In everyday maritime use, “STCW” most often refers to the mandatory basic safety courses every seafarer must complete before joining a ship — not just the underlying convention that requires them.
STCW Basic Safety Training
The core STCW course package includes:
- PST (Personal Survival Techniques)
- PSSR (Personal Safety and Social Responsibility)
- EFA (Elementary First Aid)
- FPFF (Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting)
These are mandatory for every rank, rating and officer alike, before a seafarer can join their first vessel.
Additional STCW Courses by Role/Vessel Type
Beyond basic safety training, specific roles and vessel types require additional STCW-mandated courses:
- PSCRB (Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats) — for officers and designated crew
- AFF (Advanced Fire Fighting) — for officers
- Tanker familiarization — for anyone joining a tanker
- GMDSS GOC/ROC — for radio operation duties
Validity and Refresher Requirements
Several STCW courses require periodic refresher training to remain valid rather than lasting a full career — checking your specific certificates’ expiry and refresher requirements is a real, recurring administrative task throughout a seafaring career, not a one-time box to tick.
See Also
For the underlying international convention that establishes these requirements, see STCW Convention.