Certificate of Equivalent Competency FAQ
How can I find out if I am eligible for a Certificate
of Equivalent Competency?
Are Certificates of Competency
from all countries accepted for the issue of a Certificate of Equivalent Competency?
Are
all Certificates of Competency acceptable?
How
do I apply for a Certificate of Equivalent Competency?
How
much does a Certificate of Equivalent Competency cost?
What
documents do I need to submit with my application form?
How
long will it take to process my application?
Will
I have to take any exams or undergo further training?
Can
I book an Oral examination date before I send in any application?
I
hold a United States Coast Guard (USCG) Certificate of Competency and I have been told that I will need
to take an oral examination of competency. Is this correct?
Is
there a fee for these examinations?
Why do I need
to learn English?
What is a Marlins Test?
What
is the Marlins TOSE test?
How can I arrange to
take a Marlins Test?
Will the limitations on my
Certificate of Equivalent Competency be different to those on my Certificate of Competency?
How
can I check the progress of my application?
I have
a CEC for chief mate (Unlimited). Can I do an oral exam and get a UK Chief Mate COC?
I
have a CEC for Officer of the Watch (Deck) Unlimited. Can I take the UK Chief Mate Examinations and
get a UK Chief Mate COC?
I hold an EU Master COC.
Why must I undertake a UKLAP Examination?
How can I find out if I am eligible
for a Certificate of Equivalent Competency?
Please
consult the following Marine Guidance Notice (MGN):
MGN 221 (M) part
19 for a Merchant Navy application; or
MGN 220 (F) part 20 for a Fishing application.
You
will also need to check:
Marine Information Note (MIN) 242 (M &
F) as this contains some recent changes to the requirements for obtaining a Certificate of Equivalent
Competency.
These documents can be downloaded from our CEC
pages.
Are Certificates of Competency from
all countries accepted for the issue of a Certificate of Equivalent Competency?
No,
a country’s training and administration arrangements must first have been evaluated by the Maritime
& Coastguard Agency (MCA) and considered to meet internationally agreed standards.
Currently
we accept Merchant Navy Certificates of Competency (COC) from the countries listed on our CEC
pages, however there are occasions when other countries' certificates may be under consideration
for acceptance. If your country does not appear on the list, please contact us for advice, send an email
to CEC@mcga.gov.uk.
Are all Certificates of Competency
acceptable?
No, we can
only issue a Certificate of Equivalent Competency in respect of a Certificate of Competency which is
regarded as equivalent to a UK certificate.
If you are unsure whether
you could qualify for a Certificate of Equivalent Competency, then please send a letter or email to
CEC@mcga.gov.uk stating the Certificate of Competency you currently hold, the issuing
country and the capacity and limitations. We can then advise you of your eligibility. Please also include
a postal address to which you would like us to send an application form if appropriate.
How do I apply for a Certificate of
Equivalent Competency?
You
will need to download and complete application form MSF 4203 or you can either contact
our customer helpline on +44 (0)23 80 329 254 or send an email request to CEC@mcga.gov.uk.
How much does a Certificate of Equivalent
Competency cost?
The
fee is £76. This must be paid when submitting your application, either by cheque drawn from a
UK Bank Account, banker’s draft, postal order or by credit/debit card.
What documents do I need to submit
with my application form?
Certificate
of Competency
Passport or Discharge Book
Evidence
of Knowledge of English Language (refer to MGN 221 Annex 4)
Two
passport photographs
Fee £76.00
How long will it take to process my
application?
The processing
time for an application can be up to 28 days.
Will I have to take any exams or undergo
further training?
You
may be asked to provide evidence of competency in the English Language. Please read MGN
221 Annex 4 for details of acceptable forms of evidence. You may be required to under take an
English Oral Examination.
Masters applying for CEC are required to
pass the UKLAP1 exam. You can either undertake an oral exam conducted by an MCA Examiner or take
a written test by arrangement with SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) See MGN 221
Annex 6 for the UKLAP 1 syllabus. There is a fee for the examination, details of how to arrange
the examination, together with the fee, will be issued with your Notice of Assessment when your application
is processed.
As an alternative to the examination route Masters who
are nationals of EU/EEA states may attain the required UKLAP knowledge during a shipboard adaptation
period of up to 36 months served on board a UK ship. The exact period is at the discretion of the MCA
and will be advised on application. As a guide Adaptation Periods normally vary between 2 and 6 months.
You should request to serve an adaptation period using form MSF 4206/REV 0895. You will need to contact
the CEC Section to request this form. You can contact our customer helpline on +44 (0)23 80 329 231or
send an email request, to CEC@mcga.gov.uk.
During
the adaptation period you must sail at a lower capacity and the Master of the vessel must hold a UK
COC or a full UK CEC. You will be issued with a temporary CEC at a lower rank, valid
for up to six months.
Passing an MCA approved Business and Law (Master
Yacht) Training Module can be accepted as evidence of passing the UKLAP 1 examination. You will need
to provide your original pass certificate from the SQA.
Can I book an Oral examination date
before I send in any application?
No,
a Notice of Assessment will be issued with details of any necessary examinations to eligible candidates
after their CEC applications have been assessed. Please do not book any examinations until the Notice
of Assessment has been issued.
I hold a United States Coast Guard
(USCG) Certificate of Competency and I have been told that I will need to take an oral examination of
competency. Is this correct?
All
applicants holding USCG 500gt and 3000gt (International tonnage) Certificates of Competency will be
required to pass an MCA oral examination of competency. For further details see annex
8 of MGN 221 Part 19. This is in addition to the UKLAP 1 for Masters.
Is there a fee for these examinations?
Yes,
but please do not send payment to the Seafarer Training and Certification Branch. You need to pay the
fee when you book the examination either with a Marine Office or the SQA.
For
a full list of the fees click here.
Why do I need to learn English?
The
International Convention on Seafarer Training & Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW 78 as amended)
stipulates that officers of the watch need a level of English adequate to communicate with other ships,
coast stations and multilingual crews.
What is a Marlins Test?
The
ISF Marlins English Language Test is a computer-based assessment tool which tests seafarers understanding
of both written and spoken English. It does not contain any oral element and, therefore, if you pass
a Marlins Test at an MCA approved Marlins Test Centre your result will need to be accompanied by a letter
from the owner/managers of your ship confirming that they have conducted a company interview to assess
your spoken English and that it is of an acceptable standard.
What is the Marlins TOSE test?
The
ISF Marlins Test of Spoken English (TOSE) is a way of assessing the speaking and listening skills of
seafarers and replaces the need for a company interview to assess your spoken English. Please note that
the Marlins Test must always be taken in addition to the TOSE.
How can I arrange to take a Marlins
Test?
You can contact
Marlins at www.marlins.co.uk for a full list of MCA approved test centres.
Will the limitations on my Certificate
of Equivalent Competency be different to those on my Certificate of Competency?
For
the majority of applications the Certificate of Equivalent Competency will contain the same limitations
as your Certificate of Competency, but in some cases there can be a difference, such as with coastal
limitations and in the difference between Motorship & Steamship limitations.
How can I check the progress of my
application?
If you
have downloaded your application form from this website or have the latest edition of the printed form,
the form will have a number which can be found at the right hand side of the form.
Alternatively
you can check the status of your applications by calling the Seafarer Training & Certification Customer
helpline on +44 (0)2380 329 254 or email CEC@mcga.gov.uk.
I have a CEC for chief mate (Unlimited).
Can I do an oral exam and get a UK Chief Mate COC?
No,
you will first have to undertake all the written examinations and courses for the UK Chief Mate Certificate
and undertake the oral examination for Chief Mate. You must seek written advice from The Maritime &
Coastguard Agency, Seafarer Training & Certification Branch, Spring Place, and 105 Commercial Rd,
SO15 1EG before starting any course of study.
I have a CEC for Officer of the Watch
(Deck) Unlimited. Can I take the UK Chief Mate Examinations and get a UK Chief Mate COC?
Normally
yes, you must seek written advice from The Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Seafarer
Training & Certification Branch, Spring Place, and 105 Commercial Rd, SO15 1EG before starting any
course of study.
I hold an EU Master COC. Why must
I undertake a UKLAP Examination?
EU
Directive 93/52 requires recognition of equivalent qualifications across Europe unless a substantial
difference has been identified. The UK believes that there is a substantial difference in domestic legislation
between EU states regarding shipboard operations and so requires a test or adaptation period. This is
common across most EU states.