Department of Trade, Employment and Training
Contact information
Queensland Government
Queensland Training Information Service (QTIS)

Master (<45 Near Coastal)

Traineeship
Restricted Calling

Upon receipt of AMSA Marine Order 505 – Certificate of Competency Master <45m Near Coastal (NC). The holder of the certificate will be able to: 

 

  • Command a vessel <45 m long within the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 

  • Command a vessel <100 m and <3000 GT in inshore waters 

  • Act as Chief Mate or deck watchkeeper on a vessel <100 m and <3000 GT within the EEZ 

  • Undertake the duties and perform the functions of a General-Purpose Hand NC 

 

Contract mode
Full Time
Nominal term
24 months
Probation period
60 days
Implementation date
07/09/2026
ANZSCO
Ship's Master
Qld declaration date
28/08/2026
Duration & probation details
Nominal Term - all apprenticeships have this timeframe on the contract.
Expected Duration - some apprenticeships include this amount of time it's reasonably expected someone could become competent and complete their Apprenticeship.
Apprentice's Training Plans are developed using the Expected Duration timeframe rather than the contract's Nominal Term.
Full-time
Yes
Part-time
Yes
Casual
No
School-based
No

  • Full-time

    The lodgment of a second training contract where one of the training contracts is full-time will be reviewed by the Department to determine if each of the parties to each training contract can meet their obligations. There must be a clear separation between the training and employment requirements for each training contract and must not be replicated through the one occupation only.

  • Part-time

    Minimum of 15 hours per week over each 4 week period throughout duration of apprenticeship/traineeship.

  • Casual 
    Refer to section 2.5 of the Declaration of Apprenticeships and Traineeships, for the meaning of casual, irregular, occasional and intermittent employment arrangements.

  • School-based

    This traineeship is not recommended for school-based trainees.

    MAR40324 Certificate IV in Maritime Operations (Master up to 45 metres Near Coastal) prepares participants to command commercial vessels up to 45 metres and undertake senior deck and watchkeeping responsibilities. While there are no formal training-package entry requirements, AMSA certification requires the person to already hold Master less than 24 metres Near Coastal or Mate less than 80 metres Near Coastal and complete substantial qualifying sea service. For example, a person progressing from Master less than 24 metres generally requires 180 days of qualifying sea service with an AMSA task book or 360 days without one, including experience in charge of a navigational watch. The course also covers vessel stability, passage planning, crew management, seaworthiness and command of a voyage. This level of command responsibility and reliance on previous commercial maritime experience makes it unsuitable as an initial school-based qualification.

 

 

Funded Apprenticeship or Traineeship
No
The Queensland Government funds Skills Assure suppliers (SRTOs) for the provision of services to eligible apprentices and trainees.
For more information, please visit the department's Apprenticeships and Traineeships website.
Minimum education standard
Completion of Year 10 (QLD)

A minimum Year 10 education standard is recommended because the qualification requires strong literacy, numeracy and analytical skills for navigation, passage planning, stability and vessel operations. MAR40324 itself has no formal entry requirements; however, AMSA certification as Master up to 45 metres requires an existing Master up to 24 metres Near Coastal Certificate of Competency. The qualification associated with that pathway is MAR30924 Certificate III in Maritime Operations (Master up to 24 metres Near Coastal). AMSA also requires an LROCP or higher radio qualification, first aid, qualifying sea service, medical fitness and final assessment. 

Minimum entry age
13

Marine Order 505 – Certificate of Competency: Master <45m Near Coastal (NC)
AMSA Requirement: Be at least 16 years when the certificate is issued.

Entry requirements

AMSA requirement:
For the Master <45 m Certificate of Competency, the person must already hold Master <24 m Near Coastal or Mate <80 m Near Coastal. They then require at least 180 days qualifying sea service with an AMSA task book, including 120 days in charge of a navigational watch, or 360 days without a task book, including 240 days in charge of a navigational watch. They must also hold an LROCP marine radio certificate, meet medical requirements, hold first aid and pass the AMSA final assessment.

 

As a general rule, only Australian citizens and New Zealand citizens who have entered Australia on a valid passport have unrestricted rights to employment in Australia. 

Visa holders may engage in apprenticeships or traineeships provided their work rights allows this, based on information and advice provided by the Australian Government.

Supervision requirements 
Please refer to the Declaration policy, table 15 for the requirements on supervision. 

Modified supervision arrangements available: NO 

Employers are required to provide, or arrange to provide the facilities, range of work, supervision and training as detailed in the training plan. 

Qualified person for traineeships
1. A person who has satisfactorily completed a traineeship in the trainee's calling, and is the holder of a completion certificate issued under an Act, or 
2. A person who holds a certificate of recognition issued under an Act, certifying the person has the necessary skills and knowledge in the calling, or 
3. A tradesperson in the trainee's calling, as defined under a specific industrial instrument, or 
4. A person who holds a relevant qualification in the traineeship calling, or
5. A person individually, or persons collectively, who has/have documented competence (achieved through an RPL or training pathway) or demonstrated competence in all the competencies the employer is required to provide training for under the trainee's training plan (note - cannot be a person or persons currently undertaking the same traineeship), or 
6. A person undertaking a traineeship, at a higher level than the trainee's, whose traineeship incorporates supervisory or coordinating skills and who has documented competence (achieved through an RPL or training pathway) in at least one of the competencies the employer is required to provide to the trainee under the training plan and who is supervised by a person who qualifies under (1), and/or (4) and/or (5). 

And, where a worker is required to have a licence to practice the calling/occupation, the qualified person holds a current workers licence. 

Adequate supervision of apprentices and trainees cannot solely be provided from an offsite location by electronic means. Electronic means include, but are not limited to, telephones, radios and webcams. 

Commensurate to the work being undertaken and an apprentice’s level of competence, skills and experience, the level of supervision will normally range between direct, general and broad as per the below guidelines: 

Direct - Close monitoring of work ensuring understanding and identifying potential risks and/or hazards with the supervisor easily accessible to the apprentice or trainee
General - Occasional monitoring to ensure progress is occurring 
Broad - Quality checking of completed tasks. 

07/09/2026

LICENSING REQUIREMENTS:

 

Marine Order 505 – Certificate of Competency: Master <45m Near Coastal (NC)
To obtain a Master <45 m NC CoC you will need to have completed one of the following options for qualifying sea service (QSS):
While holding a Master <24 m NC or a Mate <80 m NC CoC:

  • At least 180 days QSS on commercial vessels ≥12 m long, including 120 days as person in charge of a navigational watch, and an AMSA task book, or

  • At least 360 days QSS on commercial vessels ≥12 m long, including 240 days as person in charge of a navigational watch without an AMSA task book.
     

Eligibility:

  • Be at least 16 years when the certificate is issued.

  • Be able to speak and understand English, including written documents.

  • Evidence of QSS accrual in the form of:
    – Record of sea service form 771
    – On board sea service record from your task book
    – Letter from the vessel operator, owner, master or chief engineer detailing your QSS.
    – Approved sea service log book

  • Evidence of medical fitness (including eyesight requirements):
    – Certificate of medical fitness for domestic seafarers form 1850
    – Current AMSA medical (Certificate of medical fitness form 303)

  • Evidence of CoC – Master <24 m (NC) or Mate <80 (NC).

  • Complete a Certificate IV – Master <35m NC course from a registered training organisation (RTO).

  • Hold a Marine Radio - Long Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency (LROCP) issued by the Office of Maritime Communications, or higher certificate.

  • Complete a HLTAID011 unit of competency Provide first aid or equivalent course.

  • Pass a final assessment.

 

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Certificate IV in Maritime Operations (Master up to 45 metres Near Coastal) (MAR40324)
MAR40324
Current
MAR - Maritime Training Package
0 SRTO

Declaration Policy

This Policy outlines the regulatory requirements for parties involved in the training to ensure that the apprentice or trainee receives quality training as agreed under the training plan.

Norfolk Island Policy

Specific amendments to the Declaration Policy for apprenticeships and Traineeships on Norfolk Island.

School-based Policy

This policy sets out the requirements specific to school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs) in Queensland and on Norfolk Island.

Last Updated: October 2026