Certificate of Local Knowledge - New South Wales

Description

You will require this certificate if you are the master of a vessel and you intend to pilot your own vessel in a pilotage port. This certificate is issued to the master of an identified class or classes of vessels for a specific 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 Certificate of Local Knowledge is not available if you have the following classes of vessels:

  • A vessel the length of which exceeds 80 metres unless approved by the Minister or the relevant port authority.
  • 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 poses a threat to the safety of life or port property.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for this certificate you must:

  • hold a certificate of competency that authorises you to be a master of the type of vessel to which the application relates
  • have satisfactorily passed an examination approved by the relevant Harbour Master for the pilotage port
  • provide evidence that you are competent to carry out unsupervised movement of the type of vessel to which the certificate relates in the relevant pilotage port to the satisfaction of the relevant Harbour Master
  • meet the health requirements set out in the certificate of competency in respect of a master for the type of vessel to which the application relates
  • pay the required fees.

Duration

Two years

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Amount Description
Apply Application All $74.00 Fees for 2022-23
Renew Renewal All $39.00

Renewal fees must be paid within two months after each second anniversary of the granting of the certificate. Fees for 2022-23

Forms

Other resources

Act(s) name

Marine Safety Act 1998 New South Wales

Regulation(s) name

Marine Safety Regulation 2016 New South Wales

Application process

Renew

To renew your certificate you must provide evidence of your employment history and port experience. You are also required to provide evidence that you are medically fit.

Administering agency

Transport for NSW

Roads and Maritime Services

NSW Maritime Division

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.