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Course Overview
This programme enables fishers with Second Hand Full and Skipper Full certificates of competency (awarded by the Department of Transport) to work as officers on smaller craft, i.e., on vessels less than 500 Gross Tonnage, such as wind farm support vessels, island ferries and other craft to operate within 170 nautical miles of the Irish coast and 30 nautical miles from the United Kingdom coast.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this programme the graduate will be able to demonstrate:
Knowledge – Breadth
A wide range of knowledge in the operation all aspects of small ships.
Knowledge – Kind
Knowledge relevant to the STCW code for ships less than 500 Gross Tonnage operating in the near coastal area. This includes, ship operations, ship stability, shipping law, emergency procedures, resource management, shipping legislation, health and safety legislation.
Skill – Range
Skills to support the ship management as an officer of the watch and act as an on-board manager (Master). Graduates will implement national and international legislation, conduct stability calculations, perform navigational calculations, navigate small ships safely using all equipment including electronic equipment, and manage all onboard personnel safely.
Competence – Context
The ability to combine their previous experience while obtaining the qualifications of Second Hand Full and/or Skipper Full (issued by the Department of Transport) with new skills and knowledge to manage and operate all equipment in relation to small ships in the near coastal area.
Competence – Role
The ability to perform the role of Officer of the Watch and obtain the academic knowledge to perform the role of Master on ships less than 500 Gross Tonnage in the near coastal area as required by the STCW Code.
Modules
Shipboard Emergency Procedures
This module provides the learner with an in-depth knowledge of the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea, buoyage and navigation marks. In addition, it assists in preparing the learner for the professional seafaring oral examination conducted by the government regulators as well as providing an understanding of basic ship manoeuvring, how to deal with emergencies, bridge equipment and on board life saving and fire fighting requirements.
NAEST O – Watchkeeping
This module is part of the competency training for ships’ bridge watchkeeping officers. It complies with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Regulations and Code, the relevant IMO model courses and is approved by the Marine Survey Office at the Department of Transport. As a result, this module has prerequisites for candidates.
Ship Knowledge (< 500GT>
This module provides learners with the underpinning knowledge and ability to conduct compliance stability calculations for vessels under 500 Gross Tonnage in the Near Coastal Area. It reflects the requirements as set out in the annex to the Standards of Training and Certification of Watchkeepers (STCW) Convention 1978 Reg II/3 of the STCW Code as amended. It also provides learners with general knowledge of ship construction and cargo operations applicable for smaller vessels. This module is mapped with the requirements under STCW 1978 as amended, Table A-II/3: Cargo Handling and stowage at the operational Level; and Maintain Seaworthiness of the Ship: Ship Stability and Ship Construction.
Shipboard Management (< 500GT>
This module provides the underpinning knowledge for the management of operations as officer of the watch, chief mate and master on board vessels under 500Gross Tonnage. It reflects the requirements as set out in the annex to the STCW Convention 1978 Reg II/3 and table A-II/3 of the STCW Code as amended. It includes applicable maritime law, resource management, safety and security management, shipboard surveys and pollution prevention techniques. This module is also mapped with the STCW Code 1978 as amended: Table A-II/3: Ensure Compliance with pollution-prevention requirements; Monitor Compliance with legislative requirements.
About the Trainer
The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) is the first third level college in the country to be built under the Government’s Public-Private Partnership scheme. A Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is a partnership between the public and private sector for the purpose of delivering a project or service traditionally provided by the public sector.
In this case the public partners are the Munster Technological University (MTU) and the Irish Naval Service (INS) and the private partner is Focus Education. This model allows the college management and teaching staff to concentrate on education while the private partner is responsible for services to the college and the maintenance of facilities.