Sri Lanka
- Who issues it
- Sri Lanka Ports Authority (tourism boat operators); Director-General of Merchant Shipping, Merchant Shipping Secretariat (seafarer certificates); Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (GMDSS radio certificates).
- Buoyage
- IALA region A
- Collision rules
- Merchant Shipping (Preventing Collisions at Sea) Regulations
Do you need a licence?
SLTDA leisure-boat tourism operators need a Coxswain Certificate/Skipper qualification. Private sport or pleasure vessels not for hire are exempt from the 2024 non-convention manning provisions. A general private-boating licence rule and power, size, speed or age thresholds were not confirmed.
Coxswain Certificate / Skipper - single screw engine
- What it lets you do
- Required for SLTDA leisure-boat tourism operations. Private-use coverage and exact vessel or waters limits were not confirmed.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Professional deck titles
Certificate of Proficiency – Rating forming part of a navigational watch / Domestic Voyage - Rating forming part of navigational watch
STCW II/4- What it lets you do
- Separate grades: seagoing ships 500 GT+; Domestic Voyage ships 80–3,000 GT, area categories 0R, 1–5.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Certificate of Proficiency – Able Seafarer Deck / Domestic Voyage - Able Seafarer-Deck
STCW II/5- What it lets you do
- Separate grades: seagoing ships 500 GT+; Domestic Voyage ships 80–3,000 GT, area categories 0R, 1–5.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch / Domestic Voyage - Officer of the Watch (Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch)
STCW II/1; II/3- What it lets you do
- Unlimited: 500 GT+. Near-coastal: below 500 or 3,000 GT. Domestic: below 500 or 3,000 GT (areas 0R, 1–5).
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Certificate of Competency – Chief Mate / Domestic Voyage - Chief Mate
STCW II/2- What it lets you do
- Unlimited: 500 GT+ or 500–3,000 GT. Near-coastal: below 3,000 GT. Domestic: below 3,000 GT (areas 0R, 1–5).
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Certificate of Competency – Master / Domestic Voyage - Master
STCW II/2; II/3- What it lets you do
- Unlimited: 500 GT+ or 500–3,000 GT. Near-coastal or domestic: below 500 or 3,000 GT; domestic areas 0R, 1–5.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Domestic Voyage - Tug (Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch) / Domestic Voyage - Tug Mate / Domestic Voyage - Tug Master
- What it lets you do
- Areas 0R, 1–5: Tug Watch Officer below 3,000 GT; separate Tug Mate and Tug Master grades below 500 or 3,000 GT.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Radio certificates
GMDSS Restricted Radio Operator's Certificate
ROC- What it lets you do
- TRCSL radio qualification accepted for MSS restricted radio competency certification.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
GMDSS General Radio Operator's Certificate
GOC- What it lets you do
- TRCSL radio qualification accepted for MSS GMDSS Radio Operator certification.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Certificate of Competency – Restricted GMDSS Radio Operator
- What it lets you do
- MSS certificate under the seafarer training regulations for restricted GMDSS radio duties.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Certificate of Competency – GMDSS Radio Operator
- What it lets you do
- MSS certificate under the seafarer training regulations for GMDSS radio duties.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Certificate of Competency – Global Maritime Distress and Safety System Restricted Radio Operator (Domestic Voyages)
- What it lets you do
- Required for deck officers holding competency certificates on domestic voyages; issued by MSS.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Ready to study for it?
The Academy is free with an account: lessons for every topic, timed mocks marked like the real exam, and your progress saved.
Official sources: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority — Registration/Renewal: Leisure Boats & Small Vessel Operations · Merchant Shipping Secretariat — Non-Convention Vessel Regulations, No. 1 of 2024, regulations 2, 12–13 and 33 · Merchant Shipping Secretariat — Vessel Classification and Certification Regulations, No. 3 of 2024, Schedule, Group 4 · Merchant Shipping Secretariat — Code of Practice, Chapter II: Deck Department, revised 22 February 2024 · Merchant Shipping Secretariat — Seafarer Training, Certification and Watch Keeping Regulations, 2016, regulations 5, 9 and 10 · Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service — Notice to Mariners 1 of 2020: Trincomalee Harbour buoyage · Merchant Shipping Secretariat — Rules & Regulations, including collision regulations and STCW amendments · Department of Government Printing — Domestic Voyages Seafarer Regulations, No. 4 of 2024, regulation 17 and Schedule I