Seafarer documentsCertificates and qualifications
Certificate of Competency – Master, 500–3,000 GT
- 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
- 47 countries
Contents6
1 What it covers
Certifies competence in the named capacity within the limitations stated on the certificate.1–3
Who needs it. Masters serving within the certificate’s 500–3,000 GT range.1–3
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/43–5
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.6,7
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 47 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 | Master (<3 000 GT)Issued by: South African Maritime Safety Authority · source |
| India | Master (Foreign Going) – 500 to 3000 GTIssued by: Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) · source |
| Georgia | Master 500–3000 GTIssued 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 |
| Nigeria | MASTER <3000GTMaster <3000 GTIssued by: Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency · source |
| Romania | Brevet de comandantCertificate of Competency – MasterIssued by: Autoritatea Navală Română · source |
Show all 47 countries
Same document
| Country | Name in the issuing country |
|---|---|
| Bulgaria | Ocean-Going Master, ship 500–3000 GTsource |
| Philippines | Master – 500 to less than 3000 GTIssued by: Maritime Industry Authority · source |
| Poland | kapitan na statkach o pojemności brutto od 500 do 3000Certificate of Competency – Master – 500 to less than 3000 GTIssued by: Polish maritime administration / competent Maritime Office · source |
| Lithuania | kapitono kompetencijos liudijimasCertificate of Competency – Master – 500 to less than 3000 GTIssued by: Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration · source |
| France | Brevet de capitaine 3000Master under 3000 GT certificateIssued by: French maritime administration · source |
| Netherlands | Kapitein zeeschepen van minder dan 3000 GTMaster seagoing ships under 3000 GTIssued by: Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat / Kiwa Register · source |
| Vietnam | Thuyền trưởngCertificate of Competency – Master – 500 to less than 3000 GTIssued 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 entre 500 e 3000Master 500–3000 GTIssued by: DGRM · source |
| Thailand | Master,500–3000GTCertificate of Competency – Master,500–3,000 GTIssued by: Marine Department · source |
| Thailand | Master,500–3000GT,Near CoastalCertificate of Competency – Master,500–3,000 GT, Near CoastalIssued by: Marine Department · source |
| Türkiye | KaptanMaster – 500 to less than 3000 GTIssued by: Denizcilik Genel Müdürlüğü, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure · source |
| Croatia | zapovjednikCertificate of Competency – Master – up to 3000 GTIssued by: Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure · source |
| Algeria | Brevet d’aptitude de capitaine à bord de navires d’une jauge brute inférieure à trois mille(3000)Certificate of Competency – Master, Ships Under 3,000 GTIssued by: Administration chargée de la marine marchande · source |
| Algeria | Brevet d’aptitude de capitaine servant à bord de navires d’une jauge brute inférieure à trois mille(3000)Certificate of Competency – Master, Ships Under 3,000 GT, Near-CoastalIssued by: Administration chargée de la marine marchande · source |
| Bahamas | Certificate of Competency – Master, ships between 500 GT and 3,000 GTIssued by: Bahamas Maritime Authority · source |
| Denmark | SætteskipperMaster restrictedIssued by: Danish Maritime Authority / Søfartsstyrelsen · source |
| United States | Master of vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GTIssued by: United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center · source |
| Latvia | kapteinisCertificate of Competency – Master – less than 3000 GTIssued by: Maritime Administration of Latvia / Latvian Seamen’s Registry · source |
| Myanmar | Deck Officer Class II – Master less than3000GTDeck Officer Class II – Master less than 3,000 GTIssued by: Department of Marine Administration · source |
| Myanmar | Deck Officer Class III – Master less than3000GTDeck Officer Class III – Master less than 3,000 GTIssued by: Department of Marine Administration · source |
| Italy | Comandante su navi di stazza compresa tra 500 e 3000 GTMaster 500–3000 GTIssued by: Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti / maritime administration · source |
| New Zealand | Master on ships less than 3000 GTIssued by: Maritime New Zealand · source |
| Argentina | Piloto de Ultramar de Primera (Máximo de Cargo)First-class Ocean-going Deck Officer (Maximum Capacity)Issued by: Agencia Nacional de Puertos y Navegación; Prefectura Naval Argentina · source |
| Malaysia | Master 500GT–3000GT NCCertificate of Competency – Master,500–3,000 GT, Near CoastalIssued by: Malaysia Marine Department · source |
| Sri Lanka | Endorsement as Master on ships less than3000GT,NCVEndorsement as Master on ships less than 3,000 GT, NCVIssued by: Merchant Shipping Secretariat / Director General of Merchant Shipping · source |
| Sri Lanka | Certificate of Competency – Master on ships of less than 3,000 GT engaged on near coastal voyagesIssued by: Merchant Shipping Secretariat / Director General of Merchant Shipping · source |
| Colombia | Capitán de buque de arqueo bruto comprendido entre 500 y 3000Master, ships of 500–3,000 GTIssued by: Dirección General Marítima (DIMAR) · source |
| Iceland | Skipstjóri C/(2.)Master Certificate C/(2.), 500–3000 GTIssued by: Samgöngustofa · source |
| Jamaica | Master – Ships between 500grt and 3000grt, UnlimitedMaster – Ships between 500 grt and 3000 grt, UnlimitedIssued by: Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) · source |
| Slovenia | poveljnik ladje z bruto tonažo med 500 in 3000Master, ship between 500 and 3000 GTIssued by: Uprava Republike Slovenije za pomorstvo · source |
| Taiwan | 二等船長適任證書Certificate of Competency – Master, National Class 2Issued by: Maritime and Port Bureau / Ministry of Transportation and Communications · source |
Related document
| Country | Name in the issuing country |
|---|---|
| Estonia | Väiksema kui 3000-se kogumahutavusega laeva kapteni diplomMaster Diploma, vessel under 3000 GTIssued by: Transpordiamet · source |
| Spain | Piloto de Primera Clase de la Marina MercanteMerchant marine deck officer 1st classIssued by: Dirección General de la Marina Mercante · source |
| Bangladesh | Deck Officer Class-1 (Master Mariner) CertificateIssued by: Department of Shipping · source |
| Bangladesh | Deck Officer Class-4 (Master-Near Coastal Voyage) CertificateIssued by: Department of Shipping · source |
| France | Brevet de capitaine 3000 yachtMaster 3000 yacht certificateIssued by: French maritime administration · source |
| Mexico | CapitánIssued 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 |
| Norway | Certificate of Competency Deck Officer Class 2Deck officer Class 2 (D2)Issued by: Norwegian Maritime Authority / Sjøfartsdirektoratet · source |
| Norway | Certificate of Competency Deck Officer Class 3Deck officer Class 3 (D3)Issued by: Norwegian Maritime Authority / Sjøfartsdirektoratet · source |
| Myanmar | Deck Officer Class IV – Master NCVIssued by: Department of Marine Administration · source |
| Belgium | CapitaineMaster certificateIssued by: FPS Mobility and Transport / Scheepvaartcontrole · source |
| Sweden | Fartygsbefäl klass IIIDeck officer Class IIIIssued by: Transportstyrelsen · source |
| Canada | Master 3 000 Gross Tonnage, Near CoastalIssued by: Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security · source |
| Chile | Piloto PrimeroIssued by: Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo y de Marina Mercante · source |
| Chile | Piloto SegundoIssued by: Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo y de Marina Mercante · source |
| Chile | Piloto TerceroIssued 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 <3000GT / Master Class 2 or equivalentMaster <3000 GT / Master Class 2 or equivalentIssued by: Vanuatu Maritime Safety Authority (VMSA); Vanuatu International Shipping Registry (VISR) · source |
| Vanuatu | Master <1600GT / Master Class 3 or equivalentMaster <1600 GT / Master Class 3 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, 3,000 GT or moreMCA 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