Small Vessel EOOW (Unlimited) CoC

If you do not currently hold an Engineering CoC, and feel that you would rather work towards the Unlimited SV EOOW <3000GT & <9000kW CoC instead of SV EOOW (Limited to Yachts), there are 3 routes available to you:

  • A) The ‘Standard Route‘ detailed in MSN 1904, section 4.3. This is similar to a cadetship, and is designed for Engineers with little experience.
  • B) The ‘Experienced Seafarer Route’ detailed in MSN 1904, in section 4.4. This is based on you already having some Engineering seatime under your belt, with no previous qualifications.
  • C) The ‘Alternative Route’ detailed in MSN 1904, in section 4.7. This is based on you having relevant previous qualifications that may exempt you from undertaking certain courses or reduce your service requirements (this is similar to the Letter of Initial Assessment that was available to Engineers entering the Yacht CoC route)

Service Requirements:

A) Please refer to MSN 1904 for full details of this route.

B) Service Requirements for the Experienced Seafarer Route:

You must first contact an MCA-approved training provider to purchase a Training Record Book (this is described in MSN 1904 as ‘registering on a study programme’ and you can undertake your training at any accredited training provider once you have the TRB).

JPMA can issue your Training Record Book, and you must submit proof of meeting the following requirements for us to do this:

(i) Proof of 24 months onboard service on vessels of at least 200 kW, which must include a minimum of 6 months actual sea service (90 days yard time can be submitted as either onboard service or sea service – Yacht Engineers may only submit yard service to count as onboard service, not sea service).

(we need to see 2 forms of evidence – usually a testimonial backed up by cert of discharge/discharge book/PYA SRB. We can accept scanned copies at this stage and it does NOT need to have been verified by PYA/Nautilus at this point. Any yard service needs to be detailed in a report verified by the Master/Chief Engineer/Company).

NOTE: You can use an additional 3 months of yard/dry dock time to count towards the service requirements above. This service above the initial 90 days permitted cannot be used in lieu of the 6
months sea service requirement. It must be documented in the form of a company letter/proposal and be emailed to the MCA for approval, before using it to apply for a TRB;

(ii) Hold an Approved Engine Course I & II (AEC I & II);

(iii) Hold basic STCW safety training certificates (less than 5 years old, or updated);

  1. Personal Survival Techniques (STCW Code A-VI/1-1);
  2. Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (STCW Code A-VI/1-2);
  3. Elementary First Aid (STCW Code A-VI/1-2);
  4. Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (STCW Code A-VI/1-4).

Once you have obtained a Training Record Book, in addition to meeting the above requirements you must complete the following requirements to be issued with a Notice of Eligibility (NOE) to sit an MCA Oral examination:

(iv) A further 11 months of actual sea service on vessels of 350kw, including at least 6 months sea service engaged in watchkeeping or UMS (Unmanned Machinery Spaces) duties ( ¹see exemption note below if you are a Yacht Engineer)

(v) Completion of SV Training Record Book during this sea service;

(vi) 2 Weeks MCA-approved initial Workshop Skills Training followed by; 2 weeks actual sea service on vessels of at least 350 kW or 2 weeks of MCA-approved additional Workshop Skills Training.

¹ NOTE: Sea Service Allowance/Exemption for Yacht Engineers Undertaking Experienced Seafarer Route:

The MCA understand that seafarers serving on Yachts would face difficulties in completing the amount of sea service required for the full SV 2nd Engineer CoC, and have made provision for this, reducing the service requirements as follows:

A Yacht Engineer applying for EOOW (Unlimited) on the Experienced Seafarer route would need to meet the standard entry requirements to obtain a TRB, and then complete a further 12 months yacht service and 7 months actual sea service whilst holding the TRB, in addition to all of the other requirements listed above.

C) Service Requirements for the Alternative Route:

You will be eligible for this route if you have completed a suitable engineering qualification and/or work based apprenticeship. This will include:

  1. Graduates or Higher National Diploma (HND)/Higher National Certificate (HNC) holders in mechanical/aeronautical/marine/electromechanical or an engineering programme that comprises of at least four of the following six modules: applied mechanics, applied heat, mathematics, engineering drawing , naval architecture and ship construction and electro-technology;
  2. Suitable engineering apprenticeship (NVQ level 2 or above) holders. Examples could include, but not limited to Mechanical, Marine Engineering and Diesel Fitter. Relevant apprenticeships must have been completed in an EU state, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa

The following training and seagoing service will also be assessed for eligibility onto the Alternative Route:

  1. Royal Navy engineering: service, training and qualifications;
  2. Naval engineering: service training and qualifications from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

You must apply to an MCA-approved training provider for an Action Plan (currently the only training provider offering this service is Warsash, but you can do your subsequent courses with any training provider).

The Action Plan will draw on the requirements below:

All applicants must complete a minimum of 6 months’ actual sea service engaged in watchkeeping duties or UMS duties. Sea service must be completed on vessels of at least 350 kW and you must document your onboard training during this period in an approved Small Vessel Training Record Book (TRB) plus, in addition to the requirements detailed below, one of the following:

  1. An additional 2 weeks actual sea service on vessels of at least 350 kW or
  2. 2 weeks of further MCA-approved additional Workshop Skills Training

In addition you must complete one of the following, which will be highlighted in the Action Plan, and must be gained AFTER the Action Plan is issued:

(i) A Graduate (Degree), a holder of an MCA-approved HND in Marine Engineering Qualification or an engineering apprenticeship (NVQ level 3 or above), must complete a further 5 months’ of actual sea service on vessels of at least 350 kW. Those working on Yachts must complete a total of 12 months Yacht service and 8 months actual sea service.

(ii) An HND holder must complete a further 8 months’ of actual sea service on vessels of at least 350 kW. Those working on Yachts must complete a total of 14 months Yacht service and 9-15 months actual sea service.

(iii) An HNC holder must complete a further 11 months’ of actual sea service on vessels of at least 350 kW. Those working on Yachts must complete a total of 17 months Yacht service and 11-15 months actual sea service.

The courses that you must undertake for both routes towards this CoC are:

Course Exemptions:

Note that your ‘Alternative Route’ Action Plan may exempt you from AEC I & II and Workshop Skills Training.

If you are doing the ‘Experienced Seafarer Route’ you may apply to IAMI for exemptions from AEC I & II and Workshop Skills Training, if you have relevant training and experience that qualify you for an exemption. Email IAMI on exemption@iami.org.uk to access their exemption service.

You must also have a valid ENG1 Medical certificate.

If you are yet to receive any of these certificates, you can still apply for the NoE, but you will need to submit the certificates to the MCA after you have undertaken your oral exam

2 NOTE: if you submit an Advanced Sea Survival/Restricted PSC&RB certificate, your CoC will be endorsed as follows: “not for use on ships equipped with davit launched lifeboats”

Calculating Sea Service

The qualifying service must be performed in the Engineering department. In the case of a dual role Engine⁄Deck candidate, half of the service is counted.

Onboard/Yacht service is counted as the time spent on the vessel and excludes leave and other non-working time.

Sea service means proceeding to sea, and cannot include any yard time if gained on Yachts.

Experienced Seafarer Route: You are able to claim 3 months of the required service for service in shipyards, repair berth, anchorage and at lay-up (Yacht candidates may only use yard time towards yacht service, not sea service). Any yard service needs to be detailed in a report verified by the Master/Chief Engineer/Company.

You can use an additional 3 months of yard/dry dock time to count towards the full service requirements leading up to application for a TRB (Yacht candidates may only use yard time towards yacht service, not sea service). This service above the initial 90 days permitted must be documented in the form of a company letter/proposal and be emailed to the MCA for approval, before using it to apply for a TRB. It cannot be used in lieu of the 6 months actual sea service requirement. Refer to MSN 1904, section 5.5 for full details of this.

Alternative Route: If you require actual sea service of at least 14 months, you may count 25% or 3 months (whichever is the least) of the required qualifying service for a TRB in shipyards, repair berth, anchorage and at lay-up. Refer to MSN 1904, section 5.5 for full details of this.

A minimum of 6 months of your seagoing service must be spent performing engine room watchkeeping duties or UMS duties. This duty can be performed in a subsidiary capacity. A minimum of 4 hours of engine room watch in 24 hours would count as 1 full day of watchkeeping service.

At least 6 months of the qualifying sea service must have been performed within the 5 years immediately preceding the date your application is received by the MCA.

A month is defined as a calendar month or 30 days if made up of periods less than 1 month.

Sea service may be performed on vessels of any flag.

Yacht Sea Service Verification Process – please click here to read about regulations for service gained on Yachts.

Applying for an NoE

To do the final oral exam, you will need a Notice of Eligibility. This document is issued once the MCA have assessed your eligibility, and an oral exam cannot be booked until the NoE is issued.

Your service needs to be proved with 2 forms of evidence for each vessel on which you are claiming service time. Usually a Testimonial and a Certificate of Discharge. If you have a discharge book or PYA SRB, this can be used with a testimonial for each vessel.

This is all laid out in MSN 1904 & MIN 642 (there are different types of Engineer testimonial, depending on what type of vessel you are on. The Yacht testimonial can be found as an annex of MIN 642. The Certificate of Discharge and other types of Testimonial can be found as an annex of MSN 1904)

Update to Electronic NoE application process & online oral exams – the MCA have updated the application process to allow for applications to be made online using the submission of electronic documents. If this is your first UK/MCA qualification, you will still need to post your application.

You must send a form of ID with your application. You can send a copy of your passport, signed by your Captain and with their CoC number noted, but you can also send any form of National ID – birth certificate or Discharge Book are usually easier to cope without!

It should be noted that written exam pass certificates have a validity of only three years. If your module pass certificates are more than 3 years old when you apply for an NoE you will have to submit new pass certificates to the MCA before they will issue a CoC.

You will need to download the NoE application form. You must complete the form and send all of your original certificates and testimonials to the MCA.
The NoE will be processed in about 28 days. Once the NoE is issued you are deemed eligible to take the oral exam.

JPMA offers oral preparation courses for the Small Vessel Engineer oral exams. Click here for details.