Master 500GT Domestic, Associate Certificate, Part-time

Program Overview

This program prepares students for a career as a Master on vessels up to 500 gross tonnage engaged on near coastal voyages. The curriculum includes courses in simulated electronic navigation, communications, meteorology, ship management, ship construction and stability, engineering knowledge, cargo handling, and general seamanship. Upon completion, graduates will be eligible to take the Transport Canada Master 500GT Domestic certificate examination.

Program Outline

This command level marine navigation simulator course exceeds the requirements of Transport Canada training standards and the IMO "Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) convention". This course will provide the required skill set for the students to make appropriate decisions in complex navigational scenarios, including emergency situations to effectively plan, organize, and manage a navigational bridge team. Ship handling of large vessels in confined waters, and effectively planning and participating in a "Search and Rescue" (SAR) operation are part of this course. Towards the end of the training, the students will prepare and execute a voyage plan from berth to berth using the necessary navigational instruments and bridge publications, whilst assuming the duties and responsibilities as the master of the vessel. This course guides participants on the use of the International Code of Signals for coding and decoding messages and procedures to be applied for communication by visual signaling; on the use of Radio Aids to Marine Navigation for ascertaining facilities and services; and on extracting necessary information from the Annual Notices to Mariners. This course covers details on the development of maritime weather patterns and systems. The contents include atmosphere, atmospheric pressure, wind, cloud, precipitation, visibility, frontal systems, ocean currents, depressions, and storms. Students will make weather observations from instruments, record, and report on weather conditions. This course will provide students with an understanding of the applicable content of various Regulations covering the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. The regulations that are covered are: Load Line Regulations, Marine Personnel Regulations, Marine Transportation Security Regulations, Pilotage Act, Merchant Seamen Compensation Act, Potable Water Regulations, Quarantine Regulations, Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals, Shipping Casualty Reporting Regulations, Shipping Inquiries Investigations Rules, Vessel Certificates Regulations, Marine Insurance, Charter Party, Bill of Lading, Customs and Immigration Act, Canada Labour Code, Agency, Salvage, and Legal consequences of infractions of regulations. This course combines the knowledge of ship construction and the practical use of stability data to maintain seaworthiness. The course includes the calculation of the forces contributing to the stability of a ship; the effect of adding, moving, or discharging weights; the free surface effect of liquids and its danger to a listing vessel. The course also includes maintaining the integrity of the vessel's hull and superstructures. Students will be introduced to marine auxiliary machinery including pumps, boilers, air compressors, water-makers, sewage treatment plants, oily water separators, etc. This will also include stabilizers, bow thrusters, and deck machinery. They will also acquire an understanding of diesels and diesel systems. The course covers propeller, propeller shafts, bridge control, hydraulic systems, and firefighting systems. The electrical session will explore alternators and electrical distribution. This course covers Canadian and International regulations pertaining to the safe carriage of cargoes as transportation on vessels. The basic knowledge on the safe handling, stowage, and securing of cargoes along with the associated equipment are also covered in this course. The Regulations that are covered are: Cargo, Fumigation, and Tackle Regulations; International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code; Safe Working Practices Regulations; Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act; and Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations. This course is a tutorial course that reviews contents required for an oral examination with Transport Canada Examiner. The main contents that are reviewed are maintaining a safe navigational watch; lifesaving and distress signals; weather routeing; ship-handling under various weather conditions; maneuvering characteristics; anchoring and mooring; operations of small ships power plant; IMO and IAMSAR; response to emergencies; search and rescue; seaworthiness; towing operations; rigging, and other seamanship-related topics.

Careers:

The holder of a Master 500GT Domestic certificate may be employed as:

• Master on board a vessel of not more than 500 gross tonnage engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 2 (or class 1 if the certificate is endorsed for a limited, contiguous waters, voyage)
• Chief
• Mate on board a vessel of not more than 3000 gross tonnage engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 2 (or class 1 if the certificate is endorsed for a limited, contiguous waters, voyage)
• Master on board a vessel of not more than 3000 gross tonnage engaged on a sheltered-waters voyage