MSF 4203 REV 04/20

APPLICATION FOR A UK CERTIFICATE OF

EQUIVALENT COMPETENCY CEC
IMPORTANT - BEFORE completing this form, please ensure you have read the guidance
notes and instructions on pages 6, 7 and 8 and either MSN 1867 (Merchant Navy) or MSN
1825 (Fishing) as appropriate.

Please complete in ENGLISH using BLOCK CAPITALS and black ink. All sections must be
completed.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation we are currently unable to accept any applications via post. Please submit all
applications and supporting documents via email. Please note that scanned copies of supporting documents are
currently acceptable. Please note this is subject to change, visit our webpage to stay up to date with the latest
information – Click here. Please email your application to [email protected]

1 PERSONAL DETAILS

Title Mr/Mrs/Miss/Capt etc Sex Male / Female

Surname / Family name
Forename(s) in full
Date of Birth
Place of Birth Country of Birth
Nationality

Full Home Address Address for return of documents

(if different from home address)
Address

District
Town / City
County/State
Post Code/Zip
Country
Telephone No Fax:
Mobile Email:

Please do not write below this line

Received: Fee: SDS No

CEC
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2 DETAILS OF CERTIFICATE HELD

Non-UK STCW Certificate of Competency

Title
Number
Date of Revalidation Day/ Month/ Year/
Country and Town
of Issue

Give details below of capacity and limitations which apply to this certificate

Give details below of any Tanker/Dangerous Cargo Endorsements including level of certificate and
any GMDSS Certificates held. Please provide the relevant documents

OIL

CHEMICAL

LIQUIFIED GAS

GMDSS

Is English your first language? (If yes, please tick ✓ the box)

Do you have any formal English qualifications as listed in the

attached notes? (If yes, please tick ✓ the box) *

* If you ticked yes, please enclose the relevant original certificate as proof with this application. Further details can be
found in section 4 of the guidance notes.

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 US Coastguard Certificates of Competency

If you hold either the US Coast Guard 500GT or 3000GT (International Tonnage) Certificates of Competency you will
be required to pass one of the MCA oral examinations of competency depending upon the Certificate of Equivalent
Competency for which you have applied for (an additional fee will be required). I hold the following Certificate of
Competency issued by the US Coast Guard:

500 GT (International Tonnage) 3000 GT (International Tonnage)

and wish to apply for (please tick (✓) appropriate capacity

Capacity Oral Examination Required ( ✓)

Merchant Navy Chief Mate <500GT near Coastal Oral D - from MGN 69
Master <3000GT Oceans Oral B - from MGN 69
Mate <500GT near coastal OOW oral from MSN 1858
Mate <500GT Oceans OOW oral from MSN 1858
Mate <3000GT near coastal OOW oral from MSN 1858
Mate <3000GT Oceans OOW oral from MSN 1858
Master <500GT near coastal Master 500GT oral from MSN 1858
Master <500GT Oceans Master 500GT oral from MSN 1858
Limited to Yacht Master <3000GT near coastal Master 3000GT oral from MSN 1858
Service Only Master <3000GT Oceans Master 3000GT oral from MSN 1858
Chief Eng (Limited-Oceans) Motorships. Y2 oral from MSN 1859
(where limitations of power and tonnage
are >2999kW & >2999GT)
Chief Eng (Limited-Oceans) Motorships. Y1 oral from MSN 1859
(where limitations of power and tonnage
are >8999kW & >2999GT)

Any limitation as to area of operation or capacity on the original Certificate of Competency will be carried forward to
the Certificate of Equivalent Competency e.g. a "near coastal" certificate issued by the USCG will have the CEC
endorsed "USA near coastal area only".

3 CHECKLIST OF ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS Please send only the original requested documents.

Please note that failure to supply the requested documents could result in delays to the application.
Please Official
(✓ ) use only

Non-UK STCW Certificate of Competency *

Original CEC if already held (proof of English and Passport do not need to be resubmitted)

Passport or Discharge Book

English Certification (in accordance with the attached notes)

Two passport size photographs (see guidance note 5)

Deck Officers only: GMDSS if you require a flag state endorsement (no additional fee)

Fee of £109.00

* Officers with a “Near Coastal” endorsement will have their Certificate limited to the near coastal area of
the administration of which the CoC was issued.

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 (The maximum penalty for a false declaration is £5000)
4 YOUR SIGNATURE AND DECLARATION

I declare that the information I have given is, to the best of my knowledge, true and complete. I also declare that the documents
submitted are genuine, given and signed by the persons whose names appear on them. Please refer to our privacy statement in
Section 2 of the guidance notes which explains how we use the personal information we collect from you.

IMPORTANT – KEEP WITHIN BORDER

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS INSTRUCTION
WILL INVALIDATE THE APPLICATION

For office use only

Date ……………………………..

Print name …………………………………………………………………………………………………

Completed applications should be sent together with the items listed in Part 3
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation we are currently unable to accept any applications via post. Please submit all
applications and supporting documents via email. Please note that scanned copies of supporting documents are
currently acceptable. Please note this is subject to change, visit our webpage to stay up to date with the latest
information – Click here. Please email your application to [email protected]

AN INCOMPLETE APPLICATION WILL DELAY THE ISSUE OF YOUR CEC

Please now complete the payment section on the next page.

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pos
5 PAYMENT

You must ensure you pay the appropriate fee (as laid down in the current Merchant Shipping Fees Regulations)

Payment should be made in pounds sterling (£), by BACs transfer, credit or debit card via online payment facility Gov.uk Pay by
following the links below.

We are unable to accept cheques, postal orders, banker’s drafts or cash.

The fee for a CEC application is £109.

FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT APPLYING THROUGH A SHIPPING COMPANY OR CREWING AGENCY

For applications made by an individual and not through a shipping company there is a courier fee for EU or Rest of
World return courier. Please choose the appropriate fee link below. There is no charge for a UK courier.

To pay via Gov.UK Pay for delivery to the UK: £109

https://www.gov.uk/payments/seafarer-training-courses/application-for-certificate-of-equivalent-competency

To pay via Gov.UK Pay for delivery to the European Union or EEA: £129

https://www.gov.uk/payments/seafarer-training-courses/application-for-certificate-of-equivalent-competency-eu

To pay via Gov.UK Pay for delivery to the Rest of the World: £139

https://www.gov.uk/payments/seafarer-training-courses/application-for-certificate-of-equivalent-competency-row

If you wish to pay by BACS transfer, please contact us.

OR for companies with MCA rolling accounts:

Please withdraw the appropriate fee from our rolling account:

Reference:

Company Stamp:
(for rolling account only)

To top up your rolling account via Gov.UK Pay please follow the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/payments/seafarer-training-courses/cec-application-rolling-account-top-up

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GUIDANCE NOTES FOR THE COMPLETION OF THIS APPLICATION FORM
PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU READ AND UNDERSTAND THESE NOTES BEFORE COMPLETING THE FORM

Please complete this form in BLOCK LETTERS and in black ink. If a section is not relevant to your application enter NIL.

ENSURE YOU COMPLETE THIS FORM IN FULL - FAILURE TO DO SO MAY MEAN WE WILL HAVE TO RETURN YOUR
APPLICATION TO YOU, AND WILL RESULT IN A DELAY TO YOUR APPLICATION BEING PROCESSED.

Enclose all documents necessary to establish your eligibility for a Certificate of Equivalent Competency.. An essential document
check list is on page 3 to help you.

1 PERSONAL DETAILS

Enter your personal details in the boxes provided. Your name should be given IN FULL, and should be given in the same format as
appears in your passport or other national identity document.

Your date of birth should be given in the format DD/MM/YYYY, e.g. 18 February 1960 would be written 18/02/1960.

You should give your permanent home address, where you are normally resident. You may also provide an alternative address for
return of documents or correspondence relating to this application.

2 PRIVACY STATEMENT

Personal information which you supply to us will be used to process your application to meet the applicable Standards of Training
Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) requirements. To check and report on how effective the MCA and the services it
commissions have been. To make sure that the MCA gives value for money. We may use your information to investigate complaints,
legal claims or important incidents. We may use your information for crime prevention and prosecution of offenders.
The information you provide is primarily used for issuing your UK Certificate of Competency (CoC)/Certificate of Equivalent
Competency (CEC) but may also be used for other related purposes, and shared with other statutory bodies/organisations to
enable them to fulfil their statutory obligations.

We will not disclose any financial details you provide to us. Once your payment has been processed all financial details are securely
destroyed.

For more information on how we use your information, and your rights to access information we hold on you, please see our full
privacy policy available on our website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency

3 DETAILS OF CERTIFICATES HELD

Please give full details of certificates held. Should you wish to sail in a lower capacity than your Certificate of Competency allows
please state clearly the capacity you require.

4 CHECKLIST

Before a United Kingdom Certificate of Equivalent Competency can be issued, you will need to submit certain documentation as
specified in this section. Please tick the appropriate box to show that you have included the necessary certificate/document. All the
documentation indicated in this section must be submitted.

Your photographs must be taken full face without a hat and must be passport approved photographs, measuring a maximum of
50mm x 40mm, in colour.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The following is acceptable evidence of competency in English:

Satisfying the MCA that English is the candidate's mother tongue (first language).

Holding a STCW Certificate of Competency for which the examinations are conducted in English.

Holding an advanced English Language certificate issued by the British Council or an International Language Testing System
(IELTS) Test Report showing an Overall Band of at least 6.
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 Holding a Berlitz Language School level 2+ certificate endorsed by the company.

Holding a certificate of TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) as applicable for admission to US Universities.

Passing the Marlins test at an approved Marlins Test Centre (addresses of approved Marlins Test Centres are available from the
MCA). In addition to the Marlins Test Result, we require either (a) written confirmation from the owners/managers stating that the
applicant has been interviewed and that his standard if spoken English was found to be satisfactory for the capacity in which he is to
be employed, or (b), passing the Marlins Test of Spoken English (TOSE) at an approved Marlins test centre.

Passing the MCA English Language test administered by an MCA surveyor.

If you are unable to supply any of the above you may be required to complete the English Oral examination for seafarers. This is an
oral MCA English language test, which can be undertaken through the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) administered for the
MCA and conducted by arrangement with SQA in any British Council offices in most places world-wide. Please note that you must
first make application for a Certificate of Equivalent Competency BEFORE a Notice of Assessment can be issued allowing you to
undertake the English and/or UKLAP examinations. Examinations cannot be taken prior to issue of the relevant Notice of
Assessment.

UKLAP
Before a Certificate of Equivalent Competency can be issued at the following levels it is necessary to complete the UKLAP
examination as indicated below.

Master
UKLAP Grade 1 test

Please note that Adaptation Periods can only be served on a UK registered vessel under a Master who has a full UK
Certificate of Competency or a full UK Certificate of Equivalent Competency. Prior to submitting an application for an
Adaptation Period companies should contact the CEC team directly at [email protected] to set up an agreement.

5 YOUR SIGNATURE AND DECLARATION

YOUR SIGNATURE - please sign with your usual signature. Ensure that the whole of your signature is contained within the
box on page 4 – this will be affixed to your new Certificate of Equivalent Competency. Please ensure that this is completed,
as without your signature here your certificate cannot be issued.

Please read the declaration. Only the applicant may sign the declaration, signatures of others on behalf of the applicant
cannot be accepted. Once you are sure that the information you have given is, to the best of your knowledge, true and complete,
and that the documents submitted are genuine, given and signed by the persons whose names appear on them, you should sign the
declaration with your usual signature, including the date.

6 PAYMENT
You must enclose the appropriate fee with your application. Currently the fee for revalidating a CEC is £109. This fee includes
worldwide postage. Payment must be made in Pounds Sterling (£).

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation we are currently unable to accept any applications via post. Please submit all
applications and supporting documents via email. Please note that scanned copies of supporting documents are
currently acceptable. Please note this is subject to change, visit our webpage to stay up to date with the latest
information – Click here. Please email your application to [email protected]