Seafarer Experience and Licences

Ratings

Ratings do not need academy or university education. They need these courses:

Basic training courses: Elementary First Aid (BFA), Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR), Proficiency in Personal Survival Techniques (BPS), Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (BFF)
Ship security awareness: an introduction to security for ratings

After these five courses, the rating applies to the authority of his choice for:

Seaman book: the seafarer’s passport at sea. It shows his position on board, here as a rating. As with ship registration, the seafarer can get his seaman book from any country that issues seaman books to foreigners.
Security awareness endorsement: a certificate from the authority confirming that it recognises his security course.

All officer ranks (deck and engine) need the courses above, plus courses based on their rank on board.

Seafarers move up from rank to rank based on their sea service:

Master: 12 months as chief mate plus 12 months as deck officer, or 36 months as deck officer; STCW training courses. A master is upgraded to the same ship size he is certified for. For vessels below 500 GRT, only 12 months of sea service is required.
Chief officer: 12 months’ sea service; STCW courses at management level.
Other deck officers: 12 months’ sea service as deck officer of lower or the same rank as part of an approved training programme at an approved training centre, or 36 months’ sea service as deck officer of lower or the same rank; STCW courses.
Ratings forming part of a navigational watch (Able Seaman and above, not Ordinary Seaman): 6 months’ sea service in navigational watch; rating forming part of a navigational watch (RFPNW) course.
Able seaman: 18 months’ sea service in the deck department.
Chief engineer: for vessels above 3000 kW, 36 months’ sea service as engineer officer; for vessels between 750 kW and 3000 kW, 24 months’ sea service; STCW courses.
Second engineer: 12 months’ sea service; STCW courses.
Other engine officers: 30 months’ sea service; STCW courses.
Electrical engineers: 36 months’ sea service in combined workshop skills training, 30 months of them as engine officer.
Engine ratings: 6 months’ sea service; STCW courses.
Able seaman (engine department): 12 months’ sea service or a 6-month training programme.
Electrician: 12 months’ sea service or a 6-month training programme.

When the seafarer has the courses and sea service above, he applies to the authority for these licences: