Marine Personnel Regulations (SOR/2007-115)

Minimum Complement

• 207 (1) The authorized representative of a vessel shall ensure that the minimum complement of the vessel meets the requirements of this section.

• (2) A person performing the duties of a position listed on the Safe Manning Document may be assigned to various duties in order to meet the requirements of more than one provision of this section.

• (3) The minimum complement of a vessel shall be sufficient in number to ensure compliance with the requirements set out in sections 320 to 322 and shall consist of

  • (a) the master;

  • (b) if required by paragraph 212(4)(b), the chief mate;

  • (c) a person in charge of the machinery, except if the vessel

    • (i) is a passenger-carrying vessel and has a propulsive power of not more than 75 kW,

    • (ii) is not a passenger-carrying vessel and has a propulsive power of not more than 750 kW, or

    • (iii) is exempted under section 217 from the application of sections 218 to 226;

  • (d) the persons required to keep

    • (i) the deck watch as set out in sections 213 to 216,

    • (ii) the engineering watch as set out in sections 223 to 225, and

    • (iii) the radio watch as set out in sections 266 and 267;

  • (e) if the Vessel Fire Safety Regulations require that the vessel be provided with a fire patrol, a sufficient number of persons to ensure compliance with those Regulations;

  • (f) if the vessel is not a fishing vessel and is engaged on a voyage of a duration of more than three days that is an unlimited voyage or a near coastal voyage, Class 1, a person designated to take charge of medical care on board the vessel who is

    • (i) a physician, if the vessel is carrying 100 or more crew members, or

    • (ii) qualified in accordance with paragraph 205(8)(b) if the vessel is carrying less than 100 crew members;

  • (g) a person designated to provide first aid on board the vessel, that person being qualified in accordance with subsection 205(9);

  • (h) for each fast rescue boat on board the vessel, two teams of

    • (i) two persons holding a Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats certificate or endorsement, if the vessel is engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 2 or a sheltered waters voyage, and

    • (ii) three persons holding a Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats certificate or endorsement, if the vessel is engaged on an unlimited voyage or a near coastal voyage, Class 1; and

  • (i) any additional persons who may be required on board by the ordinary practice of seamen for normal safe operation of the vessel, including docking, anchoring and fuelling.

• (4) The minimum complement of a vessel, in order to deal with an emergency situation, shall consist of

  • (a) a master;

  • (b) the persons required to keep

    • (i) the deck watch as set out in sections 214 to 216, but the additional person on board a vessel of less than 300 gross tonnage and the second additional person on board a vessel of less than 3 000 gross tonnage may also be assigned to other duties,

    • (ii) the engineering watch as set out in sections 224 and 225, and

    • (iii) the radio watch as set out in section 266;

  • (c) the principal communicator as set out in section 267; and

  • (d) the persons needed to simultaneously carry out the following tasks:

    • (i) operate and use the fire extinguishing equipment and systems required by or approved under the Vessel Fire Safety Regulations to fight a fire at any one location on the vessel,

    • (ii) prepare for launching the survival craft carried in accordance with the Life Saving Equipment Regulations,

    • (iii) operate the vessel’s pumping and emergency power system,

    • (iv) direct and control the passengers who are on board, and

    • (v) provide communication between the person in immediate charge of the vessel and the persons directing and controlling the passengers.

• (5) The minimum complement of a vessel shall consist of a sufficient number of persons to carry out an evacuation and, in the case of a passenger-carrying vessel, to implement the evacuation plan required by the Life Saving Equipment Regulations.

• (6) Subject to subsection (7), the minimum complement of a vessel, in order to deal with a post-abandonment situation, shall consist of a sufficient number of certificated persons to meet the requirements of sections 208 to 210.

• (7) In order to deal with an evacuation situation or a post-abandonment situation, the master may, despite subsection 209(2), assign one team for each fast rescue boat carried on board instead of the two teams required by that subsection.

• 208 (1) The master of a vessel shall assign, for each lifeboat required to be on board by the Life Saving Equipment Regulations,

  • (a) if the lifeboat has a specified capacity of 50 or fewer persons, at least two certificated persons; and

  • (b) if the lifeboat has a specified capacity of more than 50 persons, at least three certificated persons.

• (2) In the case of a motorized lifeboat, the master shall ensure that one of the persons assigned to it has received the necessary training to operate the motor and carry out minor adjustments to it.

• 209 (1) The master of a vessel shall assign for each emergency boat or rescue boat carried on board, other than a fast rescue boat,

  • (a) one team of at least two certificated persons, if the vessel is engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 2 or a sheltered waters voyage; and

  • (b) one team of at least three certificated persons, if the vessel is engaged on an unlimited voyage or a near coastal voyage, Class 1.

• (2) The master of a vessel shall assign for each fast rescue boat

  • (a) two teams of at least two persons holding a Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats certificate or endorsement, if the vessel is engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 2 or a sheltered waters voyage; and

  • (b) two teams of at least three persons holding a Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats certificate or endorsement, if the vessel is engaged on an unlimited voyage or a near coastal voyage, Class 1.

• (3) If the aggregate capacity of survival craft required to accommodate all persons on board a passenger-carrying vessel can be met without the need to use one or more emergency boats or rescue boats that are on board, the certificated persons required for those supplementary emergency boats or rescue boats may be the same persons assigned to the lifeboats, life rafts or inflatable rescue platforms under sections 208 and 210.

• 210 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the master of a vessel shall assign

  • (a) if the vessel is a passenger-carrying vessel and is engaged on a sheltered waters voyage,

    • (i) at least one certificated person per two inflatable life rafts or inflatable rescue platforms with a specified capacity of 25 or fewer persons that are required to be carried on board by the Life Saving Equipment Regulations, and

    • (ii) at least one certificated person per inflatable life raft or inflatable rescue platform with a specified capacity of more than 25 persons that is required to be carried on board by the Life Saving Equipment Regulations; and

  • (b) in all other cases, at least one certificated person per inflatable life raft or inflatable rescue platform that is required to be carried on board by the Life Saving Equipment Regulations.

• (2) If a vessel is engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 2 or a sheltered waters voyage, a certificated person required under subsection (1) may be replaced by any member of the complement if at least 75% of the complement consists of certificated persons and the remainder of the complement is familiarized with the operation of survival craft.

• (3) If a vessel is engaged on a sheltered waters voyage, the certificated person may be replaced by a person who holds a training certificate in marine emergency duties that is applicable to the vessel as set out in the table to subsection 205(3) or, if applicable, one of the training certificates referred to in subsection 205(4).