Release 1. New unit of competency. Licensing/regulatory information has been incorporated in accordance with Regulatory requirements. Assessment Requirements have been strengthened in accordance with Regulatory requirements.

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to manoeuvre a vessel of up to 24 m in length within Near Coastal (NC) waters.

This unit applies to people working in the maritime industry in the capacity of:

• master on commercial vessels <24 m in length within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or
• chief mate or deck watchkeeper on vessels <35 m in length within the EEZ or
• chief mate or deck watchkeeper on vessels <80 m in length in inshore waters; and
• master on commercial vessels <24 m in length in inland waters.

Licensing/Regulatory Information 

Legislative and regulatory requirements are applicable to this unit. This unit is one of the requirements to obtain Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) certification as a Master (Inland waters) and Master <24 m NC as defined in the National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) Part D. The AMSA mandated practical assessment (AMPA) is a requirement for AMSA certification. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) mandated practical assessment (AMPA) will cover a range, but not all, of the requirements identified in the Performance Evidence and Knowledge Evidence. The AMPA shall be undertaken in accordance with its instructions.

Assessors of AMPA must hold as a minimum:

• a current certificate of competency issued under Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 at the same level as the qualification being assessed with at least 12 months’ relevant sea service, or
• a relevant seafarer certificate, as master or deck officer, issued under the Navigation Act 2012.

Not Applicable

K – Manoeuvring Vessels

Not Applicable

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1 

Manoeuvre vessel in normal conditions 

1.1 

Features of vessel that relate to its handling characteristics are recognised

1.2 

Details of manoeuvres are communicated to relevant personnel clearly and concisely using standard maritime vocabulary

1.3 

Situational awareness is maintained to ensure safe manoeuvres

1.4 

Manoeuvres are completed to meet passage requirements

1.5 

Propulsion equipment is used and monitored to assist in completing manoeuvres safely

1.6 

Appropriate alterations to vessel heading are made in response to operational environment

1.7  

Safe operating limits of propulsion and steering equipment are not exceeded

2 

Manoeuvre vessel in adverse weather conditions 

2.1 

Nature of adverse weather conditions is identified and the potential impact on the manoeuvrability of the vessel is determined

2.2 

Appropriate action is taken to ensure the safety of vessel

2.3 

Propulsion equipment is used and monitored to assist in completing actions safely

2.4 

Heading is maintained within acceptable limits

2.5 

Appropriate allowance is made for effects of deadweight, draft, trim, speed and underwater keel clearances during turning circles and stopping distance

2.6 

Safe operating limits of propulsion and steering equipment are not exceeded

2.7 

Situational awareness is maintained at all times to review actions and ensure safety of vessel

3 

Manoeuvre vessel in emergencies 

3.1 

Nature of the emergency is established and required action is determined

3.2 

Risks to the vessel and the safety of persons on board are assessed and safety of required action is confirmed

3.3 

Details of action are communicated to relevant personnel clearly and concisely using standard maritime vocabulary

3.4 

Appropriate manoeuvres are made during the emergency to maintain the safety of the vessel and those on board, and any other vessels or persons involved

3.5 

Propulsion equipment is used and monitored to assist in completing actions safely

3.6 

Safe operating limits of propulsion and steering equipment are not exceeded

4 

Tow and be towed 

4.1 

Preparations for towing are safely made according to established nautical practice

4.2 

Correct towing procedures and precautions are applied when towing and being towed

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

This unit replaces and is equivalent to MARK002 Manoeuvre a vessel up to 24 metres within near coastal waters.

Release 1. New unit of competency. Licensing/regulatory information has been incorporated in accordance with Regulatory requirements. Assessment Requirements have been strengthened in accordance with Regulatory requirements.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and include:

• anchoring a vessel
• determining required action for a range of emergency situations
• handling a disabled or partially disabled vessel
• issuing helm and engine orders
• manoeuvring a vessel astern
• manoeuvring a vessel to:

• approach an anchorage
• berth and leave a berth
• come to and leave a mooring
• safely launch and retrieve boats or life rafts
• turn short around
• turn across the tide or across the wind

• maintaining situational awareness, including:

• vessels in the vicinity
• own vessel position in relation to shallow water and other obstructions
• weather conditions that may affect the manoeuvre

• operating secondary or emergency means of steering
• rescuing a person overboard, including:

• manoeuvring to retrieve person overboard
• Williamson turn

• manoeuvring a vessel in adverse weather conditions, including:

• steering a course to minimise the effect of wind and sea
• reducing speed
• seeking shelter

• towing and being towed
• undertaking preparations for towing.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

• appropriate reports to be made for authorities when towing
• deployment and use of sea anchor to keep vessel head to sea
• effects of interaction with passing or moored vessels
• effects of trim and displacement on the manoeuvring characteristics of a vessel
• factors that could adversely affect vessel safety during operations
• features of a vessel that relate to its handling characteristics, and their effects, including:

• displacement and planing hulls
• propellers
• propulsion units, including:

• inboard engines
• inboard-outboard engines
• jet propulsion
• outboard engines

• rudders

• launching procedures for boats or life rafts
• manoeuvring conditions that may affect the safety of the vessel, including:

• heading to wind and sea to ride out the adverse weather
• to cross a bar with and against the sea
• in heavy weather
• in heavy swell and surf
• in a narrow channel or shallow water
• in fog and restricted visibility

• lessening drift and use of oil
• manoeuvring procedures to:

• assist a vessel or aircraft in search and rescue
• beach and re-float the vessel
• position for helicopter evacuation

• manoeuvring procedures in the event of:

• beaching
• collision
• damage to the vessel
• disabled or partially disabled vessel
• fire
• grounding
• loss of steering gear
• person overboard

• precautions when manoeuvring or launching boats or life rafts in bad weather
• procedures for towing and being towed
• process and requirement to assist vessels in distress
• preparations for towing, including:

• crew briefings that include the task at hand and risks to persons on both vessels
• ensuring appropriate lights and shapes for the tow are available and in working order
• ensuring means of communication between the two vessels is available
• ensuring tow ropes are in good condition and of adequate strength for the proposed tow
• ensuring tow line is of sufficient length to minimise shock loading on tow-line
• making tow fast to the towing vessel to ensure steerage can be maintained
• making provision for rapid slipping of the tow in emergency situations
• preparing messenger ropes for passing tow lines.

• work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements and work practices.

Assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment. As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment. Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Practical assessment must occur in a workplace, or realistic simulated workplace, under the normal range of workplace conditions. Simulations and scenarios may be used where situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely, in particular for situations relating to emergency procedures and adverse weather conditions where assessment would be unsafe, impractical or may lead to environmental damage.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

• applicable documentation, such as legislation, regulations, codes of practice, safety management system (SMS), workplace procedures and operational manuals
• a commercial vessel ≥7.5 m in length
• tools, equipment, machinery, materials and relevant personal protective equipment (PPE) that are currently used in industry.