Guidance Notes for Merchant Applications (Deck Department).
Contents:
General Sea Service
Acceptable Sea Service Evidence
Please click on the relevant certificate below:
| Regulation | Certificate | Limitation |
| II/1 | Officer of the Watch | Unlimited |
| II/2 | Chief Mate | Unlimited |
| II/2 | Master | Unlimited |
Application form MSF 4274
List of fees
General Sea Service must be performed in an acceptable deck capacity. At least 6 months of the qualifying service must have been performed within the 5 years preceding the application. Sea service should be performed on merchant ships of at least 24 metres in length or not less than 80gt proceeding to sea.
Sea service on a specialised ship may require further written confirmation from the shipping company with regards to the conditions set out in MGN 92 Table 4.
Sea service is calculated from the date of engagement to the date of discharge.
Watchkeeping Service is Actual Sea Service spent as a Watchkeeping Officer in full charge of navigational watch (or supervised watchkeeping if applying for Officer of the Watch) for no less than eight hours out of every 24 hours whilst the vessel is engaged on a voyage.
Acceptable Sea Service Evidence
To apply for each certificate we require 2 forms of evidence supporting your application. We require a discharge book or certificates of discharge AND sea service testimonials. Sea service testimonials are issued at the end of your term of service and signed by the captain. Your discharge book and sea service testimonials should be appropriately signed and stamped with the ship/company stamp. Applicants sailing in the capacity of Master will be required to have the testimonials signed by a responsible company official (MGN 91, section 6.1.3)
Note: Evidence of sea service must be ORIGINAL documents, copies will not be accepted. If you do not supply sufficient evidence of sea service as stated above your application will be delayed until acceptable evidence is submitted. Please apply in good time before you intend to take any set written examinations. We aim to process an NOE application within 28 days of receipt of application. Note; Postage time as it is not considered in the 28 days. If an application is incomplete it may be considerably longer before your NOE is issued.
Certificate of discharge pro forma can be found in MGN 123 Appendix 1
Testimonial pro forma can be found in MGN 91 Appendix 1A for Deck Cadets and 1B for Officer of the Watch and Chief Mate.
Officer of the Watch Unlimited
VQ Route (VQ Level 3)
This route is now closed to new applicants.
Exam Route
36 months sea time including at least 6 months supervised bridge watch keeping. Bridge watchkeeping must be completed within your last 12 months of sea service.
Foundation Degree Route (FD)
12 months sea time including at least 6 months supervised bridge watch keeping. Bridge watchkeeping must be completed within your last 12 months of sea time. Seafarers will need to submit their MNTB Training Record Book for MCA approval and also a letter from the training college confirming that the applicant is following the FD route to certification.
Exam Route
18 months 'Watchkeeping Service' since qualifying for the Officer of the Watch unlimited CoC.
Foundation Degree Route
Further information will follow.
Exam Route
18 months Watchkeeping Servcie' since qualifying for the Chief Mate unlimited CoC.
If you have any questions regarding you sea service or the requirements please contact deck@mcga.gov.uk