You will need this certificate if you are the master of a vessel and intend to pilot your own vessel in a pilotage port. This certificate is issued to the master of identified vessels for a specified pilotage area.
Pilotage is ordinarily compulsory in every pilotage port, meaning that a master of a vessel cannot enter, leave or move within a pilotage port with a vessel before taking on board the marine pilot made available by the pilotage service provider for that port. This certificate exempts your vessel from compulsory pilotage in respect of the relevant port.
A pilotage port means any of the following ports:
- Sydney Harbour
- Botany Bay
- Newcastle
- Port Kembla
- Yamba
- Eden.
Please note that a Marine Pilotage Exemption Certificate is not available for:
- a vessel the length of which exceeds 215 metres, unless approved by the Minister or the relevant port authority
- a vessel with a single person bridge operation
- a vessel that is nuclear-powered
- a vessel carrying dangerous or hazardous goods in bulk, unless approved by the Minister or the relevant port authority
- a vessel or class of vessels that may pose a threat to the safety of life or port property
- any vessel determined by the Minister, by notice in writing given to the master or owner of the vessel, as a vessel for which a marine pilotage exemption certificate is not to be issued
- any class of published on the NSW legislation website, as a class of vessel for which a marine pilotage exemption certificate is not to be issued.
