GOC, ROC and the Endorsement

The global maritime distress and safety system is abbreviated as GMDSS. The Finnish certificates meeting the GMDSS requirements are:

• General Operator's Certificate (GOC)
• Restricted Operator's Certificate (ROC)
• The endorsement attesting the recognition of the GOC or ROC certificate

The Finnish GOC and ROC examinations and certificates and the issuance of endorsements is managed through a quality system fulfilling the principles of standard SFS-EN ISO/IEC 17024. The quality system is described in the quality handbook [PDF, 241 KB] (only available in Finnish).

The GMDSS examination requirements are based on CEPT/ERC Decision CEPT/ERC/DEC/(99)01. The requirements conform to the ITU Radio Regulations and the STCW Convention by IMO.

Endorsement attesting the recognition of the GOC or ROC certificate

The endorsement attesting the recognition of the GOC or ROC certificate may be issued to a person holding a GOC or a ROC and who has given evidence of the continued professional competence in accordance with Regulation IV/2 of the STCW Convention. The continued professional competence can be established by

• approved seagoing service, performing GMDSS radio functions appropriate to the certificate held, for a period of at least one year in total during the preceding five years, or
• successfully passing an approved course
• successfully passing an appropriate test of an examiner authorised by FICORA.

If the endorsement is applied for on the basis of seagoing service, the application shall include evidence of the seagoing service and at least eight extracts from the ship's radio log indicating that the applicant has used GMDSS equipment. These eight extracts shall include

• for the holder of a GOC, at least four two-way contacts with DSC equipment, at least two of which on MF/HF frequencies
• for the holder of a ROC, at least four two-way contacts with VHF-DSC.

The rest of the extracts may be use of other obligatory GMDSS equipment, e.g. using Inmarsat or testing EPIRB or SART.

The validity of the extracts shall be confirmed by the signature of the master or the chief officer of the vessel, as appropriate. The applicant shall not attest his own radio usage.

Application for Endorsement of GOC or ROC Certificate [PDF, 68 KB]

Examinations

The following persons are authorised GMDSS examiners:

• Ari Caselius, FICORA, Helsinki, tel. +358 9 696 6883, mobile +358 40 5100 374, e-mail firstname.surname(at)ficora.fi.
• Seppo Rajamäki, Kotka, tel. +358 5 226 4420, mobile +358 400 556 450, email radiotutkinto(at)pp.inet.fi
• Ari Virrankoski, Turku, tel. +358 44 051 1278, e-mail firstname.surname(at)gmail.com
• Rune Rothberg, Mariehamn, mobile +358 40 501 6150, email firstname.lastname(at)ha.ax
• Pekka Aalto, Rauma, tel. +358 2 623 5000, mobile +358 44 455 8038, email firstname.lastname(at)winnova.fi
  

The following navigation colleges have organised training for GMDSS:

Kymenlaakso Polytechnic
Winnova West Coast Education Ltd
Aboa Mare
The Åland Polytechnic