The professionalism of maritime professionals that work in the large yacht sector is not adequately reflected in the international convention that governs shipping certification, argues Nautilus UK.

Nautilus UK, as a champion of seafarers and other maritime professionals, is lobbying to elevate yacht professionals’ certification status and so expand their career opportunities.

In the UK as in other maritime countries, seafarer certification is based on the International Maritime Organisation’s Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) convention.

And Nautilus UK is lobbying the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, the relevant UK authority, arguing that tonnage and kilowattage limits should be lifted following appropriate training. This, Nautilus UK contends, will help end discrimination against maritime professionals in the large yacht sector that prevents them working on larger vessels. Allan Graveson, Nautilus UK’s senior national secretary, explains:

‘The limitation of 3,000gt (for deck officers), and 3,000kW and 6,000kW (for engineers), is not only confined to commercial yachts. There’s certain sections of the merchant fleet, people that have come from fishing vessels, the offshore sector as well, where we want to be able to have a route forward for these people - so there isn't effectively an artificial ceiling and people can move through to whatever sector of the industry they want, and move upwards, beyond these limitations of kilowattage and tonnage.’

Nautilus UK is seeking a pragmatic solution whereby the limitations can be lifted, or the certificates can be easily converted to full Merchant Navy status.

‘There’s a rationale for this because very large yachts are effectively in many ways small merchant vessels,’ Mr Graveson points out. ‘And you’ve got to give the credit and recognition that these people deserve. And therefore they shouldn’t be seen to have second class certification.’