# The Merchant Shipping (Certificates of Competency as A.B.) Regulations 1970, Regulation 4


A certificate of competency shall not be granted to any person unless either—
(1) (a) he has attained the age of 18 years, and
(b) has performed the appropriate qualifying service at sea specified for the purpose of this Regulation in Regulations 8 and 9 of these Regulations, and
(c) has passed an examination in the subjects specified in the syllabus set out in Schedule 1 to these Regulations, and
(d) is the holder of a certificate of efficiency as lifeboatman issued under the rules for life-saving appliances, and
(e) has, otherwise than for the purpose of receiving instruction therein taken turns at the wheel in steering a major ship, not being a fishing boat, for periods totalling not less than 10 hours; or
(2) he was on or before the 1st May 1952 serving in the rating of A.B. or in an equivalent or superior deck rating in a ship for which an agreement with the crew was required under Part II of the principal Act.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1970/294/regulation/4 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-certificates-of-competency-as-ab-regulations-1970/regulation-4
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.