Marine Personnel Regulations (SOR/2007-115)

• 243. (1) Every master, mate, engineer or any other person who forms part of an engineering watch or deck watch on board a vessel shall hold a certificate of competency that is

  • (a) issued by the Administration;

  • (b) endorsed by the Administration to attest to its recognition; or

  • (c) accompanied by an attestation from the Administration that an application for an endorsement has been made under section I/10 of the STCW Convention.

• (2) The certificate referred to in subsection (1) shall be

  • (a) appropriate to the duties performed by that person on the vessel;

  • (b) endorsed by the Administration as meeting the provisions of the STCW Convention; and

  • (c) valid under the STCW Convention for the vessel and the voyage on which the vessel is engaged.

244. Subject to section 252, the master of a vessel shall ensure that a voyage is planned and a deck watch is maintained in accordance with Parts 2, 3 and 3-1 of section A-VIII/2 of the STCW Code.

245. Subject to subsection 247(2), no person shall act, and no master shall permit a person to act, as a member of the deck watch unless the person holds a certificate appropriate to the class of vessel and the voyages on which the vessel is engaged.

246. The master of a vessel shall be on duty as required by the ordinary practice of seamen.

• 247. (1) The master of a vessel shall ensure that the deck watch consists, at a minimum of,

  • (a) a person in charge of the deck watch who holds a certificate authorizing them to be the officer in charge of the deck watch;

  • (b) subject to subsection (2), an additional person who, in the case of a vessel that is at least 500 gross tonnage holds, at a minimum, a Bridge Watch Rating certificate or an equivalent to the Able Seafarer certificate;

  • (c) subject to subsections (2) and (3), a second additional person who, in the case of a vessel of more than 1 000 gross tonnage holds, at a minimum, a Bridge Watch Rating certificate or an equivalent to the Able Seafarer certificate; and

  • (d) a person in charge of the radio watch who has qualifications equivalent to those set out in section 266, unless the person in charge of the deck watch is so qualified and is also in charge of the radio watch.

• (2) The additional person and the second additional person assigned to the same deck watch are not both required to hold one of the certificates referred to in paragraph (1)(b) or (c) if either person, but not both, is a rating under training to obtain one of those certificates.

• (3) Subject to subsection (4), a second additional person is not required on board a stationary MOU, or on board any other vessel of more than 1 000 gross tonnage if that vessel is fitted with toilet facilities that are adjacent to the navigating bridge for the use of the deck watch, as well as fitted with the equipment listed in the schedule to this Part, which equipment shall be

  • (a) in good working order;

  • (b) suitably illuminated for night operation; and

  • (c) used in accordance with the ordinary practice of seamen.

• (4) A second additional person is required on board a vessel that meets the requirements of subsection (3) if the use of the automatic steering system is prohibited by local by-laws or its use could interfere with prompt helm action in the following circumstances:

  • (a) restricted visibility;

  • (b) traffic density; or

  • (c) hazardous navigational situations.