Seafarer documentsCertificates and qualifications
Master certificate of competency, 3,000 GT or more
- STCW II/2
- Full entry
- Checked 6 October 2026
- Document type
- Qualification document
- Validity
- As issued; competence shown every 5 years
- Names in other countries
- 59 countries
Contents7
1 What it covers
Certificate of Competency – Master, 3,000 GT or more (STCW II/2) certifies competence in the named capacity within the limitations stated on the certificate. It is needed by masters serving on ships of 3,000 GT or more. Validity: as issued; competence shown every 5 years.1–5
2 What it consists of
The certificate requirements include training in: Basic Safety Training STCW VI/1Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Other Than Fast Rescue Boats STCW VI/2Advanced Fire Fighting STCW VI/3Medical First Aid STCW VI/43,6,7
The standard of competence is set by table A-II/2 of the Code.1–3
3 Validity and renewal
Document validity. The expiry date, if the issuing system sets one, is shown on the document itself. This reference does not calculate personal expiry dates.
Maintaining competence. To continue serving at sea, the holder revalidates the certificate at intervals not exceeding 5 years, showing medical fitness and continued professional competence.4,5
4 Which positions
The need follows from the ship and the duties on board, not from the title of the position. In this reference the document appears in the requirements of these positions:
5 Names in 59 countries
How national systems name this document. The original name is given where the source has it; the English name is our editorial rendering.
Same document
| Country | Name in the issuing country |
|---|---|
| South Africa | MasterIssued by: South African Maritime Safety Authority · source |
| India | Master of a foreign-going shipMaster (Foreign Going)Issued by: Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) · source |
| Georgia | Master 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia · source |
Related document
| Country | Name in the issuing country |
|---|---|
| Ukraine | Master certificatesource |
| India | Master (NCV)Issued by: Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) · source |
| Egypt | MasterIssued by: Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety · source |
| Nigeria | MASTER >3000GTMaster >3000 GTIssued by: Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency · source |
Show all 59 countries
Same document
| Country | Name in the issuing country |
|---|---|
| Estonia | 3000-se ja suurema kogumahutavusega laeva kapteni diplomMaster Diploma, vessel 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Transpordiamet · source |
| Indonesia | Sertifikat Ahli Nautika Tingkat INautical Officer Class I (ANT I)Issued by: Directorate General of Sea Transportation, Ministry of Transportation · source |
| Spain | Capitán de la Marina MercanteMerchant marine masterIssued by: Dirección General de la Marina Mercante · source |
| Peru | Capitán de buques sin límite de arqueo brutoMaster, Unlimited Gross TonnageIssued by: Dirección General de Capitanías y Guardacostas · source |
| Philippines | Master – 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Maritime Industry Authority · source |
| Poland | kapitan żeglugi wielkiejCertificate of Competency – Master – 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Polish maritime administration / competent Maritime Office · source |
| Germany | Kapitän NKMaster (NK)Issued by: BSH · source |
| Lithuania | kapitono kompetencijos liudijimasCertificate of Competency – Master – 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration · source |
| France | Brevet de capitaineMaster certificateIssued by: French maritime administration · source |
| Netherlands | Kapitein alle zeeschepenMaster all seagoing shipsIssued by: Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat / Kiwa Register · source |
| Vietnam | Thuyền trưởngCertificate of Competency – Master – 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Vietnam Maritime and Waterway Administration; historical issuer Vietnam Maritime Administration · source |
| Portugal | Certificado de competência como comandante em navios ou embarcações de arqueação bruta igual ou superior a 3000Master 3000 GT or moreIssued by: DGRM · source |
| Thailand | Master,3000GT or moreCertificate of Competency – Master,3,000 GT or moreIssued by: Marine Department · source |
| United Kingdom | Master, UnlimitedIssued by: Maritime and Coastguard Agency · source |
| Türkiye | Uzakyol kaptanıMaster, UnlimitedIssued by: Denizcilik Genel Müdürlüğü, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure · source |
| Croatia | zapovjednikCertificate of Competency – Master – 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure · source |
| Greece | Δίπλωμα Πλοίαρχος Α΄ τάξης Ε.Ν.Merchant Navy Master – Class AIssued by: Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy · source |
| Algeria | Brevet d’aptitude de capitaine à bord de navires d’une jauge brute égale ou supérieure à trois mille(3000)Certificate of Competency – Master, Ships of 3,000 GT or MoreIssued by: Administration chargée de la marine marchande · source |
| Pakistan | Deck Officer Class-I (Master of a foreign-going ship or Master Mariner)Deck Officer Class I – Master of a Foreign-Going Ship / Master MarinerIssued by: Mercantile Marine Department / Directorate General Ports and Shipping · source |
| Norway | Certificate of Competency Deck Officer Class 1Deck officer Class 1 (D1)Issued by: Norwegian Maritime Authority / Sjøfartsdirektoratet · source |
| Bahamas | Certificate of Competency – Master (unrestricted)Issued by: Bahamas Maritime Authority · source |
| Hong Kong | Certificate of Competency (Deck Officer) Class 1 (Master Mariner)Issued by: Hong Kong Marine Department · source |
| Denmark | SkibsførerMaster unlimitedIssued by: Danish Maritime Authority / Søfartsstyrelsen · source |
| United States | Master of vessels of 3,000 GT or moreIssued by: United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center · source |
| Latvia | kapteinisCertificate of Competency – Master – 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Maritime Administration of Latvia / Latvian Seamen’s Registry · source |
| Myanmar | Deck Officer Class IIssued by: Department of Marine Administration · source |
| Italy | Comandante su navi di stazza pari o superiore a 3000 GTMaster 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti / maritime administration · source |
| Sweden | SjökaptenMaster mariner certificateIssued by: Transportstyrelsen · source |
| Finland | MerikapteeniMaster's certificateIssued by: Traficom · source |
| Australia | MasterIssued by: Australian Maritime Safety Authority · source |
| New Zealand | MasterIssued by: Maritime New Zealand · source |
| Argentina | Capitán de UltramarOcean-going MasterIssued by: Agencia Nacional de Puertos y Navegación; Prefectura Naval Argentina · source |
| Malaysia | Master >3000GT NCCertificate of Competency – Master,3,000 GT or more, Near CoastalIssued by: Malaysia Marine Department · source |
| Malaysia | Master >3000GT ULCertificate of Competency – Master,3,000 GT or more, UnlimitedIssued by: Malaysia Marine Department · source |
| Sri Lanka | Certificate of Competency – MasterIssued by: Merchant Shipping Secretariat / Director General of Merchant Shipping · source |
| Colombia | Capitán de buques de arqueo bruto igual o superior a 3000Master, ships of 3,000 GT or moreIssued by: Dirección General Marítima (DIMAR) · source |
| Fiji | Master Class 1Issued by: Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji · source |
| Iceland | Skipstjóri D/(3.)Master Certificate D/(3.), unrestrictedIssued by: Samgöngustofa · source |
| Slovenia | poveljnik ladje z bruto tonažo 3000 ali večMaster, ship 3000 GT or moreIssued by: Uprava Republike Slovenije za pomorstvo · source |
| Taiwan | 一等船長適任證書Certificate of Competency – Master, National Class 1Issued by: Maritime and Port Bureau / Ministry of Transportation and Communications · source |
Related document
| Country | Name in the issuing country |
|---|---|
| Romania | Brevet de comandantCertificate of Competency – MasterIssued by: Autoritatea Navală Română · source |
| Bulgaria | Ocean-Going Master, ship over 3000 GTsource |
| Bangladesh | Deck Officer Class-1 (Master Mariner) CertificateIssued by: Department of Shipping · source |
| France | Brevet de capitaine 1re classe de la navigation maritimeFirst-class ocean-going master certificateIssued by: French maritime administration · source |
| Mexico | Capitán de AlturaIssued by: SEMAR, Dirección General de Marina Mercante · source |
| Ghana | MasterIssued by: Ghana Maritime Authority · source |
| China | 船长Certificate of Competency – Master (船长)Issued by: Maritime Safety Administration, Ministry of Transport · source |
| United States | Master ocean or near-coastal, unlimited tonnageIssued by: United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center · source |
| Myanmar | Deck Officer Class IV – Master NCVIssued by: Department of Marine Administration · source |
| Belgium | CapitaineMaster certificateIssued by: FPS Mobility and Transport / Scheepvaartcontrole · source |
| Canada | Master MarinerIssued by: Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security · source |
| Canada | Master, Near CoastalIssued by: Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security · source |
| Brazil | Capitão de CabotagemCabotage Master (CCB)Issued by: Marinha do Brasil, Diretoria de Portos e Costas · source |
| Brazil | Capitão de Longo CursoOcean-going Master (CLC)Issued by: Marinha do Brasil, Diretoria de Portos e Costas · source |
| Chile | Capitán de Alta MarIssued by: Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo y de Marina Mercante · source |
| Ecuador | Capitán de AlturaOcean-going MasterIssued by: Dirección Nacional de los Espacios Acuáticos (DIRNEA), Armada del Ecuador · source |
| Jamaica | Master – Ships of 500grt or more, UnlimitedMaster – Ships of 500 grt or more, UnlimitedIssued by: Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) · source |
| Uruguay | Capitán MercanteMasterIssued by: Prefectura Nacional Naval, Dirección Registral y de Marina Mercante (DIRME) · source |
| Vanuatu | Master Unlimited GT / Master Class 1 or equivalentIssued by: Vanuatu Maritime Safety Authority (VMSA); Vanuatu International Shipping Registry (VISR) · source |
"Related document" is a national document of its own system that relates to this type but is not automatically equal to it.
6
Same code STCW II/2: one code is not always one document. The certificate itself and the limitations written in it show which one you hold. Other types under this code: Chief mate yachtMaster yachtMaster yacht less than 500 GTMaster on ships less than 500 GTCertificate of Competency – Chief Mate, 3,000 GT or moreCertificate of Competency – Chief Mate, 500–3,000 GTCertificate of Competency – Master, 500–3,000 GTMCA Certificate of Competency – Chief Mate, Yachts less than 3,000 GTMCA Certificate of Competency – Master, Yachts less than 3,000 GTMCA Certificate of Competency – Master, Yachts less than 500 GT1
7 Frequently asked questions
Who needs the Certificate of Competency – Master, 3,000 GT or more?
How long is the Certificate of Competency – Master, 3,000 GT or more valid?
The expiry date, if the issuing system sets one, is shown on the document itself. This reference does not calculate personal expiry dates. To continue serving at sea, the holder revalidates the certificate at intervals not exceeding 5 years, showing medical fitness and continued professional competence.4,5
What else is the Certificate of Competency – Master, 3,000 GT or more called?
Also known as Certificate of Master of a Sea-going Ship 3000 GT or more. National names in 59 countries are listed on this page.