No. 53 - Officers' Competency Certificates, 1936

Provisions

• No person shall carry out the duties of master or skipper, navigating officer in charge of a watch, chief engineer or engineer officer in charge of a watch, unless he or she holds the appropriate certificate of competency.
• The certificate must be issued or approved by the public authority of the territory where the vessel is registered.
• The certificate may be awarded only to people who meet certain conditions in terms of minimum age, experience and examinations.
• Enforcement measures must be set in place and must include the maintenance of an efficient inspection system.

Administered by

Maritime New Zealand

• Maritime Transport Act 1994
• Maritime Rules Part 31A - Crewing and Watchkeeping - Unlimited, Offshore and Coastal (Non-Fishing Vessels)
• Maritime Rules Part 31B - Crewing and Watchkeeping - Offshore, Coastal and Restricted (Non-Fishing Vessels)
• Maritime Rules Part 31C - Crewing and Watchkeeping - Fishing Vessels
• Maritime Rules Part 32 -Qualifications and Amendments 1 and 2

How New Zealand implements it

• The maritime rules made under the Maritime Transport Act prescribe the qualifications and examination requirements for the holders of certificates of competency of masters, mates and ships' engineers.
• The Maritime Transport Act provides the necessary enforcement mechanisms to support the requirements implemented under the maritime rules.

This Convention is not applicable to Tokelau.

Ratified - 29 March 1938

Total ratifications - 37

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