Obtaining a master’s license (in Canada)

To claim the title of Master, you need more than being in charge of a boat. You need to pass exams, accumulate sea time and seek training. This text explores how to become one, but also nuances the various titles of “Master”. For example, a “Master 60” does not have the same privileges as a “Master Mariner”.

General information

There are several approaches to become a Master, but each way must comply with two key pieces of legislation: the Canada Shipping Act and the Marine Personnel Regulations. Both are governed by Transport Canada, a federal government department.

There are two main approaches to becoming a master: either by accumulating experience at sea, or by obtaining training at a post-secondary educational institution. In both cases, you have to pass exams, accumulate experience at sea and take classroom training.

What changes, in essence, is the emphasis placed on each component. In the academic training regime, the emphasis on training and passing exams will be greater, and the amount of sea time required will be less. In the cumulative sea time regime, more cumulative sea time is required, and exam preparation is less structured and therefore more difficult, but there is no need to be in school.

The first step is to accumulate experience at sea and move up the maritime hierarchy: you start out as a deckhand, then progress to deckhand of the watch, officer of the watch, first officer of the watch, then master. In this way, you gradually move from working on deck to working on the bridge. This is a “do your time” mentality.

The progression is made at sea, via jobs, and allows you to learn directly in the workplace. However, passing the exams will be more difficult, because the training acquired will be more scattered, and not necessarily aligned with Transport Canada exams. It will also take longer, because the sea time required is longer than the requirements under academic training.

Because training is done through jobs, access to the gateway will depend on an employer’s willingness to give you time. Progression is therefore dependent on an employer’s perception of you as a captain. In Quebec, possible employers include Algoma, Canadian Steamship Line, the Canadian Coast Guard, Groupe Desgagné and Groupe Océan (there are others).

The second system involves training at an educational institution offering navigation programs, such as the Institut maritime du Québec or the Canadian Coast Guard College (here for a complete list of approved institutions).

These programs are mainly classroom-based and require less sea time. The teaching institution generally offers a broader range of training than simply the development of a trade. For example, navigation training at the Institut maritime du Québec awards a college diploma and therefore requires, among other things, courses in philosophy, French and physical education. Training at the Coast Guard College has similar requirements, but awards a university bachelor’s degree.

These courses lead to the title of Officer of the Watch, meaning that there is still (at least) one exam to take with Transport Canada, namely the oral exam leading to the title of Captain. Training programs are not viewed in the same way by Transport Canada: some programs are accredited and lead to exam exemptions, meaning in effect that the exams you write at the institution are deemed equivalent to Transport Canada exams. Other programs do not have these exemptions, and merely prepare you for the exams administered by Transport Canada.

Specifics

The number of exams and sea time will vary according to the specifics of the Master’s certificate. The table below gives examples, but as a general rule, the less sea time and exams required, the more restrictions the master’s certificate will bring. These restrictions depend on the boat’s maximum gross tonnage, the waters in which it can be navigated, and the individual’s physical abilities.

Gross tonnage is a measure of a vessel’s carrying capacity. A “Master 60”, for example, means that the holder can command a vessel of up to 60 tons. Similarly, the titles of Master 150 and Master 3000 push this limit to 150 and 3000 tons respectively. Ultimately, a Master Mariner has no tonnage restrictions. As a general rule, the larger the ship, the greater the number of examinations required.

Distance from the coast is classified into three categories: sheltered waters, up to 25 nautical miles from the coast, up to 200 nautical miles from the coast, and everything beyond. Sheltered waters are those with few currents, few tides, few international vessels… and close proximity to emergency services. As a general rule, master titles with no restrictions on the water surface require more examinations. A Master 60 title, for example, only allows sailing 25 miles offshore or less, while a Master 150 allows sailing up to 200 nautical miles.

Medical restrictions may be imposed, depending on the candidate’s eyesight, general health or physical condition. Restrictions may include daylight sailing only, or distance from the coast. These conditions do not alter the training program (or accumulated sea time), but will impose limits on the captaincy that can be obtained.

Watchkeeping officers

To complicate matters, some certificates are partly interlocked, meaning that obtaining one certificate is almost equivalent to obtaining another. The most important case is that of officer of the watch. An officer of the watch is a person who can be entrusted with the ship for navigation watches. They may be entrusted with segments of voyages, but they remain under the Master’s responsibility. In the shipboard hierarchy, OOWs come after the Master and the First Officer of the Watch. OOWs generally work on large gross tonnage vessels.

In essence, the Officer of the Watch certificate has higher requirements than those of a Master 150 and a Master 60, with the exception of a single exam. In other words, training as an Officer of the Watch also allows you to become a Master with restrictions (150, 60) if you take an additional oral exam at Transport Canada. Considering that the exam costs less than $130 and lasts less than two hours, it’s hard to see anything other than an equivalence.

The idea here is to illustrate that Officer of the Watch training not only gives access to master titles, but also constitutes good training for master titles with fewer restrictions (500, 3000, Master Mariner). In fact, for large ships, OOW training is a must.

From Master 60 to Master 3000

This section gives four examples of the examinations and sea times required for three master’s certificates (3000, 150, 60) and the officer of the watch certificate. These examples do not represent a complete picture of Canadian qualifications, but they do illustrate the interdependence between the various certificates.

Sea time

The sea time required for each certificate is detailed in the Marine Personnel Regulations. This is illustrated in the table below. It should be noted that beyond the title of officer of the watch, there are no longer any advantages to academic training. In other words, academic training can speed up entry into the industry as an officer of the watch or master of small vessels, but does not reduce the additional sea time required for a master’s certificate with fewer restrictions.

Note: other conditions apply. Source: Marine Personnel Regulations.

Examinations

The examinations to be taken are detailed in Transport Canada’s standard Examination and Certification of Seafarers (TP 2293, in administrative jargon). This standard is extremely useful for finding out which subjects are examined by Transport Canada, but also details the compulsory course outlines for training provided by recognized institutions. So, whether you decide to take the academic route or the cumulative experience route, the content of the exams is based on this standard… and it’s very useful to know.

The exams vary both by subject and by level. For example, the Navigation safety subject refers mainly to knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (RIPAM). The level refers to the degree of difficulty of the exam. Following the same example, the “Safety of Navigation” level 2 exam will present more elaborate collision scenarios than the level 1 exam. (If necessary, the specifics are in TP 2293.)

The subjects and levels are detailed in the table below. It should be noted that the Master 60 certificate requires very few exams: one oral and one written. Remember, however, that it also comes with many restrictions. Other master’s certificates require specific examinations for each subject designated by Transport Canada. Although the table below summarizes four certificates, it should be remembered that other certificates exist (e.g. Master 500, Master Mariner). In this way, the progression between examination levels is less abrupt than the table suggests.

Source: TP 2293 standard. Note: other restrictions and training apply.

Transport Canada provides subject requirements, levels and even course outlines for the training associated with these exams. That said, they do not provide reference material for learning the content of this material. In doing so, you either have to rely on educational institutions, the knowledge and practices of people who are already trained, or be prepared to learn from material without being entirely sure that what you are learning is sufficient to pass the exams. Sources for learning are not indicated.

The Reeds series of technical books, in English and designed for UK exams, is the closest thing we have to a complete “reference set”. That said, there is no guarantee that they will adequately prepare you for all Transport Canada questions.

Training

The training courses described below refer to those that must be taken, regardless of the system chosen (by experience or by academic training). These courses are closely linked to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), to which Canada is a signatory. These courses are mainly concerned with ship safety standards, with occasional reference to management and communication skills (especially for larger vessels). The training courses are detailed in the table below.

To take these courses, you need to refer to the training centers recognized to provide them. In Quebec, this is mainly at the Centre de formation sur les mesures d’urgence of the Institut maritime du Québec. As these courses are designed for people who are mainly at sea, you will need to pay close attention to the times at which they are given.

Source: Marine Personnel Regulations. Note: 1) additional training applies if the vessel carries passengers; 2) training requirements are not listed if they are part of the examinations in the previous section.

Conclusion

The preceding paragraphs detail the formal elements involved in certification to become a Master. However, as the expression the ordinary practices of sailors so aptly sums up, there are many elements specific to practice that help contextualize the Master certification process.

By way of comparison, it is possible to become a small commercial vessel operator, a professional qualification that allows you to carry out commercial activities at sea. This is the equivalent – except in name – of a Master 5 certificate, limiting commercial activities to vessels of less than 5 gross tons. The tonnage restriction is obvious, of course, but only one theory exam is required to obtain the certificate. Similarly, the requirements for a Master 60 are relatively low.

Whether the experiential route is more appropriate than the academic one depends on the preferences of those who wish to take this step. That said, it’s worth noting that academic training is aimed at Officer of the Watch and above certificates. It may be overkill if you’re aiming for a Master 150 (or lower) certificate.

Onthe other hand, some training programs are fully paid. In Quebec, there’s a subsidized seamanship training program that gives you a quick start on deck. In Nova Scotia, the officer training program at the Canadian Coast Guard College is fully paid.

A little international perspective also helps to understand the intent of Canadian certification. These certificates are aimed primarily at commercial steel vessels: oil tankers, bulk carriers, fishing boats, cruise ships and so on. Training and examinations are geared towards steel vessels. Unlike French or English legislation, there are no specific certificates for yacht or sailboat captains (e.g. Master of Yachts, or Capitaine 200).

Beyond the romance of being under sail or on a megayacht, Canadian training is sometimes ill-suited to the realities of luxury vessels. For example, fire-fighting techniques for fiberglass ships are radically different from those for steel vessels. Related to this, there is a legislative gap allowing for the passage from pleasure craft to commercial certification.

In short, not just anyone can become a captain! Two key lessons emerge: if you’re aiming for the title of Captain of a large vessel (500 tons or more), it may be best to start with academic training as an officer of the watch. Alternatively, you might be better served by starting directly on a boat and doing your training in parallel. Which approach would suit you best?

References

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