STCW stands for the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. It was adopted in 1978 and comprehensively amended in Manila in 2010. It sets training standards internationally rather than country by country — which is why an STCW certificate obtained in Türkiye is recognised under other flags.
Basic safety training
The convention's basic safety training consists of four core modules:
- Personal survival techniques
- Fire prevention and fire fighting
- Elementary first aid
- Personal safety and social responsibility
These four are independent of position: whether you are a waiter in the hotel department or work on deck, everyone serving on a commercial vessel is expected to hold basic safety competence. “I'll be in the galley, safety training doesn't apply to me” is a common but incorrect assumption.
Türkiye asks for a wider set on first application
In the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs' guidance, certificates beyond basic safety training are also required for a first competency application. Which documents are asked of you depends on the certificate you apply for; you will see the full list on the official page and in the application system. We do not print a list here because it differs from certificate to certificate.
Where to take it
STCW training is obtained from authorised maritime training centres. Do not pay before verifying that a centre is authorised — a certificate from an unauthorised institution is not accepted, and the money does not come back.
Refreshing
STCW certificates have a validity period and expired ones are refreshed. The refresh interval and which modules require it are defined in the convention and in national regulation; we do not state a period here because it varies by module and is updated. Check the validity of your certificates before signing a contract: an expired one is what stops the process at the moment you thought you were ready.
Getting the order right
A frequent mistake is starting the courses before the seafarer's book. The order usually runs: medical report → book application → mandatory training → position application. If you are not sure what the order should be in your case, we can tell you in writing what is missing once we have seen what you hold.