Where candidates go wrong
A master is asked about their own authority more often than they expect: by owners' lawyers, by port state officers, by charterers' insurers. Candidates for this ticket usually say "it's an STCW II/2 certificate" and stop. The examiner wants the next sentence as well: where in Maltese law the grade lives, and what is uncertain.
What exists in practice
- TM Model Course 2.01 (2022 edition) is the approved course for Master on Yachts less than 3000 GT (STCW Regulation II/2).
- The PYA reported on 10 August 2022 that Malta had begun issuing the certificate [secondary].
- Malta commercial yachts of 500 GT and above need a Master and a Chief Officer in every navigation band under CYC s.17.
What the regulations show
The Merchant Shipping (Training and Certification) Regulations, S.L. 234.17, contain the reg. 4 table of grades. In the consolidated text (L.N. 153 of 2013 as amended by L.N. 26 of 2021) the yacht grades are:
| Yacht grade | STCW | Listed? |
|---|---|---|
| OOW on yachts <3000 GT | II/1 | Yes |
| Master on yachts <500 GT | II/2 | Yes |
| Chief Mate on yachts <3000 GT | II/2 | No |
| Master on yachts <3000 GT | II/2 | No |
The Merchant Shipping Act, Cap. 234 art. 91, says the Minister prescribes grades by regulations. On the face of the published law, the grade you are sitting has no line in the table.
WARNING — Unresolved legal basis No amending Legal Notice adding Master (Yachts) <3000 GT or Chief Mate (Yachts) <3000 GT to S.L. 234.17 was found. The certificate is issued and used, but its legal basis is not visible in the consolidated text. Do not tell an owner or examiner otherwise. Keep written confirmation from the MSD Yachting Section.
The entry requirement makes the point sharper. Model Course 2.01 admits holders of a recognised CoC as Chief Mate on yachts <3000 GT, Master on yachts <500 GT, or a higher capacity. The Chief Mate grade is itself unlisted. The Master <500 route, by contrast, rests on a listed grade.
Yacht route and merchant route compared
| Merchant Master 500–3000 GT (S.L. 234.17 2.5) | Yacht Master <3000 GT (Model Course 2.01) | |
|---|---|---|
| Service | 36 months as OOW, or 24 if 12 served as chief mate | 12 to 24 months by route, including time over 500 GT |
| Vessels | Ships | Yachts; service on vessels of 24 m LOA or 80 GT and above |
| Examinations | Per TM merchant scheme | Business and Law plus oral |
The yacht certificate is limited to yachts. Do not treat it as a merchant ticket.
For the Master <500 GT / Chief Mate route into this certificate, see Malta Master (Yachts) <500 GT / Chief Mate (Yachts) <3000 GT — Law Paper and Oral Preparation.
What the examiner wants to see
- The certificate named correctly: Master on Yachts <3000 GT, STCW II/2, Model Course 2.01.
- The legal-basis gap stated calmly, with the practical answer: written confirmation from MSD.
- The difference between the yacht and merchant routes understood.