1. General Requirements for Tanker Qualification-Certificate of Proficiency (COP)

Officers and ratings assigned specific duties and responsibilities related to cargo or cargo

equipment on oil or chemical tankers shall hold a certificate in mandatory minimum training for oil and chemical tanker cargo operations (STCW V/1-1). Officers and ratings assigned specific duties and responsibilities related to cargo or cargo equipment on liquefied gas tankers shall hold a certificate in mandatory minimum training for liquefied gas tanker cargo operations (STCW V/1-2).

Levels of Responsibility

Tanker qualifications are issued at one of three (3) functional levels of responsibility:

• Management Level: For senior officers serving as Master, Chief Mate (First Officer), Chief Engineer, and First Assistant Engineer (Second Engineer Officer);
• Operational Level: For other certificated officers, serving under the direction of an officer at the management level, including ETOs; and
• Support Level: For Able Seafarers (AB) performing tasks related to cargo or cargo equipment under the direction of an individual serving at the operational or management level.

2. Types of Tanker Qualification-Certification

• Basic Training for Oil or Chemical Tanker (certificates are issued separately)

This certification is issued to seafarers with cargo handling duties or duties related to the

maintenance or repair of cargo equipment aboard vessels carrying liquid petroleum products in bulk, and/or liquid chemicals in bulk, that cannot be considered liquefied gases.

• Basic Training for Liquefied Gas Tanker

This certification will be issued to seafarers with cargo handling duties or duties related to the maintenance or repair of cargo equipment aboard liquefied gas carrying vessels.

Note: Officer CoPs for this certification have an expiration date and must be revalidated.

• Advanced Training

Senior officers and any officer or Able Seafarer (AB) with immediate responsibility for loading, discharging, care in transit, handling cargo, or cargo handling equipment shall hold a certificate in advanced training relating to specific duties aboard oil/chemical tankers or liquefied gas carriers, as appropriate to the certification hold. A copy of an appropriate training course certificate must be included with the application.

3. Requirements for Tanker Qualification-Certification:

• Senior Officers:

Masters, Chief Mates (First Officers), Chief Engineers, First Assistant Engineers (Second Engineer Officers) and any officer or Able Seafarer (AB) with immediate responsibility for cargo operations, seeking certification at the management level, must provide:

1. Evidence of having completed an approved advanced training for the same type of tanker to which they are being assigned; and
2. Evidence of at least three (3) months of service in the past five (5) years aboard the same type of tanker to which they are being assigned or
3. At least one (1) month of service in the past five (5) years aboard the same type of tanker to which they are being assigned, in a supernumerary capacity, which must include at least three loading and three unloading operations sufficiently documented in a training record book.

• Junior Officers:

Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch (OICNW), seeking certification at the operational level, must provide evidence of:

1. Familiarization training for the type of tanker upon which they will serve; and at least three (3) months sea service within the past five (5) years, aboard the type of tanker they will serve; or
2. Evidence that the officer has completed an approved basic training for the type of tanker to which he/she will be assigned.

• AB’s:

Applicants are required to have:

1. A minimum of three (3) months service aboard the type of tanker upon which they will serve; or
2. Evidence that the rating has completed an approved basic training for the type of tanker to which he/she will be assigned.

Revalidation Requirements

• Officers

Certificated Deck/Navigational and Engineer Officers are required to renew their Management and Operational Level Tanker certification at five (5) year intervals.

An application must be accompanied by all required supporting documentation.

Applicants must show approved seagoing service, performing functions        appropriate to the certificate held, for a period of at least:

• Twelve months in total during the preceding five years, or
• three months in total during the preceding six months immediately prior to revalidating; or
• seagoing service, performing functions appropriate to their certificate held, for a period of not less than three months in a supernumerary capacity

CoPs issued to AB’s for this certification do not have an expiration date.