Crewing and seafarer certification

This guide is for businesses that crew ships and employ seafarers, whether on passenger or cargo vessels. The people who operate your ship must be trained, certified and medically fit, the ship must carry enough qualified crew, and seafarers' employment must meet the standards of the Maritime Labour Convention. The universal workplace duties (health and safety, insurance, equality and data protection) are in Set up and run a safe water transport operation — start there, then work through the regimes below. These MCA regimes apply across the United Kingdom.

A. Certificates of competency (STCW)

Masters, officers and ratings must hold MCA Certificates of Competency or Certificates of Proficiency to the standards of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), given effect by the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Regulations 2022. The 2022 Regulations revoked and replaced the 2015 Regulations. Certificates are role- and tonnage-specific.

B. Seafarer medical fitness (ENG1)

All seafarers on UK-registered ships must hold a valid ENG1 medical fitness certificate, issued after examination by an MCA-approved doctor — you cannot use a seafarer's regular GP unless that GP is MCA-approved.

C. Safe manning

Each ship must carry a minimum number of suitably qualified crew set by its Safe Manning Document, issued by the MCA on application. The document reflects the ship's size, machinery, area of operation and watchkeeping arrangements.

D. Radio operator certification (GMDSS)

Ships operating under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System must carry radio operators holding the appropriate GMDSS certificate of competency. Check the current MCA position on GMDSS qualifications, which has been updated.

E. Seafarer employment (Maritime Labour Convention)

Seafarer employment agreements, hours of work and rest, accommodation, repatriation and medical care must meet the standards of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. Sea-going ships of 500 gross tonnage or more on international voyages must carry a Maritime Labour Certificate, surveyed by the MCA.