Maritime Labour Convention Ships Cook
- Regulators
-
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency
- Nations
- United Kingdom
- Sectors
-
- Transport
Regulatory or professional bodies
Primary regulator
- Regulatory authority
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency
- Address
-
Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG - Phone number
- +44 (0)2038 172 200
Regulation
Regulation summary
The MCA, on behalf of the Secretary of State, issues Ships Cooks Certificate to seafarers once they have met the qualifying conditions. The required training elements are set out in Regulation 3.2 and Standard A3.2 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.
All Ship's Cooks are required to hold a maritime cooks qualification if they are working on vessels operating beyond 60 miles from a UK safe haven and with more than 10 seafarers on board.
Regulation type
Reserved activities
Recognised professionals are qualified to work onboard vessels as catering staff and persons processing food for others in the galley, with particular reference to regulation 40 of the MLC Minimum Requirements Regulations.
Catering staff are defined in regulation 42 of the MLC Minimum Requirements Regulations and includes cooks, cooks’ assistants and stewards/stewardesses.
Any seafarer processing food in the galley is deemed to be a member of the catering staff regardless of their main role on-board ship.
Qualifications and experience
New professionals
- Routes to qualification
-
To be eligible to be issued with a UK (MLC 2006) Ship’s Cook Certificate applicants must meet the following requirements:
• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Have completed a minimum of one month seagoing service in any capacity (seagoing service must be proven by Discharge Book entries or Certificates of Discharge);
• Have completed training in accordance with the learning outcomes and
assessment criteria set out in Annex 1 and Annex 2 of MSN 1846, or any subsequent publication;
• Have completed the following Standards of Training Certification and
Watchkeeping (STCW) basic safety courses;
- Personal Survival Techniques (STCW Code A-VI/1-1)
- Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (STCW Code A-VI/1-2)
- Elementary First Aid (STCW Code A-VI/1-3)
- Personal Safety and Social Responsibility (STCW Code A-VI/1-4)
- Security Awareness
• Hold a current Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate (ENG 1) or equivalent.Applications for the issue of a UK (MLC 2006) Ships Cook Certificate of Competency should be made to the MCA using application form MSF 4395.
Professionals from outside the UK
- Recognition for professionals outside the UK
- Some - qualifications from some countries may be recognised, but professionals from other countries will have to re-qualify
- Summary of routes
-
The MCA, on behalf of the Secretary of State, may accept a Ship’s Cook’s Certificate issued by an EU Member State or another Administration after the date they ratify the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 as equivalent to a Ship’s Cook certificate issued under the MLC Minimum Requirements Regulations.
A Ship’s Cook’s Certificate issued by an Administration that is neither an EU Member State nor a signatory to the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 may be accepted as equivalent to a ship’s cook certificate issued under the MLC Minimum Requirements Regulations. This is providing that the Ships Cook Certificate and the training approved by the Administration concerned is equivalent to the UK requirements and a Memorandum of Understanding exists between the UK and the Administration concerned outlining this recognition.
Such equivalent certificates will be accepted for service in the capacity of cook on UK ships providing that in addition to a current Ship’s Cook’s Certificate, the holder of that certificate also holds the required STCW basic training certificates and a current ENG 1 Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate, or an acceptable equivalent.
Legislation
- Title of relevant act or charter
-
The Merchant Shipping Act 1995
- Website link to legislation
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21
- Title of relevant act or charter
-
The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Minimum Requirements for Seafarers etc.) Regulations 2014
- Website link to legislation
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1613/contents