Legal frame
Governing: D.M. 121/2005 arts 9–12 as rewritten by D.M. 227/2023. Builds on: L2.1.
Power, not tonnage
The deck ladder is measured in GT; the engine ladder is measured in kW of main propulsion power. The three engine titles are:
| Title | STCW | May serve as | Main requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ufficiale di macchina del diporto (UMD) | III/1 | Engineer below chief on yachts below 3,000 kW; chief below 1,500 kW (on navi or imbarcazioni) | Age 18, diploma, sea time, courses, A-III/1 exam |
| Capitano di macchina del diporto (CMD) | III/2 <3000 kW | Second engineer on any yacht; chief below 3,000 kW | UMD + 12 months + advanced fire-fighting + A-III/2 module + exam |
| Direttore di macchina del diporto | III/2 | Chief engineer, no power limit, including RI charter ships | CMD + 24 months + A-III/2 module |
The first rung in detail
An allievo ufficiale di macchina (engine cadet) must be at least 16 and enrolled as a seafarer (art. 9). To qualify as UMD (art. 10) you need:
- Age 18 and a secondary diploma. A general diploma or a recognised foreign one must be topped up with an A-III/1 training course; a marine-engineering technical diploma needs no top-up.
- Sea time, either:
- 36 months as mozzo (deck/engine boy) or engine cadet, of which at least 24 on yachts or RI charter ships; or
- a marine-engineering diploma plus 12 months on charter yachts as giovanotto di macchina or engine cadet. In both cases the training is supervised by the chief engineer and recorded in a libretto di addestramento.
- Courses: basic fire-fighting, survival, PSSR, security awareness, ERM (engine-room resource management), high-voltage technology, MAMS and First Aid.
- An A-III/1 exam.
Worked example: which title for which boat
Illustrative figures only.
| Main propulsion | Lowest title as chief |
|---|---|
| 2 × 600 kW = 1,200 kW | UMD (below 1,500) |
| 2 × 1,400 kW = 2,800 kW | CMD (below 3,000) |
| 2 × 1,940 kW = 3,880 kW | Direttore di macchina |
The decree speaks of the power of the main propulsion plant. Summing the main engines is the natural reading, but ask the issuing office how it is recorded before you accept a berth on the strength of it.
TIP — Plan the courses early The A-III/2 module is needed both for the capitano di macchina and again as a condition for the direttore. Courses must be at institutes recognised by MIT; a certificate from a non-recognised provider will not be accepted.
Where the merchant engineer fits
A merchant engineer does not need to climb this ladder from the bottom. Art. 13 converts ufficiale di macchina to UMD, primo ufficiale di macchina to CMD and direttore di macchina to the diporto direttore (next lesson). For the technical content, the French Engineering Titles course and the MCA material cover the same STCW III/1 and III/2 competences.