STCW Basic Safety Training
STCW Basic / STCW 95 / STCW 2010
STCW Basic Safety Training is the international seafarer-safety certificate that every paid delivery crew member needs before they can step on a commercial-endorsed vessel.
TL;DR, STCW Basic is a four-module safety course required for any paid work on a commercial-endorsed yacht. Anyone who wants to be insured as paid crew on a delivery does it once and renews every five years.
What STCW stands for
The Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping convention is an International Maritime Organization (IMO) treaty. STCW Basic Safety Training (sometimes called STCW 95 or STCW 2010 depending on the issuing date) is the entry-level certificate required for paid work on commercial vessels and commercially endorsed yachts.
The four modules
1. Personal Survival Techniques (PST), how to use lifejackets, life rafts, and survive in the water 2. Fire Prevention and Firefighting (FPFF), basic firefighting on board 3. Elementary First Aid (EFA), first-response medical training 4. Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR), shipboard safety, security, environment, and welfare
A full course runs five days at a recognised training centre (UK: MCA-approved, US: USCG-approved). Expect to pay £900–£1,200 in the UK.
Renewal
STCW Basic must be refreshed every five years. The refresher is two to three days and covers updated PST, FPFF, EFA, and PSSR content.
Who needs it
- Any paid delivery captain or crew member on a commercial yacht
- Any RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or Ocean candidate seeking the commercial endorsement
- Most charter yacht crew, regardless of role
Related reading
Related terms
Yachtmaster Offshore
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is the British sailing qualification that allows a skipper to command a vessel of up to 24 metres on passages up to 150 nautical miles from a safe haven.
Commercial Endorsement
A Commercial Endorsement is the add-on that turns an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or Ocean certificate from a recreational qualification into one valid for paid delivery work.
Yachtmaster Ocean
RYA Yachtmaster Ocean is the highest RYA sailing qualification, certifying a skipper to plan and execute ocean passages of unlimited length, including transatlantic deliveries.
Read further
Yacht delivery captain licences: a quick reference
Yachtmaster Ocean, USCG Master, RYA, MCA, STCW, which licence do you actually need to deliver yachts commercially? A region-by-region guide.
Yacht delivery insurance and contracts: what owners actually need before handing over the keys
A plain-English guide for yacht owners: what your hull insurance requires during a paid delivery, what a sensible delivery contract looks like, and the five questions to ask your captain before slipping lines.
Skip the homework
A captain who actually sails your route will explain the licence angle better than any glossary entry. Post your delivery