STCW Basic Safety Training

Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping — the internationally recognised foundation safety certificate required for all professional seafarers.

Course Overview

What is it?

STCW Basic Safety Training (BST) is a mandatory certification under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) convention. It is the minimum safety qualification required for anyone working commercially on a vessel over 24 metres (load line length). The certificate proves you can handle fire, abandon-ship situations, first aid emergencies, and personal safety at sea.

Who needs it?

Anyone planning to work professionally on yachts, commercial vessels, or cruise ships. This includes deckhands, steward/esses, engineers, chefs, and skippers. Many employers will not hire you without a valid STCW certificate, even for entry-level positions.

Duration

Typically 5 to 10 days depending on the training provider. Most schools run it as a one-week intensive or split over two weeks.

Cost Range

GBP 800 – 1,500 in the UK; EUR 900 – 1,800 in the Mediterranean. Prices vary by location and whether accommodation is included.

Prerequisites

Minimum age 16 (some schools require 18)
Valid ENG1 medical certificate (or equivalent seafarer medical)
**Basic swimming ability** — you will be in the water during PST
No formal sailing experience required

What you learn

**Personal Survival Techniques (PST)** — how to survive in the water and use life-saving equipment
**Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF)** — how to fight fires at sea using extinguishers, hoses, and breathing apparatus
**Elementary First Aid (EFA)** — how to assess casualties, perform CPR, and manage injuries at sea
**Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR)** — safe working practices on board, hazard awareness, and emergency procedures
**Security Awareness (SB)** — understanding the ISPS code and vessel security protocols

Certification

STCW Certificate of Proficiency, valid for 5 years. PST and FPFF modules require refresher training before expiry. EFA, PSSR, and SB do not expire but are bundled into the 5-year cycle.

Elementary First Aid (EFA)

Learn to assess, stabilise, and manage medical emergencies at sea — from cardiac arrest to hypothermia. This module gives you the skills to keep a casualty alive until professional help arrives.

When you find someone injured or unresponsive, panic is your enemy. A structured assessment keeps you focused and ensures you do not miss anything life-threatening. The standard approach is DR-ABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation.

DR-ABC sequence

Danger — check for hazards to yourself, bystanders, and the casualty. On a boat this could mean fire, loose rigging, an unstable load, or a live electrical source. Never become a second casualty.
Response — tap the casualty's shoulders firmly and shout 'Can you hear me?' If they respond, they have a pulse and are breathing. If there is no response, move to the next step.
Airway — tilt the head back and lift the chin to open the airway. Look inside the mouth for any visible obstructions (vomit, food, dentures) and remove them with a finger sweep if you can see them. Do not blindly sweep.
Breathing — look, listen, and feel for chest rise, breath sounds, and air on your cheek. Spend no more than 10 seconds checking. If the casualty is not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately.
Circulation — check for signs of severe external bleeding. Control any life-threatening haemorrhage with direct pressure before anything else.

The AVPU scale provides a quick way to assess consciousness level: Alert (eyes open, talking), Voice (responds to your voice), Pain (responds only to painful stimulus such as a trapezius pinch), Unresponsive (no reaction at all).

Exam Tip: In exam scenarios you will often be asked to identify the very first thing you should do when finding a casualty. The answer is always check for danger — not airway, not breathing, not calling for help. Safety first.

Personal Survival Techniques (PST)

Learn how to survive in the water, use life-saving appliances, and maximise your chances of rescue following an abandon-ship situation.

If you end up in the water, your immediate priorities are to keep your airway clear, minimise heat loss, and make yourself visible to rescuers. How you behave in the first few minutes determines your chances of survival.

Immediate actions after entering the water

Control your breathing — resist the cold shock gasp reflex. Focus on slow, deliberate breaths for the first 60 seconds.
Inflate your lifejacket if it has not auto-inflated. Check the oral tube if you need to top up.
Adopt the HELP position (Heat Escape Lessening Posture) if alone — draw your knees to your chest, cross your arms over your chest, and keep still. This protects the high heat-loss areas: head, neck, armpits, and groin.
If in a group, huddle together to share body heat and present a larger visual target for rescuers.
Stay with the vessel if it is still afloat — it is much easier to spot than a person in the water.

Do not swim unless you are swimming towards a life raft, another vessel, or shore that is clearly reachable. Swimming accelerates heat loss dramatically and exhausts you faster than staying still.

Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF)

Understand the science of fire, know which extinguisher to use, and learn to fight fires on board safely and effectively.

Fire needs three things to burn: heat, fuel, and oxygen. This is called the fire triangle. Remove any one of these elements and the fire goes out. All fire-fighting methods work by attacking one or more sides of the triangle.

Fire classes

Class A — solid materials: wood, paper, textiles, plastics. The most common type of fire on board.
Class B — flammable liquids: diesel, petrol, oil, solvents, cooking fat.
Class C — flammable gases: propane, butane, natural gas (LPG systems on boats).
Class D — metals: magnesium, aluminium, sodium. Rare on vessels but very dangerous.
Class F — cooking oils and fats at high temperature. Common in galley fires.
Electrical fires — not a separate class, but require special consideration. Isolate the power source before attacking the fire.

Exam Tip: You must know which extinguisher to use on which fire class. Using the wrong type (for example, water on an electrical fire or a burning oil fire) can be extremely dangerous.

Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR)

Understand safe working practices on board, recognise hazards, and know your responsibilities during emergencies and routine operations.

Enclosed spaces on vessels — such as tanks, chain lockers, void spaces, and engine rooms — are among the most dangerous environments you will encounter. The atmosphere inside may be oxygen-depleted, toxic, or explosive, and these conditions are invisible.

Dangers of enclosed spaces

Oxygen depletion — caused by rusting (oxidation), biological decay, or inert gas systems. An atmosphere below 19.5% oxygen is dangerous. Below 16%, you lose consciousness without warning.
Toxic gases — hydrogen sulphide (smells of rotten eggs, but deadens your sense of smell quickly), carbon monoxide (odourless, colourless), methane from decomposing cargo or marine growth.
Flammable atmosphere — fuel vapours, paint fumes, or gases can create an explosive atmosphere.
Physical hazards — limited access, poor lighting, slippery surfaces, risk of flooding

Never enter an enclosed space without a permit to work, atmospheric testing, and a designated standby person at the entrance. More people have died trying to rescue someone from an enclosed space than from the original incident.

Security Awareness (SB)

Understand maritime security requirements under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and your role in maintaining vessel security.

The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code was introduced after the events of September 2001. It establishes a framework for security measures on ships and in port facilities to detect and deter security threats to maritime transport.

Three security levels

Security Level 1 (Normal) — the minimum level at which ships and port facilities must operate at all times. Routine security measures are in place: access control, monitoring, and awareness.
Security Level 2 (Heightened) — applies when there is a heightened risk of a security incident. Additional protective measures are implemented: increased frequency of patrols, restricted access to certain areas, enhanced monitoring of deck areas and the waterside of the vessel.
Security Level 3 (Exceptional) — applies when there is a probable or imminent risk of a security incident. Further specific protective measures are put in place for a limited period, typically directed by the government of the flag state or port state.

Every vessel above 500 GT on international voyages must have a Ship Security Plan (SSP), a Ship Security Officer (SSO), and a Company Security Officer (CSO). The security level is set by the flag state government, not by the ship.

Test Your Knowledge

Ready to see how much you remember? Try these related quizzes.

STCW: RNLI Casualty Care Check Cards