A Mobile Marine Service Identity (MMSI) is issued by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) in Australia.

To be issued with an MMSI, you need to be licenced appropriately. The recommended Automatic Identification System (AIS) licence is the Short Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency (SROCP).

For a VHF radio with Digital Selective Calling (DSC), you will need an MMSI. A vessel with a fixed VHF DSC radio and/or AIS is issued with an MMSI to the boat that is programmed into the boat's fixed equipment.

If your vessel has an MF/HF radio with DSC that requires an MMSI, you must be licenced with the Long Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency (LROCP). The LROCP also qualifies you for VHF radios and AIS. We only recommend getting an LROCP if you will be using MF/HF radios.

Yes. The Short Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency (SROCP) and the Long Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency (LROCP) are recognised by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) for you to be issued with an MMSI number. This MMSI number can be programmed into your DSC marine radio and your boat's AIS transmitter.

Having the SROCP or LROCP will fulfill the criteria required for various purposes, including chartering a boat and meeting skippering qualifications. It can be applicable for certifications such as the RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC), RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, RYA Yachtmaster Offshore, AMSA Coxswain, and IYT Bareboat Skipper, among others.

HF Radio Course, which also includes the VHF radio training. We only recommend the HF radio course if you are planning to be onboard a vessel that will be a carrying an HF radio. For most situations the VHF Course is the most appropriate course boating. Please feel free to use the contact us form above if you would like specific guidance for your boating on which course you should enrol in.

We have the option for you to sit a remote assessment with us, which has a $100 assessment fee. This is booked through an online calendar and paid for when you make the booking. If you already have a radio licence, but want to use the course to update your knowledge on the modern technology and requirements you may not need to resit the assessment.

After completing the assessment, the Office of Maritime Communications (OMC) in Tasmania, Australia, takes approximately 15 working days to issue your radio licence certificate.

It's important to note that the OMC's working days are not on Tasmanian public holidays, which include New Year's Day, Australia Day, Eight Hours Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday, ANZAC Day, King's Birthday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. These holidays may affect the processing time of your licence.

Once issued, the OMC will send a hard copy of the licence to your postal address. Additionally, you can request the OMC email a digital version of the licence, sent on the same day the hard copy is posted.

If you have an older licence that did not include Digital Selective Calling in a marine environment and you need an MMSI you are likely to need to update your licence. AMSA will be able to confirm for you if they will accept your current licence.

No, you also need to book a practical training session to complete the in-water exercises. You book this directly with your local Australian Sailing Safety and Sea Survival Training Centre, and there are options for this in every state of Australia.

Experienced skippers can organise a direct assessment which takes around 4 hours, and up to two people can be assessed at any time. There are RYA training centres in 42 countries that can provide this assessment. Skippers who do not already have the experience to a direct evaluation would need to complete the five days or three weekends RYA Day Skipper Practical Training Course. This course is available with RYA Practical Training Centres all over the world. 

No, we finished running the practical training sessions in 2019, so we could continue building and supporting our e-learning courses. We have partnered with the leading RYA and Australian Sailing Centres and Clubs, so you can use our e-learning to complete your studies and then select a practical training centre that works for you.

The Online Skipper Course is the best course for you Online Skipper Course, and this course can be studied in 6-7 hours. Above & Beyond Boating has a background in training on privately owned boats, and this has been Neil’s specialist area since 2005. 

Sure, either email neil@aabboating.com or fill out the contact form above. You will hear back from us very soon, usually on the day.