Watch ratings and able seafarers compared in four cells by age and seagoing service (STCW Regulations II/4, II/5, III/4 and III/5)

The STCW Convention sets rating certificates in two tiers. The first tier is the rating forming part of a watch, the second the able seafarer. Regulations II/4 and II/5 cover the deck department, Regulations III/4 and III/5 the engine department. The four regulations share one structure and differ in the numbers.

The numbers differ in three places. The threshold of the ships to which they apply, the floor of seagoing service, and the period shortened when training has been completed. This article quotes the sentences of the four regulations and arranges them in a four-cell table. The transitional provisions for pre-2012 certificates and ILO convention certificates follow.

The threshold is tonnage on deck and propulsion power in the engine room

1 Every rating forming part of a navigational watch on a seagoing ship of 500 gross tonnage or more, other than ratings under training and ratings whose duties while on watch are of an unskilled nature, shall be duly certificated to perform such duties.

1 Every rating forming part of an engine-room watch or designated to perform duties in a periodically unmanned engine-room on a seagoing ship powered by main propulsion machinery of 750 kW propulsion power or more, other than ratings under training and ratings whose duties are of an unskilled nature, shall be duly certificated to perform such duties.

The first sentence is Regulation II/4, the second Regulation III/4. The deck threshold is 500 gross tonnage or more, the engine threshold main propulsion machinery of 750 kW or more. The able seafarer regulations II/5 and III/5 use the same thresholds.

Both sentences exclude two groups. ratings under training and ratings whose duties are of an unskilled nature. A rating under training and a rating doing unskilled work can be in the watch without a certificate. The engine sentence adds designated to perform duties in a periodically unmanned engine-room. A rating who keeps no watch under an unattended machinery space regime but is designated for engine-room duties still needs the certificate.

A watch rating needs 16 years and one of two service routes

2 Every candidate for certification shall: .1 be not less than 16 years of age; .2 have completed: .2.1 approved seagoing service including not less than six months of training and experience, or .2.2 special training, either pre-sea or on board ship, including an approved period of seagoing service which shall not be less than two months; and .3 meet the standard of competence specified in section A-II/4 of the STCW Code.

This is paragraph 2 of Regulation II/4. The age is not less than 16. The seagoing service runs by one of two routes. Approved seagoing service of not less than six months including training and experience, or special training, pre-sea or on board, that includes an approved period of seagoing service of not less than two months. Paragraph 2 of Regulation III/4 puts the same numbers on the engine-room watch.

3 The seagoing service, training and experience required by subparagraphs 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 shall be associated with navigational watchkeeping functions and involve the performance of duties carried out under the direct supervision of the master, the officer in charge of the navigational watch or a qualified rating.

The service carries a condition. It has to be associated with navigational watchkeeping functions and consist of duties performed under the direct supervision of the master, the officer in charge of the navigational watch or a qualified rating. Not time on the ship, but time under supervision on watch-related duties. Paragraph 3 of Regulation III/4 sets the same condition with supervision by a qualified engineer officer or a qualified rating.

An able seafarer is built on top of the watch rating qualification

2 Every candidate for certification shall: .1 be not less than 18 years of age; .2 meet the requirements for certification as a rating forming part of a navigational watch; .3 while qualified to serve as a rating forming part of a navigational watch, have approved seagoing service in the deck department of: .3.1 not less than 18 months, or .3.2 not less than 12 months and have completed approved training; and .4 meet the standard of competence specified in section A-II/5 of the STCW Code.

This is paragraph 2 of Regulation II/5. The age rises to 18, the watch rating requirements must be met, and deck department seagoing service is stacked on top. The service is not less than 18 months, or not less than 12 months where approved training has been completed.

The words to read here are while qualified to serve as a rating forming part of a navigational watch. Able seafarer service counts only the time served while already qualified as a watch rating. Time at sea before the watch rating certificate does not go into these 18 months. The calculation needs the issue date of the certificate and the dates in the sign-on and sign-off records together.

.3 while qualified to serve as a rating forming part of an engineering watch, have approved seagoing service in the engine department of: .3.1 not less than 12 months, or .3.2 not less than 6 months and have completed approved training; and

This is the same slot in paragraph 2 of Regulation III/5. The able seafarer engine needs not less than 12 months while qualified as an engine-room watch rating, or not less than 6 months with approved training completed. Shorter than the deck department. The age of 18 and the watch rating prerequisite are the same as on deck.

One table of the four regulations shows the numbers

Item	Deck watch rating (II/4)	Able seafarer deck (II/5)	Engine watch rating (III/4)	Able seafarer engine (III/5)
Ships	500 gross tonnage or more	500 gross tonnage or more	Main propulsion 750 kW or more	Main propulsion 750 kW or more
Minimum age	16	18	16	18
Prerequisite	None	Watch rating requirements met	None	Watch rating requirements met
Seagoing service	6 months including training and experience	18 months after qualification	6 months including training and experience	12 months after qualification
Shortened by training	Special training plus 2 months at sea	Approved training plus 12 months	Special training plus 2 months at sea	Approved training plus 6 months
Standard of competence	Code A-II/4	Code A-II/5	Code A-III/4	Code A-III/5

Read down the columns and deck and engine differ in two places. The unit of the threshold, and the able seafarer service, 18 and 12 months on deck against 12 and 6 months in the engine room. Read across the rows and the step from watch rating to able seafarer raises the age by two years and changes the nature of the service. The watch rating period includes training and experience; the able seafarer period is service after the qualification.

Evidence of competence comes from a practical test or in-service experience

3 Every candidate for certification shall be required to provide evidence of having achieved the required standard of competence in accordance with the methods for demonstrating competence and the criteria for evaluating competence specified in columns 3 and 4 of table A-II/4. The reference to “practical test” in column 3 may include approved shore-based training in which the trainees undergo practical testing.

This is paragraph 3 of Code section A-II/4. Evidence of competence is given by the methods and criteria in columns 3 and 4 of table A-II/4. The practical test in the table may include approved shore-based training with practical testing. Paragraph 3 of Code section A-III/4 has the same sentence. The able seafarer sections A-II/5 and A-III/5 assess evidence from in-service experience or a practical test.

Pre-2012 certificates and ILO convention certificates fall under transitional provisions

5 Until 1 January 2017, a Party which is also a Party to the International Labour Organization Certification of Able Seamen Convention, 1946 (No. 74) may continue to renew and revalidate certificates and endorsements in accordance with the provisions of the aforesaid convention.

This is paragraph 5 of Regulation II/5. A Party to the ILO Certification of Able Seamen Convention, 1946 (No. 74) could keep renewing and revalidating certificates under that convention until 1 January 2017. Paragraph 4 allowed issue, recognition and endorsement under that convention until 1 January 2012. The footnote to Regulations II/4 and II/5 states that these requirements are not those of the ILO convention for able seamen.

6 Seafarers may be considered by the Party to have met the requirements of this regulation if they have served in a relevant capacity in the deck department for a period of not less than 12 months within the last 60 months preceding the entry into force of this regulation for that Party.

This is paragraph 6 of Regulation II/5. A person who served in the relevant capacity in the deck department for not less than 12 months within the 60 months before the regulation entered into force for that Party may be considered to have met the requirements. Paragraph 4 of Regulation III/5 gives the engine department the same structure. Paragraph 3 of both regulations leaves it to the Party to compare the competence standard of certificates issued before 1 January 2012 with the Code and decide whether updating is needed.

Worth confirming

This article covers the text of the four regulations and paragraph 3 of Code section A-II/4. The competence items in tables A-II/4, A-II/5, A-III/4 and A-III/5 are not covered. Seagoing service and training marked approved mean approved by the flag State, so which training counts as approved is found in the rules of the flag State issuing the certificate.

The starting point for counting able seafarer service is the issue date of the watch rating certificate. Only sign-on and sign-off records after that date are added. If the 18 months were reached by adding time at sea before the certificate was issued, the calculation has to be done again.

You can consult the cited source documents

These links lead to the official publishers of the documents discussed here. Match the edition and provisions cited in the article, and check subsequent amendments and flag-state implementation before applying them.

• IMO · STCW Convention and Code (Manila Amendments)

Continue with the related operational guidance

• Minimum age for seafarers and the night work ban under 18 (MLC Regulation 1.1)
• Watch composition factors and the conditions that defer a handover (STCW Code A-VIII/2)