Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)RegulationsMerchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Safe Manning) Regulations, 2021Part 1 : General3. Validity and revalidation of certificates |
| (1) | A certificate of competency and proficiency issued in terms of these Regulations, and any equivalent certification, is not valid for sea service or port operations service unless revalidated at intervals not exceeding five years to establish continued professional competence in accordance with subregulation (3). |
| (2) | Continued professional competence is established by— |
| (a) | completing, during the preceding five years, at least 12 months sea service or port operations' service, as appropriate to the certification held; or |
| (b) | having completed 3 months approved sea service in the rank specified for the certificate held during the preceding 6 months immediately prior to revalidating; or |
| (c) | performing functions considered by the Authority to be equivalent to the service mentioned in subregulation (1). The Authority shall publish such a list of equivalent functions using such means it deems appropriate; or |
| (d) | completing applicable approved (refresher) training and meeting the standards of competence specified in the Training Standards Code. |
| (e) | having completed approved seagoing service, performing functions appropriate to the certificate held, for a period of not less than three months in a supernumerary capacity, or in a lower officer rank than that for which the certificate held is valid immediately prior to taking up the rank for which it is valid. |
| (3) |
| (a) | Certificates of competency listed in regulation 2(2) to (6) shall be revalidated every five years, except for the certificates listed in subregulations (2)(a), (4)(d) and (5)(a). |
| (b) | Certificates of proficiency issued to ratings as set out in regulation 2(7) shall be revalidated every five years |
| (c) | Certificates of proficiency as set out in regulation 2(8) and (9) shall be revalidated every five years as set out in the relevant training standard, except for the certificates in subregulations (8)(d), (9)(a)(iii), (iv), (b), (c), (i), 9(j) and (k) and the holders of certificates contemplated in subregulations (9)(a)(i) and(ii) serving on fishing vessels need not revalidate their certificates. |
| (4) | Candidates holding certificates other than certificates for officers, radio operators or ratings are required to revalidate their certificates as follows: |
| (a) | Certificates listed in regulation 2(6) are required to be revalidated in accordance with the provisions of the relevant regulations in division 9 of part 3; |
| (b) | Certificates listed in Regulation 2(7) are required to be revalidated by providing appropriate sea service or refresher training where required to be revalidated as set out in the Training Standards Code. |
| (5) | Application for revalidation shall— |
| (a) | be made in the form and manner; |
| (b) | include the information; and |
| (c) | be accompanied by the documents, specified by the Authority. |
| (6) | The Authority shall, if it is satisfied that the applicant meets the requirements of subregulation (2) or (3), issue to the applicant an endorsement extending the validity of his or her certificate. |
| (7) | Application for revalidation of certificates may be made within a period of six months before the fifth anniversary of the certificate held and shall be revalidated for a further period of five years from the date of initial expiry. |