New Qualifications Rule

You are invited to comment on the draft Maritime Rule Part 32, Ships and Maritime Operations
Personnel – Qualifications (re-issue).
Purpose of the draft Part 3 32 Rule 2 Maritime Rule Part 32 (re-issue) is a complete re-draft of the current Maritime Rule Part 32 (incorporating recent amendments). While most of the changes are intended to provide greater clarity to the rule, the draft also proposes:
•  A schedule containing the new eye sight standards for candidates proposed in Maritime
Rule Part 34 – Medical Standards. This is intended for the ease of reference of candidates
consulting Maritime Rule Part 32
•  To reduce the qualifying sea service in non-fishing vessels of 100 gross tons or more for the ‘AB Certificate’ from nine to three months. This is intended to better recognise the skills and
experience of fishing industry personnel and to ease their transition should they wish to transfer to the merchant sector. As it is expected that this qualification will soon be included in the
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers
(STCW), the qualification also anticipates the requirements under the Convention. It is also
proposed to offer AB candidates some remission of required sea service if they complete an
acceptable structured training programme
•  To increase the remission of sea service for completing a structured training programme for
Inshore Launchmaster, NZ Offshore Watchkeeper, NZ Offshore Master,
•  A remission of sea service of 12 months is introduced for the AB Certificate. The purpose of this is to encourage a structured training while maintaining safety standards.
• To remove the current Ro-Ro Passenger Ships endorsement rule and instead include it in Maritime Rule Part 31A -Crewing and Watchkeeping, Unlimited, Offshore, and Coastal (Non-fishing) Vessels. This change recognises that these requirements are better suited to the crewing rule.
• To provide a clear and specific minimum level of qualifications required to be able to operate as a Harbourmaster in New Zealand. This is intended to redress the current situation where no
minimum standards are prescribed in the maritime rules framework. This rule would apply to new appointments only and not to Harbourmasters employed in positions at the time the rule comes into force. Comments are invited as to whether other qualifications should be accepted as
alternative pre-requisites to be employed as a Harbourmaster in New Zealand, e.g. naval
qualifications or specific seafaring qualifications from other jurisdictions such as Australia or the
United Kingdom.
• A review of all maritime qualifications is scheduled to occur in the 2008-2009 financial year. This review may result in changes to the pre-requisite qualifications. Any resulting proposed
amendments will be consulted on as part of the review process.
• Rule 32.57 permits the Director to recognise equivalent certificates as meeting the requirements for prerequisite certificates required for the issue of a certificate of competency. This will provide flexibility to recognise training that may have been completed in another jurisdiction to be recognised as fulfilling the requirements for the issue of a certificate of competency in New Zealand, thereby promoting entry into the industry.
• To introduce a definition of “Yacht”. This is intended to indicate the range and types of vessels
that holders of “Yacht” qualifications may operate. It was regarded as necessary, in view of the
complexity and size of the vessels that holders of these qualifications would operate, that some
sea time should be served on vessels of not less than 24 metres in length rather than the present
minimum length of 12 metres.

• To remove from the STCW95 deck certificates, the requirements for applicants who are 65 years of age or over, to be medically fit to the satisfaction of the Director. However, under the Part 32 (re-issue) the Director retains the right to ask applicants to undergo a medical examination if he or she believes on reasonable grounds, by reason of some medical condition, that an applicant may not be able to carry out the duties required by the holder of the certificate being sought.
• To align national certificates of competency with STCW validation requir requirements ements ements. Certificates issued under the Part 32 (re re-issue) will require revalida revalidation every five years. Existing certificates, issued under the current Part 32, will be deemed to have been issued under the re re-issue when the re re-issue comes into force. 

Making submissions
The deadline for making comments on the draft rule is 11 April 2008 (i.e. your comments must be received by that date).
You may make comments by:• E-mail to rules.coordinator@maritimenz.govt.nz
• Ordinary post to PO Box 27006, Wellington
• Fax to (04) 494 1263
• Delivery to Level 10, Optimation House, 1 Grey Street, Wellington.
Submissions are public information
Please indicate clearly if your comments are commercially sensitive, or if, for some reason, you
consider they should not be disclosed. In addition, if you are an individual (i.e. your comments are made personally and not on behalf of a company or an organisation) please indicate if you consider for some reason that your identity should not be disclosed.
We will acknowledge all submissions that we receive and once the rule is finalised you will receive a summary of the full consultation.
 

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