Recognition of RCN competencies by Transport Canada

Transport Canada has issued a ship safety bulletin (SSB) providing updated information on the recognition of Royal Canadian Navy competencies by Transport Canada.

This bulletin was issued on 3 November 2023 and replaces Ship Safety Bulletin No. 01/2023.

Purpose

This bulletin provides updated guidelines to seafarers and marine stakeholders on how active and retired members of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) can receive exam, course and sea service credits towards obtaining certificates of competency (CoC) or certificates of proficiency (CoP) from Transport Canada.

Scope

This bulletin applies to members of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) seeking credit towards obtaining commercial marine certification under the Marine Personnel Regulations (MPR).

What you need to know

As detailed in the Transport Publication (TP) titled Recognized Institutions and Approved Training Courses - TP 10655, Transport Canada has accepted the RCN as an Approved Course Provider for the purpose of the MPR, as summarized below.

DECK CERTIFICATION AND ENGINEERING CERTIFICATION

Transport Canada can issue certificates of proficiencies if the training has been completed within 5 years before the application date.

The RCN has been approved to issue the following training certificates for all of their personnel who have completed the Naval Environmental Training Program:

Marine Emergency Duties (MED) with STCW Basic Safety Training Certificate;
MED with Respect to STCW Basic Safety Refresher Training Certificate with completion of the RCN Fire/Flood and Sea Survival Refresher Training;
MED with Respect to Advanced Firefighting; and,
MED with Respect to Advanced Firefighting Refresher Training Certificate with completion of the RCN Fire/Flood Refresher Training.

DECK CERTIFICATION

An applicant who holds a qualification issued by the Department of National Defence will receive exemptions as follows:

Table 1 identifies, by the letter “x,” exemptions applicable to the following Royal Canadian Navy trade groups.

TABLE 2: RCN (Regular and Reserve) NCM Sea Service requirement for TCMSS
Certificates

REGULAR FORCE NAVAL WARFARE OFFICERS (NWO) PATHWAY TO COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATION

The entry point for all Naval Warfare Officers regardless of rank and experience is the Master 150 Gross Tonnage, Domestic, Watchkeeping Mate or Watchkeeping Mate Near Coastal certificates of competency.

The NWO must fulfil all the requirements set out in section 129 or 134 of the Marine Personnel Regulations for these certificates and to comply with the sea service remission NWO must meet the requirements set out below:

Successful completion of NWO II, III and IV;
Obtain 360 days (day for day) onboard commissioned naval vessel as an NWO;
Successful completion of the NWOPQ qualification package;
Minimum 2 years post-secondary education; and
Hold a Naval Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate.

Note: The pathway to higher certification and Naval Reserve NWO certification is presently under review by TCMSS.

ENGINEERING CERTIFICATION

Levels of the Marine Technician (MARTECH) legacy training prior 2013 that had been assessed against TP 8911 – Engineering Officer Education and Training Program regarding members of the regular force serving in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN):

A seafarer who achieves QL3, and has obtained a Certificate 1 from RCN is eligible, depending on an assessment, to receive an Engine-room Rating CoC under the MPR,
A seafarer who achieves QL5 and has obtained Certificate 2 from RCN is eligible, depending on an assessment, to receive a Fourth-class Engineer, Motor Ship or Steamship CoC under the MPR,
A seafarer who achieves QL6, and has obtained a Certificate 3 from RCN may receive additional credit of qualifying service with regard to the sea service acquire onboard RCN vessels, and
A seafarer who achieves QL7 and has obtained a Certificate 4 may receive additional credit of qualifying service with regard to the sea service acquire onboard RCN vessels.

Qualifying service, credits toward academic subject and exemption from examination will be determined by AMSPE following the assessment and the applicant will be advised by letter accordingly.

MARTECH legacy training with the integration of the new training combining RCN trades (2013-2018). Applicant will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The next step will be the assessment of the new training that is being delivered since 2018.

Ship’s cook certificate of competency

For a military cook who achieves the QL5 and has served on RCN vessels, RCN will issue a Transport Canada training certificate.

The candidate will still be required to provide:

30 days of sea service,
a valid marine medical certificate (whether a Provisional Medical Certificate issued under section 275 of the Marine Personnel Regulations; or a medical certificate issued by the Minister under section 278 of the Marine Personnel Regulations),
current Marine Advanced First Aid training certificate, and
valid MED training certificate with respect to STCW Basic Safety.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):