Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW)
"An international convention that establishes minimum qualification standards for masters, officers, and watch personnel on seagoing merchant ships."
Definition
The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978 sets qualification standards for masters, officers and watch personnel on seagoing merchant ships. STCW was adopted in 1978 by conference at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, and entered into force in 1984. The regulations significantly amended in 1995 and 2010 (Manila Amendments).
Purpose
Before the convention, training standards were established by individual governments, usually without reference to practices in other countries. As a result, standards and procedures varied widely. The STCW Convention establishes basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers on an international level.
Key Amendments
- 1995: Improved the original convention by clarifying requirements and providing an enforcement mechanism.
- 2010 (Manila Amendments): Updated standards to keep pace with new technologies, introducing new training for Electro-Technical Officers (ETO) and security duties.