The Merchant Shipping (Certificates of Competency as A.B.) Regulations 1970

5.  Subject to the following Regulation—

(1) a person shall not be eligible to take the examination referred to in condition (1)(c) of the preceding Regulation unless he has either—

(a) (i) attained the age of 18 years, and

(ii) otherwise than for the purpose of receiving instruction therein, taken turns at the wheel in steering a major ship, not being a fishing boat, for periods totalling not less than 10 hours, and

(iii) performed the appropriate qualifying service at sea specified for the purpose of this Regulation in Regulations 8 and 9 of these Regulations; or

(b) served at sea in an engine room rating and satisfactorily completed a conversion course approved by the Board providing training in the duties of a deck rating for persons who have served in an engine room rating.

(2) Application to take the examination may be made at any Mercantile Marine Office.

(3) Every such application shall be in such form as the Board may sanction and shall, except in cases to which paragraph (6) of this Regulation applies, be accompanied by—

(a) in the case of an applicant complying with the requirements of paragraph (1)(a) of this Regulation—

(i) certificates of discharge, and such other certificates signed by the masters of ships in which the applicant has served, as may be necessary to establish to the satisfaction of the Superintendent that the applicant has performed the necessary qualifying service, and also, in any case in which any reduction in the period of such qualifying service is claimed under the provisions of Regulation 9, the certificate or certificates therein referred to; and

(ii) a certificate or certificates showing that the applicant has complied with the requirements of paragraph (1)(a)(ii) of this Regulation (steering experience);

(b) in the case of an applicant complying with the requirements of paragraph 1(b) of this Regulation, such certificates or other evidence as may be necessary to establish to the satisfaction of the Superintendent that the applicant has served at sea in an engine room rating and has satisfactorily completed the conversion course therein referred to.

(4) Every such application duly completed shall be lodged with the Superintendent who shall, if satisfied that the applicant is eligible to take the examination, ensure that the applicant is notified in due course of the arrangements made for his examination, or, if not so satisfied, inform the applicant in writing that his application is refused stating the reasons.

(5) On completion of every examination, the examiner shall inform the applicant of the result thereof and shall record the result on his form of application and return the form to the Superintendent.

(6) A person who has complied with conditions (1)(a), (b), (d) and (e) of Regulation 4 may when applying to take the examination apply also for the grant, should he pass the examination, of a certificate of competency, in which case—

(a) the application shall be accompanied by the documents described in Regulation 7(2);

(b) paragraphs (4) and (5) of this Regulation shall apply; and

(c) the Superintendent shall, on being notified that the applicant has passed the examination and if he is satisfied that the applicant is entitled to the grant of a certificate of competency, cause such a certificate to be issued to the applicant, or, if not so satisfied, inform the applicant in writing that his application for the certificate is refused stating the reasons.