978 as amended (STCW).
In determining equivalence in service from section 20 of Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014 and equivalence in training section 21 of Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014, AMSA has thoroughly investigated RAN training schemes and identified gaps to be completed for the purpose of issuing a certificate of competency in accordance with STCW.
Qualifying sea service
Fully documented seagoing service as a rating or Maritime Warfare Officer in the maritime warfare department or Leading Seaman, Petty Officer, Chief Petty Officer and Warrant Officer in the marine engineering or electrical department of the RAN, on RAN vessels, may be accepted as qualifying sea service for the purpose of qualifying for a STCW certificate of competency.
You must provide evidence to support the RAN sea service you are asking us to recognise and may include PMKeyS printouts and other documentation to support your sea service assessment. We reserve the right to request further evidence of qualifying sea service if required. We may also discount all or part of the sea service if it is considered of little or no relevance to the certificate being applied for.
If you believe you have sufficient qualifying sea service for a STCW certificate you should, in the first instance, have your qualifying sea service formally assessed by AMSA. To apply for a qualifying sea service assessment, you should complete form AMSA419 and lodge it at a participating Australia Post retail outlet .
At the time of lodgement, you will be asked to pay a fee for the qualifying sea service assessment.
Qualifying sea service limiting factors
1. Once you have gained your first STCW certificate of competency, qualifying sea service required for future STCW certificates will be accrued from the date of issue of your first STCW certificate of competency (i.e. sea service gained when serving in the RAN and prior to the issue of your first STCW certificate will not be accepted for your second and subsequent STCW certificates). However, we will accept qualifying sea service accrued on RAN vessels after the issue of your first STCW certificate of competency if you remain serving within the RAN.
2. Qualifying sea service on a RAN vessel may be recognised when the vessel is underway for:
- At least two-thirds or more of the RAN posting—the posting being the whole period the person was posted to that vessel—accepted in full; or
- Less than two-thirds of the RAN posting—the actual period underway plus 50 per cent of that period.
Submarine qualifying sea service
Engineer certificates: fully documented qualifying sea service on RAN submarines may be accepted in full towards an engineer certificate of competency.
Master and deck certificates: fully documented qualifying sea service on RAN submarines may be accepted towards a Master or deck certificate of competency as follows:
- Watchkeeper deck (STCW Reg. II/1) - a maximum of four and a half months (i.e. 25%) of the required 18 months qualifying sea service.
- Chief mate (STCW Reg. II/2) - a maximum of three months (i.e. 25%) of the required 12 months qualifying sea service since holding STCW Watchkeeper deck or RAN Bridge Warfare Certificate and RAN Navigation Watchkeeping Certificate.
- Master less than 3000 GT or Master (STCW Reg. II/2) - a total maximum of nine months (i.e. 25%) of the required 36 months sea service since holding STCW Watchkeeper deck or RAN Bridge Warfare Certificate and RAN Navigation Watchkeeping Certificate
Ratings
The sea service of ratings who have served in the specialist seaman department (for example Boatswain category) of the RAN, on RAN vessels, may be recognised as sea service towards obtaining a certificate of competency as Watchkeeper deck.
Maritime Warfare Officer
The sea service of a Maritime Warfare Officer in the Maritime Warfare department of the RAN, on RAN vessels, may be recognised as qualifying sea service towards obtaining a certificate of competency as Watchkeeper deck. Chief mate, Master less than 3000 GT or Master.
Leading Seaman, Petty Officer, Chief Petty Officer and Warrant Officer (Marine Engineering or Electrical Technical)
The sea service of Leading Seamen, Petty Officers, Chief Petty Officers and Warrant Officers who have served in the Marine Engineering or Electrical Technical department of the RAN, on RAN vessels may be recognised as qualifying sea service towards obtaining a certificate of competency as Engineer Watchkeeper, Engineer class 2 or Engineer class 1.
Note: Applications for sea service assessments, recognition of qualifying sea service and recognition of training from personnel who have served or are serving in foreign navies will not be accepted or considered by AMSA and should be referred to the maritime administration of that country. For this reason, AMSA will not enter into dialogue to discuss this matter with you.