1. Why do you need a maritime license to operate a large ship?
Just as you cannot drive a car without a license, you cannot serve as a ship officer on a vessel with a gross tonnage of 20 tons or more without a "Maritime License" [2]. It is important to note that "gross tonnage" does not refer to weight. Instead, it is a numerical value representing the size of the ship based on its volume [2]. Therefore, "20 tons" does not mean a ship that weighs 20 tons. People who hold this license are called "Maritime Engineers" [1]. So, who exactly holds these licenses aboard a ship?
2. Which crew members on a ship must hold a maritime license?
On a ship, the maritime license is required for those who are responsible for specific duties. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism lists captains, navigation officers, chief engineers, engineers, radio officers, and radio operators as "ship officers" [2]. In contrast, deck crew members and engine crew members who assist these professionals are treated differently from ship officers [2]. On large ships, the country requires a recognized license for those entrusted with deciding the ship's course, protecting the engine, or handling communications. What kinds of licenses are there?
3. How do ship size and sailing area decide the license grade?
Maritime licenses are divided into four categories: navigation, engineering, communications, and electronic communications. The grades range from first to sixth class for navigation and engineering, first to third class for communications, and first to fourth class for electronic communications [1]. Adding these together gives 19 combinations, but this is simply a count of the grades. The key point is that the required grade differs depending on the size of the ship and the sailing area. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism explains that a captain of a large ship with a gross tonnage of 5,000 tons or more, sailing to distant oceans, needs a first-class maritime engineer (navigation) license [2]. Conversely, with a fifth or sixth-class license, which is considered relatively easier to obtain, one may become a captain if running along the coast on a smaller ship [2]. The top-tier first class is not easy to reach. So, what is the path to getting the certificate?
4. What steps lead to getting a maritime license certificate?
To receive a certificate, one must first accumulate sea service history or complete a course at a registered seafarer training facility. After that, one must take a national examination. Whether the oral test is required seems to depend on the grade [2]. After passing the exam, candidates proceed to license training. This includes courses on radar, life-saving, firefighting, and maritime English, where they acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for ship officers' duties, such as saving lives [1][2]. The law sets passing the exam and completing the training as both conditions for granting the license [1]. In training programs at schools, students receive academic education and practical sea training. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism introduces maritime technical schools for junior high school graduates and maritime technical junior colleges for high school graduates [3]. Since the training system may be revised, check the official website for the current structure. Once someone holds a certificate, how far can they take a ship in the world?
5. How do international treaties make a maritime license valid in other countries?
Ships sail across borders. If crew qualifications varied from country to country, it would be difficult to judge a person's skills in ports and seas of other nations. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism explains that the maritime license is an internationally recognized seafarer qualification based on the "STCW Convention (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers)" [2]. The specific treatment of the qualification in other countries must be checked separately.
6. How can you research ship sizes and license requirements yourself?
Today, you can try finding the name of a ship from a photo, look up its gross tonnage, and compare it with the example in the text: "Captains of ships over 5,000 tons need a first-class maritime engineer (navigation) license." You can also visit a port or ferry terminal to look at large ships. Do not approach the edge of the quay, and please go with an adult. For official information, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "Maritime Public Relations" features introductions to maritime engineers and pilots [2]. You can also research the path of becoming a pilot from there.