Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Act
(CHAPTER 170A, Section 41)
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Harbour Craft Manning Licence Examination) Regulations
Rg 4
G.N. No. S 184/1997

REVISED EDITION 2000
(30th April 2000)
[9th April 1997]
Citation
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Harbour Craft Manning Licence Examination) Regulations.
Definitions
2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“candidate” means a candidate for or in an examination;
“examination” means an examination held under these Regulations for a harbour craft manning licence as a Port Limit Steersman, Port Limit Helmsman, Port Limit Engine Driver (Third Class) or Port Limit Engine Driver (Second Class);
“Institution” means an institution nominated by the Authority to examine candidates for the granting of licences under these Regulations;
“manning licence” means a licence granted under these Regulations as a —
(a)Port Limit Special Grade (Deck Officer);
(b)Port Limit Helmsman;
(c)Port Limit Steersman;
(d)Port Limit Special Grade (Engineer Officer);
(e)Port Limit Engine Driver (Second Class); and
(f)Port Limit Engine Driver (Third Class);
“power-driven vessel” means a vessel propelled by machinery.
Applications for examinations
3.—(1)  A candidate who wishes to sit for an examination must apply to the Institution at least 2 weeks before the date of the examination.
(2)  A candidate must produce documentary proof of his birth, nationality, sea service, conduct and ability, and furnish such other particulars as the Institution may require.
Nationality or domicile
4.  Candidates must be citizens or permanent residents of Singapore.
Place, date and time of examination
5.—(1)  The place at which an examination may be held is to be determined by the Port Master.
(2)  The examination is to be held on such dates and at such times as may be specified by the Institution.
(3)  Every examination is to be conducted in the English language or in any other official language as the Port Master may determine.
Rejection of candidate
6.  The Port Master may reject an application by a person to be a candidate if the Port Master is of the opinion that such person is not a fit and proper person to be a candidate.
Examination fees
7.—(1)  An application under regulation 3 is to be accompanied by a fee specified in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Scale of Dues, Rates and General Fees) Notification (N 2).
(2)  If a candidate is, by reason of not fulfilling the prerequisites or for any other reason, not eligible to sit for an examination and the examiner is satisfied that there has been no wilful misrepresentation on the part of the candidate, the fee paid is to be refunded to him.
(3)  No fee or part thereof is to be refunded to a candidate who fails an examination or fails to present himself for an examination.
Qualifications of candidate for examination as Port Limit Steersman
8.  In order to qualify as a candidate for an examination for a manning licence as a Port Limit Steersman, a person must —
(a)be at least 18 years of age;
(b)have within the previous 5 years served a total of 6 months in the capacity of a crew member in one or more of the following power-driven vessels:
(i)a licensed harbour craft;
(ii)a vessel belonging to the Government or a statutory board; or
(iii)a sea-going vessel engaged in trade, a trawler or a deep-sea fishing vessel; and
(c)have passed an approved eyesight test conducted not more than 6 months before the examination.
Qualifications of candidate for examination as Port Limit Helmsman
9.  In order to qualify as a candidate for an examination for a manning licence as a Port Limit Helmsman, a person must —
(a)be at least 20 years of age;
(b)have passed an approved eyesight test conducted not more than 6 months before the examination;
(c)have within the previous 5 years served a total of at least 18 months in the capacity of a master, or steersman, while holding a Port Limit Steersman licence, in one or more of the following power-driven vessels:
(i)a licensed harbour craft;
(ii)a vessel belonging to the Government or a statutory board; or
(iii)a sea-going vessel engaged in trade, a trawler or a deep-sea fishing vessel; or
(d)have served at least 24 months on deck in an approved capacity —
(i)in a power-driven vessel of at least 300 gross tonnes, or a tug boat of not less than 50 gross tonnes, within the port limits; or
(ii)in a vessel of not less than 20 metres in length, and carrying not less than 12 passengers, within the port limits.
Qualifications of candidate for examination as Port Limit Engine Driver (Third Class)
10.  In order to qualify as a candidate for an examination for a manning licence as a Port Limit Engine Driver (Third Class), a person must —
(a)be at least 18 years of age; and
(b)have within the previous 5 years served a total of at least 6 months in the capacity of a crew in one of the following power-driven vessels:
(i)a licensed harbour craft;
(ii)a vessel belonging to the Government or a statutory board; or
(iii)a sea-going vessel engaged in trade, a trawler or a deep-sea fishing vessel.
Qualifications of candidate for examination as Port Limit Engine Driver (Second Class)
11.  In order to qualify as a candidate for an examination for a manning licence as a Port Limit Engine Driver (Second Class), a person must —
(a)be at least 20 years of age; and
(b)have within the previous 5 years served a total of at least 18 months in the capacity of Assistant Engineer, or Engine Driver, while holding a Port Limit Engine Driver (Third Class) licence, in one or more of the following power-driven vessels:
(i)a licensed harbour craft;
(ii)a vessel belonging to the Government or a statutory board; or
(iii)a sea-going vessel engaged in trade, a trawler or a deep-sea fishing vessel.
Port Limit Special Grade licence
12.  The Port Master may grant a Port Limit Special Grade (Deck Officer) licence, or a Port Limit Special Grade (Engineer Officer) licence, to a person holding a higher grade sea-going qualification recognised by him without requiring the person to sit for an examination and the licence so granted may be subject to such conditions as the Port Master considers fit.
Requirement for training in basic fire-fighting, first-aid, oil spill control and personal survival
13.  No manning licence as a Port Limit Helmsman or as a Port Limit Engine Driver (Second Class) shall be granted to a person under these Regulations unless he has satisfactorily completed a training course, recognised by the Port Master in basic fire-fighting, first-aid, oil spill control and personal survival.
Fitness of candidate to perform duties
14.  If —
(a)in the course of the examination the examiner finds that a candidate is afflicted with deafness, an impediment of speech or some other physical or mental infirmity; and
(b)upon further investigation the examiner is satisfied that the degree of infirmity is such as to render the candidate incapable of discharging adequately the ordinary duties of a Port Limit Steersman, a Port Limit Helmsman, a Port Limit Engine Driver (Third Class) or a Port Limit Engine Driver (Second Class), as the case may be,
the examiner may require the candidate to produce a certificate from a medical practitioner, registered under the Medical Registration Act (Cap. 174), certifying that the candidate is fit to perform such duties before allowing the candidate to complete the examination.
Refusal of permission to sit for examination
15.  Where a person —
(a)offers a gratuity to a member of the Institution;
(b)makes any representation, which he either knows or has reason to believe to be false; or
(c)fails to disclose any fact in his application to sit for the examination,
and such offer, representation or non-disclosure, as the case may be, is intended to influence the decision of the Institution to permit him to sit for the examination, that person shall not be permitted to sit for an examination for such period, not exceeding 2 years from the date of the offer, representation or non-disclosure, as the Port Master considers fit.
Evidence of sea service
16.  The Port Master may require a person who wishes to sit for an examination to produce a statutory declaration specifying the sea service which he has performed.
Syllabi
17.  The syllabus for an examination is to be determined by the Port Master.
Manning licence fees
18.—(1)  A successful candidate is to be granted with a manning licence by the Port Master on payment of such fee as the Authority may determine.
(2)  Persons holding higher grade sea-going qualifications recognised by the Port Master may be granted with a Port Limit Special Grade (Deck Officer) licence, or a Port Limit Special Grade (Engineer Officer) licence, as the case may be, on payment of such fee as the Authority may determine.
(3)  Where a manning licence is lost or destroyed, a replacement licence may be granted upon payment of such fee as the Authority may determine.
Validity of manning licence
19.—(1)  A manning licence is valid for a period of 5 years from the date of grant unless the Port Master stipulates a shorter period of validity.
(2)  A manning licence is renewable before the expiry date on payment of such fee as the Authority may determine.
Manning licence may be suspended or cancelled
20.  A manning licence grantedunder these Regulations may, after due inquiry by the Port Master, be suspended or cancelled if the Port Master determines that the holder of the licence —
(a)was careless, negligent or incompetent in the performance of his duties on a harbour craft; or
(b)by reason of misconduct, incompetence or incapacity, is unfit to carry out his duties on a harbour craft.
Suspended or cancelled manning licence to be surrendered
21.—(1)  A holder of a manning licence which is suspended or cancelled shall surrender the licence to the Port Master within 14 days of the suspension or cancellation.
(2)  Any person who fails to comply with this regulation shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.
Fraudulent use of manning licence
22.  Any person who —
(a)forges or fraudulently alters, or assists or procures the forging or fraudulent alteration of, a manning licence ;
(b)makes, assists in making of or procures to be made, any false representation for the purpose of procuring, either for himself or for any other person, a manning licence ;
(c)fraudulently uses a manning licence which has been forged, altered, cancelled or suspended or to which he is not entitled;
(d)fraudulently lends his manning licence or allows such licence to be used by any other person; or
(e)sells, purchases, gives away or accepts any manning licence or makes use of any such licence to which he is not entitled,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months.
Exemption
23.  The Authority may, in its discretion, exempt a person or a candidate from any of the provisions of these Regulations.
Savings
24.  Any application made, licence granted or exemption granted under the revoked Port of Singapore Authority (Harbour Craft Manning Licence Examination) Regulations (Cap. 236, Rg 9) is deemed to have been made or granted under the corresponding provisions of these Regulations.
[G.N. No. S 184/97]