Marine safety service
Maritime Safety Training
STCW basic and advanced safety training, refresher courses and onboard drills covering fire-fighting, survival craft, enclosed space entry and first aid.
Overview
Maritime safety training and onboard drills
Maritime safety training gives seafarers the competence to respond when things go wrong: fighting a fire, abandoning ship, rescuing a colleague from an enclosed space or treating an injury. Certificates of proficiency under the STCW Convention are the formal baseline, but the equipment on each ship is different, and much of the real learning happens during drills and onboard training on that ship’s own lifeboats, davits and fire-fighting systems.
This service covers two needs. First, arranging STCW courses and refreshers at approved training centres in the port area for joining or rotating crew. Second, bringing qualified trainers on board to run or observe drills, deliver familiarisation on specific equipment and help the ship close training findings from audits and inspections. vslSafety coordinates both through providers at the vessel’s port.
Regulatory requirements and standards
STCW regulation VI/1 and section A-VI/1 of the STCW Code require seafarers to complete safety familiarisation and basic training, which includes personal survival techniques (table A-VI/1-1), fire prevention and fire fighting (A-VI/1-2), elementary first aid (A-VI/1-3) and personal safety and social responsibilities (A-VI/1-4). Since the 2010 Manila amendments, seafarers must provide evidence of maintaining the required standard of competence in personal survival techniques and fire prevention and fire fighting every five years. Further certificates include proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats (A-VI/2), advanced fire fighting (A-VI/3) and medical first aid or medical care (A-VI/4). Courses leading to STCW certificates must be delivered by a training centre approved by the relevant Administration.
On board, SOLAS regulation III/19 requires every crew member to take part in at least one abandon ship drill and one fire drill every month, requires each lifeboat to be launched with its assigned operating crew and manoeuvred in the water at least once every three months, and requires onboard training in the use of the ship’s life-saving appliances within two weeks of joining. Since 1 January 2015, resolution MSC.350(92) has required crew members with enclosed space entry or rescue responsibilities to take part in an enclosed space entry and rescue drill at least once every two months. MSC.1/Circ.1578 gives guidelines on safety during abandon ship drills using lifeboats, and SOLAS III/35 requires a training manual on board.
In June 2025 the IMO adopted revised Recommendations for entering enclosed spaces aboard ships by resolution MSC.581(110), replacing resolution A.1050(27), which emphasise training and the use and calibration of atmosphere testing equipment.
Training and drill intervals
| Item | Requirement | Interval | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic training: PST and FPFF | Evidence of maintained competence (refresher) | Every 5 years | STCW VI/1, A-VI/1 |
| Survival craft and rescue boats, advanced fire fighting | Evidence of maintained competence | Every 5 years | STCW VI/2, VI/3 |
| Abandon ship and fire drills | Every crew member participates | At least monthly | SOLAS III/19 |
| Lifeboat launch and manoeuvre | Each lifeboat with assigned crew | At least every 3 months | SOLAS III/19 |
| Enclosed space entry and rescue drill | Crew with entry or rescue duties | At least every 2 months | SOLAS III/19, MSC.350(92) |
| Onboard LSA training | Use of ship’s life-saving appliances | Within 2 weeks of joining | SOLAS III/19 |
What the service includes
- Booking of STCW basic training and refresher courses at approved centres near the port
- Advanced fire fighting, survival craft and rescue boat, and medical courses
- Onboard fire drill observation with a written evaluation and recommendations
- Lifeboat and davit familiarisation, including release gear operation and safe drill procedures
- Enclosed space entry and rescue drill using the ship’s gas detectors, breathing apparatus and rescue equipment
- Equipment-specific training on fixed fire systems, SCBA, EEBDs and fireman’s outfits
- Help with drill records and the ship’s training manual
- Pre-PSC or pre-vetting drill readiness sessions
Training types covered
Courses typically arranged include personal survival techniques, fire prevention and fire fighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and social responsibilities, proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats, fast rescue boats, advanced fire fighting, medical first aid and medical care, security awareness and designated security duties, and enclosed space entry. Onboard sessions are tailored to the ship’s equipment, whether davit-launched or free-fall lifeboats, liferafts, marine evacuation systems, CO2 or water mist systems.
Common defects and PSC deficiencies
- Crew unable to launch a lifeboat or operate release gear during a PSC-requested drill
- Fire drill poorly organised, with delays in communication, boundary cooling or donning BA
- Crew unfamiliar with SCBA, EEBD or fixed system operation
- Enclosed space entry drills not held or not recorded at the required frequency
- STCW certificates or refresher evidence expired
- Training manual missing, outdated or not in the working language
Port State control officers often ask for a drill during inspection. Emergency systems and procedures were the focus of a joint Paris and Tokyo MoU concentrated inspection campaign from 1 September to 30 November 2019, and crew familiarity with fire safety equipment was examined again in the 2023 fire safety campaign.
Certificates and documents you receive
- STCW certificates of proficiency issued by the approved training centre
- Attendance records for onboard training sessions
- Drill evaluation report with observations and recommended actions
- Suggested entries for the official log and drill records
How to prepare the vessel
For shore courses, send crew names, ranks, passport and seafarer’s book details and the exact certificates required, with dates available ashore. For onboard training, confirm the drill scenario, equipment available and port rules for lowering boats or using smoke. Check that breathing apparatus and gas detectors are serviced before the session; see breathing apparatus servicing and gas detection equipment. Lifeboat drills are safer when the boat and davit have a current lifeboat inspection and servicing.
Information needed for a quotation
- Vessel name, IMO number, flag and ship type
- Port, berth or anchorage, ETA and ETD
- Courses required and number of participants, with nationalities
- For onboard sessions, topics, equipment types and preferred duration
- Flag requirements for certificate recognition
- Language of instruction required
vslSafety then coordinates a suitable training provider at the vessel’s port and confirms dates, trainers and cost.
Frequently asked questions
How often do STCW basic safety certificates need refreshing?
Seafarers must provide evidence every five years that they maintain the required competence in personal survival techniques and fire prevention and fire fighting under STCW regulation VI/1. The same five-year cycle applies to proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats and to advanced fire fighting. Elementary first aid and personal safety and social responsibilities do not require a refresher under the Convention, although some flags or companies may ask for one.
How often must enclosed space entry drills be held?
Crew members with enclosed space entry or rescue responsibilities must take part in an enclosed space entry and rescue drill at least once every two months, under SOLAS III/19 as amended by MSC.350(92) from 1 January 2015. The drill should cover checking and use of personal protective equipment, communications, atmosphere testing instruments, rescue equipment and first aid.
Does onboard training by an external trainer replace STCW certificates?
No. STCW certificates can only be issued by an approved training centre following an approved course. Onboard training complements them by familiarising crew with the ship’s actual equipment and procedures.
How often must lifeboats be launched during drills?
SOLAS III/19 requires each lifeboat to be launched with its assigned operating crew aboard and manoeuvred in the water at least once every three months during an abandon ship drill. Free-fall lifeboats have specific provisions for actual and simulated launching. MSC.1/Circ.1578 gives guidelines for doing this safely, including checks before drills and personnel protection.
Can training be done while the ship is working cargo?
Classroom and equipment familiarisation sessions can often run in parallel with cargo work, but launching boats or full-scale fire drills usually need port or terminal permission and enough crew free from cargo duties. Discuss the port schedule with the provider so sessions fit within rest hour limits.
