You will need 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.