A master mariner is a licensed mariner who holds the highest grade of seafarer qualification namely an unlimited master’s license. Such a license is labelled limited because it has no limits on the tonnage, power or geographic location of the vessel that the holder of the license is allowed to serve upon. A master mariner would therefore be allowed to serve as the master of a merchant ship of any size, of any type, operating anywhere in the world and it reflects the highest level of professional qualification amongst mariners and deck officers. Master endorsement is the totality of qualification a master mariner holds as the highest grade such as an unlimited master’s license.
An application for master endorsement in Cameroon taking into consideration the Certificate of Competence of the master and other maritime and career related certificates. The documents usually provided for master endorsements include but not limited to;
- Certificate of registry of vessel (vessel specification),
- Certificate of competence from an IMO recognized institution,
- Manning certificate of the vessel,
- Seaman discharge booklet etc.