MARINE GUIDANCE NOTE
MGN 214 (M)
TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION GUIDANCE - PART 4
Certificates of Competency - Radio Personnel
Notice to Owners and Masters of Merchant Vessels and those concerned with Maritime Training.
This Note supersedes Marine Guidance Note MGN 94 (M)) and should be read in conjunction with Merchant Shipping Notice No MSN 1692 (M) (or subsequent amendments).
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Summary This Marine Guidance Note (MGN) is part of a series which gives guidance regarding the application of the Merchant Shipping (Training and Certification) Regulations 19971. (as amended). In order for the guidance to be easy to use and to keep up-to-date, the individual Parts will retain the same Part number but the MGN number may change if and when revisions are necessary. The front sheet of any revised Part will list the latest MGN numbers. Any reference to “Part” in this Note relates to this series of Guidance Notes as listed below. Key Point This Part gives revised information and guidance regarding the certification of radio personnel. |
LATEST INDEX TO PARTS
Part No. |
Subject |
Latest MGN Number |
Issue Date |
|
1 |
General requirements for certification and medical fitness | MGN 91 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
2 |
Certificates of competency - deck department | MGN 92 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
3 |
Certificates of competency - engine department | MGN 93 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
4 |
Certificates of competency - radio personnel | MGN 94 (M) |
May 2002 |
|
5 |
Special training requirements for personnel on certain types of ship | MGN 95 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
6 |
Emergency, occupational safety, medical care and survival functions | MGN 96(M) |
April 2000 |
|
7 |
Alternative certification - dual certification | MGN 7 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
8 |
Education and training schemes | MGN 8 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
9 |
Procedure for the issue and revalidation of certificates of competency, marine engine operator licences and tanker endorsements. | MGN 9 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
10 |
Ratings | MGN 97 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
11 |
Conduct of MCA oral examinations | MGN 69 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
12 |
Safety training for concessionaires working on passenger ships | MGN 120 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
13 |
Use of fishing vessel certificates of competency in standby, seismic survey, and oceanographic research vessels – revised arrangements | MGN 121 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
14 |
STCW 95 application to certificates of service | MGN 116 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
15 |
Certification of inshore tug personnel | MGN 117 (M) |
April 2000 |
|
16 |
Certification of inshore craft personnel (other than tugs) | MGN 126(M) |
November 2000 |
|
17 |
Certificates of competency or marine engine operator licences for service as an engineer officer on commercially and privately operated yachts and sail training vessels | MGN 156 (M) |
February 2001 |
|
18 |
STCW 95 certificates of competency - conversion of tonnage limitations from GRT to gt | MGN 164 (M) |
January 2001 |
|
19 |
Certificates of equivalent competency | MGN 179 (M) |
May 2001 |
|
20 |
Certificates of equivalent competency (Fishing Vessel) | MGN 204 (M) |
March 2002 |
|
21 |
Deck officer certificates of Competency for service on commercially & privately operated yachts & sail training vessels | MGN 195 (M) |
February 2002 |
Seafarer Training and Certification Branch Tel 023 80 329231 May 2002 MC 124/1/23 |
|
All references to “Parts” in this document are to other Parts of this series of Training and Certification Guidance Notes
CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY – RADIO PERSONNEL
1.0 Introduction
1.1 The Merchant Shipping (Training and Certification) Regulations 1997, as amended (the Regulations), implement in the United Kingdom some of the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended in 1995 (STCW 95).
1.2 Regulation 9 of the Regulations prescribes the mandatory minimum requirements for certification of radio personnel appointed for distress and safety radiocommunication purposes in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 19982 (hereafter known as the Radio Regulations). The Radio Regulations implement in the United Kingdom, Chapter IV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS).
2.0 Certification requirements
2.1 All radio personnel serving on United Kingdom registered ships, in accordance with the Radio Regulations, must reach the required vocational and academic standards as specified in STCW Code A-IV/2 and hold one of the following suitably endorsed radio certificates of competency:
.1 a Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC); or
.2 a General Operator’s Certificate (GOC).
2.2 In addition, all radio personnel, and Electro Technical Officers (ETOs) must undertake some ancillary training, as specified in STCW Code A-VI and listed below in paragraph 3.2.
2.3 In accordance with Regulation IV/1 of STCW 95, with effect from 1 February 2002, every officer in charge of a navigational watch should be in possession of an appropriate radio operator’s certificate i.e. at least a ROC. For operation outside Sea Area A1, every vessel is required to carry at least one GOC holder.
2.4 A United Kingdom GOC or ROC is obtained following examination by the MCA appointed examination body the Association of Marine Electronics and Radio Colleges (AMERC). Further information on the examinations is available from:
AMERC
National Administration Centre
PO Box 4
Ambleside
Cumbria LA22 0BE
Phone: 01539 440218 – Fax: 01539 440219
3.0 STCW 95 endorsement
3.1 In order to comply with the requirements of STCW 95, all GOC/ROC certificates must be endorsed by the MCA. Applications for endorsement should be made to:
Seafarer Training and Certification Branch
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
Tel: 023 8032 9136
Fax: 023 8032 9252
3.2 Any application for a STCW 95 endorsement must include the following:
.1 the original GOC or ROC;
.2 a valid Medical Certificate;
.3 evidence that the ancillary requirements listed below have been met.
3.3 Holders of deck and engineer certificates of competency will not be required to produce evidence of the ancillary requirements listed above by virtue of the training undertaken to obtain their certificates of competency.
3.4 Electro Technical Officers must hold a valid medical fitness certificate and evidence that the ancillary requirements listed in 3.3 above have been met.
4.0 Revalidation
4.1 An endorsement given for a United Kingdom GOC and ROC must be revalidated by the MCA at intervals not exceeding 5 years, in accordance with Reg I/11 of STCW 95, to qualify for sea-going service.
4.2 Applications for revalidation should be sent to the MCA address given in paragraph 3.1 above, together with the following:
.1 the original GOC or ROC;
.2 proof of service performing functions appropriate to the certificate held, for a period of at least one year in total during the previous 5 years; and;
.3 a valid Medical Certificate.
5.0 Training for maintenance of GMDSS installations
5.1 To ensure the availability of radio equipment, as required by Chapter IV of SOLAS 74, Regulation 18 of the Radio Regulations and Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1692 (M) make provision for the use of ‘at-sea electronic maintenance capability’.
5.2 The person designated to perform at-sea electronic maintenance is required to hold an appropriate certificate as specified by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Radio Regulations, and as referred to in STCW Code B-I/IV, or have equivalent at-sea electronic maintenance qualifications. Further information and details on suitable training courses may be obtained from AMERC at the address given in paragraph 2.4 above.
6.0 Further advice
6.1 Further information is available from the MCA at the address given at paragraph 3.1.
