How to become a seafarer

A seafaring career is open to school-leavers, technical-college graduates, and mid-career professionals alike. The two primary entry routes are the rating track — joining as an ordinary seaman or general-purpose rating with minimal qualifications and working up to Able Seafarer — and the officer cadet track, either sponsored by a shipowner or self-funded through a maritime academy. Both routes converge on the STCW Certificate of Competency system: the international framework that lets a seafarer's qualifications be recognised from Manila to Marseille. Typical entry age is 18–25 for the rating track and 17–22 for cadet programmes, though there is no upper age limit. First contracts typically run 4–9 months and are served on foreign-going merchant vessels.

The two main entry routes

The qualifications — what you need before the first ship

• Basic Safety Training (BST) — STCW Table A-VI/1. Four modules: Personal Survival Techniques (PST), Fire Prevention and Fire-Fighting (FPFF), Elementary First Aid (EFA), and Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR). Mandatory for every seafarer with designated safety duties. Typically 5 days; refresher required every 5 years for PST and FPFF.
• Seafarer medical certificate — STCW Regulation I/9 / MLC Standard A1.2. Issued by a flag-approved medical practitioner; covers vision, hearing, cardiovascular fitness, and absence of conditions that endanger safety at sea. Valid 2 years (1 year over age 55).
• Seaman's book / Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) — issued by the flag administration or national authority. Records all sea service, signed by the Master on each discharge. Essential for documenting the sea time needed for CoC applications.
• Security awareness (STCW VI/6-1) — a short one-day course required of all seafarers since the Manila 2010 amendments. Covers ISPS Code, recognising security threats, and the ship's security plan.
• For watchkeeping ratings: PSCRB — Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (STCW Table A-VI/2-1). Required of all officers and ratings designated as in charge of a survival craft. Typically 2–3 days; practical refresher every 5 years.

Sea time required

Sea time is measured in months of approved service on board a seagoing vessel, documented in the discharge book and counter-signed by the Master. For the rating track: RFPNW/RFPEW require 12 months; Able Seafarer Deck/Engine require 18 months. For the cadet / officer route, a minimum of 12 months supervised sea time is required before sitting the OOW examination under STCW Regulation II/1.2 (some flag states accept 36 months as an AB in lieu of the cadetship). Flag-state-specific requirements — always verify with the issuing administration.

Training routes by country

• Philippines (MARINA)

  Officer cadets complete a 4-year BSMT (deck) or BSMarE (engine) degree at a MARINA-accredited Maritime Higher Education Institution (MHEI), including a 1-year supervised cadetship. Rating entry is via the Maritime Career Course (MCC) at a MARINA-accredited METC. Flag-state-specific — verify with marina.gov.ph. See Filipino seafarer guide.

• India (DG Shipping)

  B.Sc. Nautical Science or B.Tech. Marine Engineering at IMU-affiliated or DG-approved colleges. Pre-sea GP Rating course (6 months) for the rating track. DG Shipping Phase 2 and Phase 3 examinations for OOW / EOOW. Flag-state-specific — verify with dgshipping.gov.in. See Indian seafarer guide.

• Ukraine (Maradmin / Morrichsluzhba)

  Odessa National Maritime University (ONMU), Kherson State Maritime Academy (KSMA), Kyiv State Maritime Academy (KSMA-K). Cadetship plus state examinations. Ukraine holds IMO White List status; CoCs are widely recognised. War-era disruption affects document issuance and repatriation logistics. Flag-state-specific — verify with the Ukrainian Maritime Administration.

• United Kingdom (UK MCA)

  Officer cadets complete Phase 1 college (pre-sea theory), 12 months sea time, Phase 2 college, then the MCA oral and written examinations for OOW (Unlimited). Rating entry is via the MCA Ratings certificate or a UK seafarers' document. Flag-state-specific — verify with gov.uk/MCA.

• Norway (Sjøfartsdirektoratet)

  Nautical/marine-engineering programmes at Høgskulen på Vestlandet (HVL), NTNU Ålesund, and other maritime colleges. Certification under the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Flag-state-specific — verify with sdir.no.

Salary ranges — first contract

An ordinary seaman on a foreign-going vessel typically earns USD 700–1,100 per month (ITF/IBF minimum wage scale, 2025). An AB earns USD 1,200–1,600/month depending on vessel type and CBA. Deck cadets receive a training allowance of USD 400–700/month under most sponsorship schemes. Full rank-by-rank ranges are in the salary database.

Career progression — what comes next

From the rating track: OS → Ordinary Seaman → RFPNW / RFPEW → AB → Able Seafarer Deck/Engine. From AB, the upgrading route to OOW is available via additional study and sea time (see deck rating to officer). From the cadet track: Deck Cadet → OOW (see Cadet to OOW) or Engine Cadet → EOOW (see Marine engineer pathway).

Frequently asked questions

• Do I need a degree to become a seafarer?

  Not for ratings. An ordinary seaman (OS) or general purpose (GP) rating can start with STCW Basic Safety Training (BST) alone on many flags. Officer ranks typically require a maritime academy degree (Philippines, India) or a college-based cadetship programme (UK, Norway, Australia) plus sea time and flag-state examinations.

• How long before I earn a wage on my first contract?

  Ratings typically sign a contract of 6–9 months for a first deployment. Sponsored cadets receive a training allowance (often USD 400–600/month) during their cadetship; self-funded cadets on leave-of-absence schemes may receive nothing until they hold a Certificate of Competency. Exact terms are set by the shipowner or manning agent in the contract of employment.

• Can I choose any flag state to get my STCW certificate?

  STCW certificates are issued by the flag state whose legislation you studied and sat examinations under. You normally qualify under the flag whose institution you attended (e.g. a MARINA CoC if you studied at a Philippine maritime university). To work under a different flag, that flag issues an Endorsement Attesting Recognition (EAR) under STCW Regulation I/10.

• What medical certificate do I need?

  STCW Regulation I/9 and MLC Standard A1.2 require a seafarer medical fitness certificate issued by an approved medical practitioner. Many countries also require a Pre-Employment Medical Examination (PEME) at a company- or flag-approved clinic before joining a vessel. The certificate confirms fitness for sea duty and is typically valid for two years (one year for seafarers over 55).

• Is it possible to switch from the rating track to the officer track later?

  Yes — rating-to-officer upgrading is explicitly supported by STCW. An AB with sufficient sea time can sit the OOW examination under many flag states; the Philippines (MARINA upgrading exams), India (DG Shipping Phase 2/3), and UK (HELM-based bridging) all have formal pathways. Expect 3–5 additional years of study and sea time.

Primary sources

• · IMO — STCW Convention overview
• · ILO — Maritime Labour Convention 2006
• · MARINA — Maritime Industry Authority (Philippines)
• · DG Shipping — Directorate General of Shipping (India)
• · UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• · Sjøfartsdirektoratet — Norwegian Maritime Authority

Flag-state caveat: STCW sets the international floor for training, sea time, and examination requirements. Individual flag administrations may add further requirements — additional examinations, longer sea-time minima, national medical standards, or language requirements. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing flag-state administration before committing to a training programme.

This page is for information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Requirements change — verify with your flag administration before acting.