reg 39 Recognition of existing certificates of competency
(1) A certificate of competency— (a) issued under the Merchant Shipping (Certification of Ships' Cooks) Regulations 1981 ; (b) treated as equivalent under regulation 8 of those Regulations; or (c) deemed under regulation 9 of those Regulations to be issued pursuant to section 43 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970 , which is in force and not suspended on the date when these Regulations come into force, has effect as if it were a certificate of competency as a ship's cook issued under regulation 38 of these Regulations. (2) A certificate to which paragraph (1) applies remains valid for a period of 5 years beginning on the date on which these Regulations come into force unless it is suspended or cancelled in accordance with section 62 of the Act.