Engineer sea time
Engineer sea time is counted under MSN 1904, not the deck rules in MSN 1858, and the two differ on yard time, watchkeeping and who signs. These are the Small Vessel rules as MSN 1904 and MIN 642 set them out, for engineers serving on yachts.
Time on board in the engineering department, relevant to the certificate you're applying for, reckoned from the date of engagement to the date of discharge. It must be on vessels proceeding to sea — beyond the categorised waters around the UK coast, or beyond the harbour limits elsewhere — and it can be on vessels of any flag. MSN 1904 says seagoing service ('steaming time') is calculated from your seagoing service testimonials.
Onboard yacht service is your time on the vessel in the engine department, from engagement to discharge; at least 4 hours of working duty in 24 counts as one full day. Seagoing service means proceeding to sea and never includes yard time. Yacht testimonials must state the days 'actually spent underway with the main propelling machinery in full use'.
As we read it, a day alongside, at anchor or in the yard can be onboard service but is not seagoing service. (The yacht-restricted route lets some of that time count as watchkeeping — see below.)
Time on an engine room watch of at least 4 hours out of every 24. For the SV EOOW, at least 6 months of your seagoing service must be engine room watchkeeping or UMS (unmanned machinery space) duties, and it can be in a subsidiary capacity. For an SV Chief Engineer CoC, your seagoing service must be spent on watch in full charge of the entire watch, or on UMS duties.
A calendar month, or 30 days where the service is made up of periods shorter than a month.
First the entry requirement: for the Experienced Seafarer route, 24 months' onboard service with 6 months' seagoing service in the engineering department, on vessels of at least 200 kW. After you register on an MCA-approved SV programme, MSN 1904's yacht table asks for more than 12 months' total time onboard, including 8 months' seagoing service and watchkeeping — of which up to 1 month can be workshop training — done with your TRB.
On the Alternative route the table runs from 12 months onboard with 8 months' seagoing for degree and NVQ level 3 holders, to 14 months on its HND line and 17 months for HNC holders. The certificate guide has the full EOOW requirements.
Using yacht sea time from the EOOW CoC: 6 months onboard including 4 months' seagoing for Chief Engineer <500 GT and <3000 kW, or 12 months onboard including 8 months' seagoing for Chief Engineer <3000 GT and <9000 kW. If you already hold the <500 GT Chief Engineer CoC, the step to <3000 GT is 6 months onboard including 4 months' seagoing.
MSN 1904's yacht table doesn't restate the kW thresholds. Its main text asks for service on vessels of at least 350 kW for the <500 GT Chief Engineer CoC, and, for the <3000 GT CoC, 6 months on vessels of at least 750 kW and 6 months on vessels of at least 350 kW. MIN 642's summary for the yacht-restricted <3000 GT CoC asks for 12 months onboard on vessels of at least 350 kW, with at least 8 months' seagoing, 4 of them on vessels of 750 kW or more. Confirm the kW split for your CoC with your training provider.
On the Experienced route to a yacht-restricted EOOW: 12 months' total time onboard, 5 months' seagoing service (which can include up to 1 month of workshop skills) and 6 months' watchkeeping. All the seagoing service — at least 4 months — must be done while keeping a watch.
Up to 2 months of the watchkeeping can be done at anchor or made fast to the shore, provided the yacht is using its own power (its own auxiliary power generation), the related auxiliary machinery is running, and a safe engine room watch is kept. The Chief Engineer steps are the same as above, served working as an engineer officer.
Shipyard service — alongside in the water, in dry dock on blocks, or at a ship service or workshop facility out of operation — while major engineering work is done: overhaul, major service or survey of the main engines, auxiliary engines or auxiliary equipment such as steering gear, pumps, gearbox, shafts and propulsors; survey of service tanks and their systems; workshop work on that equipment; or installing new systems with contractors.
You need a report giving full details of the tasks completed, verified and signed by the Chief Engineer, the Master or a company-authorised person.
Standard route: none. Experienced Seafarer route: MSN 1904 says you 'can use up to 6 months yard / dry dock time towards the EOOW SV CoC', and that up to 90 days' yard or dry dock time, before or after registration or both, can count towards the yacht service requirement — 90 days in total. The notice gives both figures in the same paragraph and doesn't say how they fit together, so confirm with your training provider how much of your yard time will count. For a yacht-restricted CoC, yard time can't count as actual seagoing service, only as onboard service. To enter the programme, a further 3 months of yard time can count if the MCA approves it on a company letter, but never in place of the 6 months' seagoing service.
Alternative route (where you need at least 14 months' seagoing service) and any SV Chief Engineer CoC: up to 25% of the qualifying service or 3 months, whichever is less, at lay-up, at a maintenance berth, at extended anchorage or in yard or dry dock, backed by a letter from the owner or operator setting out your role. Deck yard service works differently — see stand-by and yard service.
MSN 1904 accepts discharge book entries or certificates of discharge, supported by testimonials signed by the Chief Engineer or, where applicable, the Master. MIN 642 also lists an MCA-approved logbook and an employer letter. For a yacht-restricted SV CoC, discharge book and certificate of discharge entries must be backed by testimonials; service recorded in an MCA-approved logbook needn't be. The engineer certificate of discharge records the engine's kW power alongside tonnage and load line length.
How much of your sea time was watchkeeping and in what capacity — subsidiary or in full charge of the watch — and, if you did UMS duties, that it says so. It must also cover your conduct and ability.
MIN 642 Annex D is the template for yachts. Beside the vessel details it asks for engine power in kW, then separate day counts for seagoing service, 'Made Fast to the Shore/Anchor (operational)' and yard service (NIL where none), your watchkeeping or UMS days, and the duties and tasks you carried out.
The Chief Engineer or the Master. If you are the Chief Engineer, the Master must sign: the MCA 'will not accept self-certificated seagoing service'. In exceptional circumstances a responsible official of the company may sign.
Yes. Verification of yacht sea service is designated to two MCA-approved organisations, currently the Professional Yachting Association (PYA) and Nautilus International; MIN 543 describes the process. The MCA's yacht engineering page warns that not doing this can cause 'severe delays of around 160 days'.
At least 6 months of your qualifying seagoing service must fall within the 5 years before the MCA receives your application, within the 5 years before your NOE is issued, and within the 5 years before your CoC is issued. Conversions from older CoCs need the same 6 months in 5 years.
Service in categorised waters, or on domestic lakes and rivers, may be accepted but limits the CoC to categorised waters; a further 3 months' seagoing service outside them removes the limitation.
The notices change. Always check the current version on GOV.UK before you apply or book.
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