Marine Training: Port Operations Training
Port Operations certificates are open to anyone in the company or private individuals who wish to get a qualification to be in charge of vessels within Port Operations limits.
This means that a deck hand with no formal qualification or anyone who wants could register for this program without any pre-requisites. There are 2 certificates:
- Skipper Port Operations certificate (This allows you to qualify as skipper of a ship of up to 200tons within port limits)
- Master Port Operations certificate (This allows you to qualify as master of a ship of unlimited tonnage within port operations limits)
Skipper Port Operations
Any person can start with the
Skipper Port Operations Program which consists of the following subjects:
- Chartwork
- Naval Architecture
- Shipmaster's Business and Personnel Management
- Emergency Procedures
- Maneuvering
The program runs in semesters, which means that you do not have to do all the subjects at once. The student can decide how many subjects he/she would like to register for and carry on until they have completed all of them.
Once all the subjects are completed successfully, they are issued with a Skipper Port Operations Certificate. With this in hand, they now need at least 18 months of sea time on a vessel of similar size (under 200 tons) of which at least 6 months have to be on the bridge understudying from the qualified Skipper. After the sea time is obtained and they feel ready to qualify, they need to go to SAMSA for an oral examination who will on the successful completion of this exam, issue them with a Skipper Port Operations Certificate of Competence. With this in hand, a person becomes highly sought after in the Marine environment and the type of job is exciting, outdoors and well paid.
Master Port Operations
To register for the Master Port Operations program, a person has to be in possession of a Skippers Port Operations Certificate or a Deck Officers Certificate.
With either of the two, you now only need to do the following subjects at a higher level:
- Chartwork
- Naval Architecture
Similar to the Skipper program, once you have completed these subjects successfully, you will be issued with a Master Port Operations Certificate, but will still have to get sea time on a vessel which is now more than 200 tons before you can go to SAMSA for your oral examination. Once you have completed your oral examination at SAMSA successfully, you will be issued with a certificate of competence - Master Port Operations which then entitles you to be in charge if a vessel of unlimited tonnage in a Port Operations Restricted area.
As you know the School of Ports has not changed its prices in years and it has unfortunately become time for us to change prices and the pricing structure. Our prices still compare very favorable to other institutions offering the same or similar courses. The attached document will explain how the structure works and the new pricing is also attached. You will find that with the new structure it will be much easier to budget and keep a track on students. The major advantage is that you pay once per student and after that you will only be charged if he / she have to re-do a subject. Most ports give each student 2 chances per subject but that is up to each business unit manager to decide on.