Capt. Ted Morley was raised aboard a schooner and has made a career working on board vessels ranging from superyachts to super tankers. During his tenure at sea, he worked his way up from seaman to master. He currently holds a USCG Master’s License, Unlimited Tonnage as well as several foreign certificates. Capt. Morley actively participates in maritime advisory committees in the U.S. as well as overseas and is involved in regulatory policy review in the U.S..
The distinction between STCW refresher and revalidation training can impact your path to compliance. So what's the difference?
STCW has become a familiar term for everyone working on board as the requirements range from a weeklong Basic Safety Training program for the crew all the way up to spending months in school to earn an OOW, Master or Chief Engineer credential. STCW has gone through several iterations with the last being the Manila Amendments in 2010. The IMO and various flag states are continuing to review and improve the code, with the goal of making the industry safer and responding to its increasingly complex needs. New technology, larger vessels, polar operations and alternative fuels are all part of the reason why the IMO requires additional training and why refresher or revalidation training is so important. You must keep your skills fresh to be able to successfully employ them.
So what’s the difference and who needs what? Those are common questions — as many mariners are confused by the two terms and often think they are interchangeable. It’s important to note that under STCW, refresher and revalidation are two different requirements that achieve the same result. The primary differences pertain to the mariner themself and the amount of sea service they have achieved since their last renewal or certification; there are also some differences between the USCG and the MCA requirements.
STCW certifications must be revalidated or refreshed every five years to maintain an active endorsement
The USCG requires either refresher or revalidation training at an approved school. A mariner with 360 days of sea service in the past five years can take a shorter “revalidation course” and demonstrate their practical skill proficiency; if a mariner cannot provide evidence of the requisite sea time, then they will have to take a longer “refresher course” that includes theory and written tests in addition to the practical skills for each of the required STCW courses. Under the MCA system, a mariner with the requisite sea time can complete many of the requirements by showing “updated” training over the past five years. Policy guidance and the declaration forms can be found in the MCA MSN 1865, Amendment 1. The declaration forms will require the vessel particulars, and the dates served. The completed declaration forms allow for short shoreside courses to then satisfy the requirements. If a mariner does not have the onboard declarations, they may be required to take longer courses or even the full original course to satisfy the standard.
If you aren’t sure you have the 360 days of sea service, or cannot produce the documentation, you will have to take the refresher course. Also, if you cannot produce the original full course certificates, or your MMC or CoC documents that indicate you have already completed the full courses, you will be required to retake the original courses as you can only refresh or revalidate if you have completed the original competency training.
What happens if you don’t have the time to complete the refresher or revalidation training? That’s a simple one — the issuing flag state will not renew your license or credential and you will not be allowed to sail in that capacity. Also, many port state control (PSC) compliance officers are increasing their checks of the certifications on board. If your vessel is inspected and you cannot produce the course certificates for the crew and current MMC or CoC documents for the officers, then the vessel can be detained in port and serious fines levied.
Most of the crew members on board will only need to comply with STCW A-VI, but the licensed officers or crew who are serving in special capacities or on board certain vessel types will need to comply with all of the pertinent STCW codes that affect their license or service. For the MCA CoC and CoP holders, Annex A of the MSN 1865 will provide guidance and training requirements. Also, for those commercial mariners serving on board vessels that carry hazardous materials or substances, there are requirements that mandate certain training be renewed on a three-year cycle rather than the typical five year. If there is any doubt as to what your specific requirements are, read through the applicable STCW, CFR or MSN references and contact a career counselor at your school to ensure you are fully compliant.