STCW Refresher Courses

Do I require a refresher course?

In accordance with the STCW Manila amendments, all STCW Refresher courses will become mandatory on January 1, 2017.

This means that beginning in 2017, you will be required to provide documented evidence proving that you have either completed the training course or updated your training within the last five years if you are currently serving on board a ship and hold a valid STCW BST certificate.

However, if at the beginning of 2017, you discover that your course dates are older than five years, you must refresh your training before the end of 2016.

How does this affect me?

Since all refresher courses last for five years, it is likely that every seafarer will need to take some STCW refresher courses before the start of 2017.Thankfully, most of them can be completed in a single block booking.

What courses will need refresher training?

  1. Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting
  2. Advanced Fire Fighting
  3. Personal Survival Techniques
  4. Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (other than Fast Rescue Boats)
  5. Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats.

Just to conclude, the Updated STCW Basic Safety Training Week (Package) makes it possible to complete all of these required modules in a single week.

2010 Manila Amendments

Read about the 2010 Manila Amendments here.