Home › New Zealand › You are here

New Zealand Maritime School (NZMS) - Maritime, Seamanship Education & Training

Merchant Marine, Nautical Science, and Seamanship Education & Training in Auckland, NZ

new zeland maritime school nzms

Established in 1930, The New Zealand Maritime School (NZMS) is the only premier maritime school in New Zealand. The School provides a total range of maritime training for all grades of nautical qualifications, from small pleasure launches and sailing craft to a master mariner, qualified to command any size of merchant ship anywhere in the world. The school is now a part of Manukau Institute of Technology, the largest government tertiary institution in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Maritime School hosts Manukau Institute of Technology’s Centre for Logistics and is the premier provider of logistics industry training in New Zealand. Manukau Institute of Technology is a leader in technical and vocational education delivering a range of academic qualifications from certificate to degree level. Each year 20,000 students including 1,000 international students choose to study at MIT.

Located in the Auckland city center, the New Zealand Maritime School is close to New Zealand’s largest container port, being at the hub of commercial boating, shipping and other maritime activities, is easily accessible by public transport from any part of Auckland, and is very close to a large range of inexpensive accommodation.

New Zealand Maritime School provides Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) approved certifications, licensing and programs.(MNZ is an NZ government entity responsible for protecting the maritime environment within New Zealand and maintaining safety and Security). Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) is a government tertiary institution and provides programs and training approved by New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

nzms campus

Training Programs

Domestic Maritime Programs

  • Level 3 Qualified Deck Crew (QDC) Certificate of Proficiency: This program provides an entry level qualification for students wanting to work as crew under limited supervision on a range of restricted limits vessels such as harbor ferries, charter vessels and work boats.
  • Level 4 Skipper Coastal and Offshore (SCO) Certificate of Competency: This qualification is for persons in the maritime industry who hold their Skipper Restricted Limits Certificate of Competence or equivalent. It enables you to develop the knowledge and skills required to safely manage a vessel less than 24 meters in length, operating within coastal and offshore limits (near coastal).
  • Level 4 Skipper Restricted Limits (SRL) Certificate of Competency: Get the knowledge and skills to work as a skipper including safely planning a passage, and operating and maintaining a vessel less than 24 metres in length within restricted limits.
  • Level 4 OOW <500GT Near Coastal, Watchkeeper Deck <500GT NC, Mate Fishing Vessel - Limited: Get the skills you need to progress to Mate Fishing Vessel or Watchkeeper working on a commercial or fishing vessel in New Zealand or international waters.
  • Level 5 Master <500GT Near Coastal and Skipper Fishing Vessel - Limited: Take the next step in your career and progress to a command role as the master or skipper of a fishing or commercial vessel.

Marine Engineering Programs

  • Level 4 Engine Watch Rating (EWR), STCW Able Seafarer Engine (AB Engine): Get basic maritime knowledge and skills about survival at sea and contribute as an engineer to shipboard maintenance and repair as well as onboard engineering.
  • Level 6 Marine Engineer Class 4 (MEC 4) or Marine Engineer Class 3 (MEC 3): This program provides a qualification for students wanting to work as Engineering Officers on a wide range of foreign going ships from cruise liners, ferries, and container vessels through to support vessels in the oil and gas industry. Completion of this program will enable you to obtain a sea-going certificate of competency from Maritime New Zealand which will entitle you to sail as an Engineer Watchkeeping Officer on foreign going vessels operating worldwide.
  • Level 7 Marine Engineer Class 2 (MEC 2) or Marine Engineer Class 1 (MEC 1): Take your engineering career to the next level as a senior engineer and get ready to take charge of engineering operations and lead a team of engineers, technical operations onboard large cruise ships, or managerial shore-based positions.

Marine Electro-technology Program

  • Level 4 Certificate in Maritime Crewing (Level 4) with a strand in Electro-technology: Develop the skills to start your career in this vital global industry. Get basic maritime knowledge and skills and become familiar with shipping operations, shipboard practice and survival at sea.

Nautical Foreign-Going Programs

  • Level 4 Deck Watch Rating (DWR), STCW Able Seafarer Deck (AB Deck): Gain the skills and knowledge required to work as crew on general commercial vessels or cruise ships or train towards being a navigation officer and be well prepared for a rewarding career in a global industry.
  • Level 6 Officer of the Watch or 2nd Mates Ticket: Learn the skills and knowledge needed to start a career at sea as a watchkeeper deck officer in charge of a Navigational watch.
  • Level 7 Foreign-going Master or Chief Mate: Take charge as the Chief Mate or command of your ship as Master. You'll develop specialist knowledge in the areas of safety of life at sea, safety of property at sea, and the integrity of the marine environment, crew, Cargo and passengers.

Superyacht Programs

  • Level 3 Superyacht Crewing: Study maritime superyacht crewing and become a deckhand. This course opens the door to an exciting career working on board luxury boats. You could find yourself sailing the Pacific one season, and the Bahamas the next.
  • Level 6 Chief Mate Yacht/ Master Yacht: Study towards a Chief Mate Yacht or Master Yacht certificate of competency. If you're already working as yacht crew in the superyacht industry, this qualification will give you the training you need to take the next step and become a Chief Mate or Master.

Marine Short Courses

  • Advanced Maritime Pilot Training
  • Advanced Portable Pilot Unit (PPU) Training
  • Crisis Management and Human Behaviour (CMHB)
  • Crowd Control
  • Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems
  • Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) and Marine General Radiotelephone Operator's Certificate (MROC)
  • High Voltage Management
  • High Voltage Operational
  • Human Elements, Leadership and Management (HELM) at Management Level (BRM)
  • Human Elements, Leadership and Management (HELM) at Operational Level (BRM)
  • Passenger Safety, Cargo Safety and Hull Integrity
  • Podded Propulsion Training (Azipod)
  • polar waters - Advanced training
  • Polar Waters - Basic Training

SeaWays Tugmaster Courses

  • SeaWays Tugmaster Training Module 1: ASD/ATD Tug Handling
  • SeaWays Tugmaster Training Module 2: Undertaking Harbour Towage Operations

STCW Training

Medical Training

Nautical Institute Accredited Training

  • Dynamic Positioning Induction
  • Dynamic Positioning Sea Time Reduction
  • Dynamic Positioning Simulator

Security Training

Tanker Courses

  • Advanced Chemical Tanker
  • Advanced Oil Tanker
  • Basic Gas Tanker
  • Basic Oil and Chemical Tanker

LAST UPDATED ON Jul 27, 2023