AMSA Coxswain Grade 2 near coastal: pathway and assessment

The Coxswain Grade 2 near coastal certificate is a domestic commercial vessel certificate for small craft in sheltered waters. AMSA says it allows you to command and operate the engines of commercial vessels under 12 metres with an inboard engine under 100 kilowatts or any outboard engine.

This certificate is not on AMSA’s list of near coastal certificates that need an oral exam. This page explains the pathway AMSA describes instead: eligibility, training, sea service and the practical assessment.

AMSA certificate name

Coxswain Grade 2 near coastal

Type

Domestic commercial vessel (near coastal) certificate

Oral examination

Not listed by AMSA for this certificate

Assessment AMSA describes

AMSA says you must complete an AMSA Mandated Practical Assessment (AMPA) with a registered training organisation.

Also called

Coxswain 2 or the Coxswain Grade 2 NC certificate

About the AMSA examination for this certificate

AMSA’s oral exam page lists the certificates that need an AMSA oral exam. For near coastal certificates, that list is Master <45 m, Master <100 m, Marine Engine Driver Grade 1 and Engineer Class 3. Coxswain Grade 2 Near Coastal is not on it, and AMSA says an oral exam is not needed for near coastal certificates that are not listed.

AMSA says you must complete an AMSA Mandated Practical Assessment (AMPA) with a registered training organisation. AMSA does not list an AMSA oral exam for this certificate.

• The assessment is run by your registered training organisation, not booked with an AMSA examiner.
• Ask your training organisation how the AMPA is scheduled for your course.

For how AMSA oral exams work for the certificates that do need one, read the AMSA oral exam preparation guide.

What the certificate allows you to do

As AMSA describes it on its certificate page:

• Command and operate the engines of commercial vessels under 12 metres long.
• Operate with an inboard engine under 100 kilowatts, or any outboard engine.
• Operate in sheltered waters within 5 nautical miles of shore or an aquaculture lease (3 nautical miles if operating as a tender).

Who this certificate is for

• Deck hands and General Purpose Hands beginning a coxswain pathway for small craft in sheltered waters.
• People operating tenders, aquaculture and other small commercial vessels close to shore.

Official AMSA requirements

AMSA sets the requirements for the Coxswain Grade 2 Near Coastal certificate. In summary, as AMSA listed them on 3 October 2026:

• Be at least 16 years old on the certificate issue date, and be able to speak, read and understand English.
• Be medically fit for the duties, following AMSA’s medical requirements (AMSA lists form 1850).
• Have sea service on commercial or recreational vessels: with an AMSA task book, 10 days; without one, 50 days.
• Complete a Certificate I in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 2 Near Coastal) with a registered training organisation.
• Hold a current “Provide first aid” certificate (HLTAID011).
• Apply through myAMSA, or on AMSA form 426 at a participating Australia Post outlet. AMSA lists form 771 for the record of sea service and says the certificate is valid for five years.

This is a summary only, and requirements change. Check AMSA’s certificate page, linked under Official AMSA sources below, for the current requirements before you plan your pathway.

AMSA’s syllabus for this certificate

AMSA 1114: Coxswain Grade 2 Near Coastal, skills and knowledge required for Marine Order 505.

AMSA organises the skills and knowledge into these 5 tables:

1. Safety and emergencies
2. Follow sound environmental work practices
3. Basic engineering (outboard unlimited kW, inboard under 100 kW)
4. Nautical knowledge: seamanship, manoeuvring and regulations
5. Coxswain engineering (inboard propulsion systems under 500 kW)

This is the table list AMSA prints in a document that also covers Coxswain Grade 2 endorsed to 500 kW inboard-powered vessels. It shows how AMSA organises the knowledge; it is not a list of questions.

Preparing for the assessment

This is our own study advice. It is not an AMSA syllabus and it is not a list of actual assessment questions.

AMSA Examiner and this certificate

AMSA Examiner is built around AMSA oral exam preparation. Because AMSA does not list an oral exam for Coxswain Grade 2 Near Coastal, the oral-exam checklist and mock oral tools are not what this certificate’s assessment uses. If this rank is available to you, the study tools below can still help you revise the underlying knowledge, but they do not replace your training provider’s course or any assessment AMSA requires.

How AMSA Examiner helps you prepare

AMSA Examiner is a study platform. After you register and enrol for a rank, it gives you these tools:

• Learning topics that you work through in order.
• A Quiz Bank for practice questions.
• Mind maps for revision.
• A study plan built around your exam date.
• Weak-area identification and a revision book.
• Exam readiness reports.

The content you see depends on the rank you enrol for and on what has been published for that rank. AMSA Examiner’s practice material is study material. It is not official AMSA examination content, and it cannot predict the questions you will be asked.

Related certificates

• Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal (certificate guide). The next step up, covering inboard engines under 500 kW and inshore waters.
• Coxswain Grade 3 Near Coastal (certificate guide). Coxswain Grade 3 is the entry-level coxswain certificate for vessels under 12 metres with a six-person carriage limit.
• Master <24 m Near Coastal (certificate guide). Master <24 m near coastal is the master-level certificate for vessels up to 24 metres.
• All AMSA certificate guides, including the other certificates this site covers.