Just Be Maritime (JBM) offers an Officer Training Programme to Second Certification aimed at those newly qualified UK Junior Officers who are progressing from successful completion of their cadetships to second, Management level (Unlimited) qualifications. 

In September 2022, the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) published Marine Information Note (MIN) 678(M), titled ‘Enhancement to the Current Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) Fund and Additional Support for Junior Officers.’ 

MIN 678(M) details a new, simplified mechanism to improve the financial support available for UK Junior Officers and help them to obtain their first Management level (Unlimited) Certificate of Competency (CoC) as Chief Mate or Second Engineer.

The MCA aims to support industry by covering up to 50% of the costs of training and support of these UK Junior Officers, with an enhanced funding cap of up to £6,000.  This enhanced funding stream is paid in addition to applicable SMarT Level 2 funding.

The MCA also aims to make SMarT funding available to those self-funding Junior Officers who have already gained an Operational level CoC but are not currently able to benefit from the SMarT scheme to assist them in qualifying for a Management level (Unlimited) CoC and progressing within the industry.

JBM holds MCA approval for administration of SMarT funding claims and our training programme supports attainment of the MCA’s new enhanced funding and the applicable SMarT Level 2 funding for those UK Junior Officers who commence their seagoing service towards second certification from 1^st September 2022.  

As well as assisting a shipping or management company to operate a structured study leave programme, JBM can act on behalf of sponsoring companies and their Junior Officers in managing and drawing down on the enhanced SMarT funding.  This includes collating evidence of the associated training and support costs.

For self-funding Junior Officers who commenced their qualifying sea service after 1st September 2022, JBM is able to administer the enhanced SMarT funding claims on their behalf, along with the applicable SMarT Level 2 funding.

Also, for those self-funding Junior Officers who commenced their qualifying sea service before 1st September 2022, JBM can assist them with claims for the applicable SMarT Level 2 funding.

A summary of this new training programme can be downloaded at:  Officer Training Programme to Second Certification

To find out more about our Officer Training Programme, please contact Don Millar (Managing Director) as follows:

Email:     [email protected]
Tel:          +44 (0) 7598 748318