GMDSS General Operators Certificate (GOC)

About this course

The General Operators Certificate (GOC) is the highest level GMDSS radio operator qualification and is suitable for professional mariners including Merchant Navy deck officers, offshore radio operators serving on mobile platforms, and commercial yachtmasters. 

Holders of the GMDSS GOC are certified to operate all licensed marine radio equipment, including radiotelephony, digital selective calling, radio telex, and satellite mobile earth stations. The certificate can be STCW endorsed and permits the holder to operate the radio installation on GMDSS compliant/compulsorily equipped vessels operating in any of the GMDSS sea areas (A1-A4). 

STCW requirements

Seafarers holding UK CoCs who have to comply with requirements of the STCW Code must have their GMDSS certificates endorsed by the MCA. See the AMERC website for further information on endorsement and revalidation. 

What you'll learn

This intensive ten-day course will prepare you for the GMDSS GOC external exam. The course is delivered by a highly experienced team of professional communicators, providing both breadth and depth of operational and technical knowledge gained in industry. Course instructors are also experienced MCA GMDSS examiners who can provide targeted guidance and support to students. 

The course is a structured mixture of theory and practical application and covers three main areas: 

• Radio regulations and procedures relating to Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 
• Practical operation of GMDSS systems 
• Radiotelephone procedures. 

You will gain detailed practical knowledge of the equipment of ship stations including digital selective calling (DSC), the principles of telex over radio, and to inmarsat systems. Operational procedures and practices and the exchange of communications relevant to the safety of life at sea are also covered.