Initiative to cut yacht engineers’ sea time

After years of lobbying from various groups, including the Professional Yachting Association (PYA), the Maritime and Coastgaurd Agency (MCA) is taking steps to amend sea time requirements for crew on smaller vessels than those in the merchant world, including superyachts.

“Currently it can take many years for yacht engineers to gain the sea service requirements due to the nature and activity of the yachting sector compared to most other commercial sectors. Therefore yacht engineers have been disadvantaged by the inability to gain seam time through no fault of their own,” commented the PYA’s engineering workgroup.

The new initiative proposes two changes to the current sea service requirements. First, sea service for yachts pertaining to actual days at sea, or underway time, is being proposed to be accepted at a multiple of 1.5 of the actual days at sea; therefore, what in the past was a nine-month qualifying period, for yacht engineers would become just a six-month qualifying period. Second, it is proposed that time spend at anchor, in port or during refit may count towards 25 per cent of the total sea service required for yacht engineers.

Read the full story and hear more from the PYA's engineering workgroup on SuperyachtNews.com.

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