More AMSA Certificates issued in 2024
(update 19 12 24)
The numbers of current holders of valid AMSA Certificates of Competency have increased over the last two years. For the last three years AMSA has released to industry the statistics about the Certificates that they produce each year. The third year of statistics has just been released and they reveal an encouraging trend. The numbers of Certificates issued has increased for the second year running.
For Engineers the numbers are particularly positive. In December 2024 there are 1,712 Engineers with STCW level Certificates of Competency issued by AMSA. This is up from 1,557 in 2023 and 1,435 in 2022. So, there has been an increase of 277 Australian Marine Engineers with current Certificates over the last two years.
The explanation is most likely that many Engineers who dropped out of the industry in the 2013-2019 period have re-entered the industry in response to the strong demand for seafarers in recent times.
Breaking down the STCW Certificates issued by AMSA as at December 2024 they are
Engineer Class 1 796
Engineer Class 2 527
Engineer Watchkeeper 516
Electro Technical Officer 133
The adds up to 1,972 which is 260 more than the number of Certificate holders. The discrepancy reflects the fact that some people hold more than one Certificate. For example, quite a few Class 1 holders also hold an ETO Certificate. Some members also hold different levels of Motor and Steam Certificates e.g. Class 1 Motor & Watchkeeper Steam.
In the DCV/Near Coastal sector the number of Engineer & Engine Driver Certificates has also increased over the last two years from 11,822 to 12,704. An increase of 882
Breaking this down, the DCV Near Coastal Certificates issued by AMSA as at December 2024 are:
Engineer Class 3 726
MED 1 1,201
MED 2 7,974
MED 3 3,234
It is likely that a very large proportion of the MED 2 and MED 3 Certificates in particular are held by Deck Officers operating smaller vessels. The number of EC3 NC is down from 759 in 2022 and 736 in 2023.
AIMPE has urged AMSA to include its seafarer Certificate of Competency statistics in its Annual Report each year to ensure widespread dissemination of this information. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has published figures of licenced aviation professional for many years. Ensuring the personnel in the industry are properly trained must be a key responsibility of a transport safety regulator and reporting on performance of that indicator is a pretty fundamental obligation. AIMPE will continue to push on this issue.
The full report from AMSA can be found here:
Seafarer Certification Statistics December 2024
Martin Byrne
AMSA Guidance Notices
(update 27 05 24)
AMSA has 4 Guidance Notices covering the Marine Engineer STCW level Certificates of Competency.
Here are the four Notices:
seafarer-certification-guidance Engineer Class 1
seafarer-certification-guidance Engineer Class 2
seafarer-certification-guidance Engineer Watchkeeper
seafarer-certification-guidance Electro Technical Officer
AMSA also has 4 Guidance Notices covering the Marine Engineering DCV level Certificates of Competency.
Here are the four Notices:
guidance-notice-for-Engineer Class 3 Near Coastal.pdf
guidance-notice-for-Marine Engine Driver grade 1 Near Coastal
guidance-notice-for-Marine Engine Driver Grade 2 Near Coastal
guidance-notice-for Marine Engine Driver Grade 3 Near Coastal
New Entrants
If you are interested in how to become a Marine Engineer click here:
And you could end up here.......
inspecting the main engine of a vessel like the Lowlands Brilliance
Revalidation Short Course Requirements
Clarification
Revalidation of a Certificate of Competency requires appropriate sea-service of:-
a. 12 months in total during the preceding 5 years before application, or
b. 3 months in total during the preceding 6 months prior to revalidating,
or one of the alternative options set out in Schedule 4 of Marine Order 72 (Marine Engineers).
However, even if meeting the above, you must in addition each time you Revalidate (i.e. at 5 yearly intervals) provide evidence of the following:-
1) Security Awareness (STCW Code A-VI/6-1), [AIMPE Note: if you have proof of completing this anytime previously you DO NOT have to do this again] and
2) Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats (STCW Code A-VI/2-1), [AIMPE Note: if you have proof of completing this anytime previously you DO NOT have to do the full course again, but MUST do a Refresher Course] and
3) Advanced Fire Fighting (STCW Code A-V1/3) [AIMPE Note: if you have proof of completing this anytime previously you DO NOT have to do the full course again, but MUST do a Refresher Course].
We understand that most colleges have arrangements to provide the Refresher Course for item 2) Survival & item 3) Advanced Fire in a combined 2-day course.
As to members’ enquiries about continued validity of their Medical First Aid Certificate, the second column on page 3 of AMSA “Fact Sheet STCW-06” deals with this by advising as follows:-
Validity Period for First Aid, Medical First Aid, Medical Care certificates issued under STCW
There is no STCW requirement for revalidation of first
aid, medical first aid, and medical care certificates issued
under STCW. However Maritime Labour Convention 2006,
Regulation 4.1, Guideline B4.1 Medical care on board ship
and ashore states:
“3. Persons referred to in paragraph 1 of this guideline
and any such other seafarers as may be required by the
competent authority should undergo, at approximately
five-year intervals, refresher courses to enable them to
maintain and increase their knowledge and skills and to
keep up-to-date with new developments.”
In view of this Guideline, maritime shipping companies
should determine whether it is necessary to maintain
currency of their certificate.
But as you can see those quoted words are text from the MLC, NOT the STCW, so are not an STCW requirement and, so far, are not reflected in Marine Orders.
Accordingly the legal position is that your Medical First Aid Certificate, once achieved, remains valid.
I hope this assists members.
Henning Christiansen,
Director Professional Development,
AIMPE.
Marine Orders Part 72
In 2012 AIMPE fought against a proposal to introduce a revised Marine Order Part 3 relating to Marine Qualifications.
AIMPE saw the proposal as a threat to the standards of Marine Engineer Qualifications. The draft MO3 would have removed vital pre-requisites, reduced the length of training dramatically and eliminated the important final standard assurance measure of the Oral examination.
AIMPE lobbied hard across the Federal Parliament - and remember in 2012 the Federal Government (ALP) was a minority government.
With support from key cross bench MPs AIMPE was believed the numbers were there to defeat the proposed MO3 on the floor of the House of Representatives. The government believed it too and they withdrew the proposed MO3.
Subsequently in 2013 AIMPE proposed a separate Marine Engineers Qualifications Bill - see below for details. Ultimately this was not passed by the Parliament.
However in 2014 a different proposal was brought forward by the new Federal Government (L-NP) which restored a separate Marine Order for Marine Engineer Qualifications. The new Marine Order 72 delivered what AIMPE had been fighting for - a separate regulation and it also maintained all of the key elements of the training requirements which AIMPE had argued remained vital. MO72 can be found at:
MO72-issue-140220Z.pdf (107.15 KB)