Seafarer career progression

Read about Seacert, which allows easier entry to the commercial maritime industry and provides clear career progression.

SeaCert allows easier entry to the commercial maritime industry and provides clear career progression. SeaCert also takes account of international standards and allows for portability of qualifications between countries.

Traditional career progression

Career progression for seafarers traditionally focuses on vertical progression - progressively higher levels of certification for a particular type of vessel, and/or more extensive operational limits.

The Seafarer Certification and Operational Limits Framework document shows how this structure applies for SeaCert certificates. 

Seafarer Certification and Operational Limits Framework [PDF: 1.98Mb, 104 pages]

Non-traditional career progression

Rather than progressing directly to higher-level certificates, some seafarers may prefer to move across vessel and certificate types. For example, they may wish to progress from fishing to non-fishing certificates and vice versa, moving either horizontally or diagonally. Or they may choose to move from non-STCW to STCW certificates, and from management-level to operational or support-level certificates in the same or a different industry sector.

Contact us for more help

If you have any questions about seafarer certification, please contact our Personnel Certification team.

Phone:

New Zealand (toll free):
0508 SEACERT or 0508 732 237

Calling from outside New Zealand:
+64 4 473 0111

Email:

seafarers@maritimenz.govt.nz
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