Near-coastal deck officer (NWKO NCV) from a deck rating without pre-sea training
Official reference: TEAP Part A II/7 paras 2.4, 4.4
A matriculate seafarer who has served in the deck department without approved pre-sea training can reach the NWKO (NCV) certificate after obtaining the rating watch-keeping certificate and a long period of sea service as deck rating, followed by the NWKO NCV competency course and examination.
Where this route can take you
Who can apply
Each requirement is summarised from the official publication linked beside it — follow the link for the exact wording.
Academic: Matriculation with English, deck service
TEAP manual, Part A ↗Class 10 pass with at least 50% in English, plus deck-department service.
Step by step
- 1
Rating watch-keeping certificate, then sea service as deck rating
36 months of sea service as a Deck Rating after the watchkeeping certificate.
TEAP manual, Part A ↗ - 2
Post-sea NWKO NCV competency course
The four-month NWKO NCV competency course.
TEAP manual, Part A ↗ - 3
Examination: NWKO (NCV) functions
The examination for the NWKO (NCV) certificate — watchkeeping officer on near-coastal ships of 500–6000 GT.
TEAP manual, Part A ↗
The rules behind this route
Rules made under the repealed Merchant Shipping Act 1958 continue in force under section 324(2)(a) of the Merchant Shipping Act 2025.
MS Act 2025 s.324(2)(a): rules made under the repealed MS Act 1958 continue in force
Rule 26 issues this certificate of competency in Form 7.
The TEAP manual also covers existing seafarers who have not done approved pre-sea training.
This page is built from the official DGS Training and Examination Advisory Programme (the TEAP manual) and the current orders of DGMA (the Directorate General of Maritime Administration, called DG Shipping until June 2026). Requirements are summarised in plain language — every section links to the official publication for the exact wording. Requirements made under the old Merchant Shipping Act 1958 still apply under the new Merchant Shipping Act 2025.