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 apply practical seamanship skills and techniques as part of work duties aboard a vessel up to12 m in length.

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

• coxswain on vessels <12 m in length, with propulsion power that is unlimited for an outboard engine or <500 kW for an inboard engine, operating in inshore or designated waters or
• coxswain on tenders or auxiliary vessels operating within 3 nautical miles (nm) of a parent vessel within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

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 Coxswain Grade 2 NC and Coxswain Grade 1 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, engineer or deck officer, issued under the Navigation Act 2012.

Not Applicable

N – Seamanship

Not Applicable

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

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

1 

Use and maintain ropes 

1.1 

Rope types and common areas of use are correctly identified

1.2 

Ropes are checked for wear and repairs are undertaken according to manufacturer guidelines

1.3 

Ropes are coiled and stowed correctly

1.4 

Knots and hitches are tied neatly and securely, and are used according to their correct application

1.5 

Ropes are spliced neatly and securely according to their correct application

1.6 

Rope ends are whipped where appropriate to maintain good condition

2 

Secure vessel at anchor 

2.1 

Prior to letting go, anchor and equipment are prepared

2.2 

Quantity of anchor cable run out or recovered is appropriate to the depth of water, weather and sea conditions, and tidal range in area of operation

2.3 

During operation, control of cable is maintained within safe operating limits

2.4 

Degree to which anchor and equipment are secured on completion of anchoring operations is appropriate to forecast conditions

2.5 

During all operations, anchoring area is kept free of loose ropes, wires and debris

3 

Secure vessel at a berth 

3.1 

At all times, mooring lines and associated equipment are handled safely

3.2 

Throughout operations, mooring area is kept free of loose ropes, wires and debris

3.3 

Tension on ropes is maintained at an appropriate level for the stage and nature of the operation

4 

Check condition and seaworthiness of vessel 

4.1 

Coverage and frequency of checks and inspections on vessel seaworthiness are undertaken according to workplace procedures and organisational safety management system

4.2 

Watertight integrity is checked and appropriate action is taken to prepare for prevailing and forecast weather and sea conditions

4.3 

Degree to which vessel is secured is appropriate to prevailing and forecast conditions

4.4 

Irregularities are identified and appropriate action is taken to rectify the situation

4.5 

Irregularities beyond ability to rectify are reported in time to enable remedial action to be taken

4.6 

Reports of condition are completed according to workplace procedures

5 

Conduct refuelling operations 

5.1 

All personal protective equipment (PPE) is accessed and used

5.2 

Safety boundary for the refuelling process is established

5.3 

Spill prevention systems are correctly deployed

5.4 

Refuelling operations are performed safely and according to organisational safety management system

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 MARN002 Apply seamanship skills aboard a vessel up to 12 metres.

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:

• applying work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements and work practices
• checking seaworthiness and general condition of a vessel up to12 metres
• coiling and stowing ropes
• handling ropes
• identifying deterioration and causes in hull and fittings
• performing an eye splice
• performing common whipping on ropes
• performing preparations for and letting go and weighing anchor
• preparing and throwing a heaving line
• securing a vessel alongside using vessel mooring lines, including:

• bow and stern lines
• fore and aft springs

• securing anchor and equipment on completion of anchoring operations
• tying reef knot, bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, rolling hitch and sheet bend - single and double.

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:

• anchors, types and characteristics
• basic structural parts of a small vessel
• considerations to make when selecting an anchorage
• correct application of common knots and hitches
• coverage and frequency of checks of vessels seaworthiness
• factors affecting the safety and integrity of vessel; its equipment and materials on board
• how to make a vessel watertight
• identifying and rectifying irregularities in the condition and seaworthiness of the vessel
• large objects likely to move in a sea way
• loading, discharging and movement of weights
• maintenance of synthetic and natural fibre ropes
• materials on deck and below
• mooring line arrangements for securing at a berth
• openings including hatch covers and all other openings that water can enter
• principles of maintaining watertight integrity
• process for checking seaworthiness and general condition of a vessel up to 12 metres including:

• accommodation and storage spaces
• anchors
• galley, stores and equipment
• large objects likely to move in a sea way
• materials on deck and below
• opening

• procedure for anchoring
• refuelling a vessel according to safety regulations and organisational safety management system requirements
• rope types, characteristics and applications, dynamic and non-dynamic, including:

• braided
• natural fibre
• plaited
• polyester
• wire core rope
• wire rope

• safety precautions and pollution control measures during refuelling
• securing a vessel for sea
• types of anchors used on small vessels up to 12 metres
• WHS/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. With the exception of whipping, splicing and knot tying, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) mandated practical assessment (AMPA) must be undertaken on a vessel ≥5.0 metres in length.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

• applicable documentation, such as legislation, regulations, codes of practice, safety management system, workplace procedures and operational manuals
• a vessel ≥5.0 m in length
• tools, equipment, machinery, materials and relevant personal protective equipment (PPE) currently used in industry.