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STCW has been amended multiple times since the 1978 base convention — most significantly in 1995 (Code architecture) and 2010 (Manila Amendments). The 2024 amendments, adopted at IMO MSC 108, introduce the first mandatory harassment and bullying training requirement in STCW history, with effect from 1 January 2026. Simultaneously, a comprehensive review of the entire Convention — the first since 1995 — is proceeding through IMO MSC and will produce further amendment packages covering autonomous shipping, alternative fuels, cyber-awareness, mental health, and expanded assessment methodologies. This page covers both the 2024 targeted amendments and the broader 2026 review topics.
For the full Convention chapter structure, see the STCW technical reference. For the harassment training module specifically, see bullying & harassment training.
The 2024 STCW amendments converted Guideline B4.3.1 of the MLC 2006 Code — which recommended harassment and bullying prevention measures — into a mandatory STCW standard. From 1 January 2026, all seafarers serving on board must have completed an approved harassment and bullying awareness and prevention course before or shortly after joining. Officers in supervisory or management roles face an additional, more detailed module covering identification, intervention, and reporting obligations. The requirement aligns STCW with the parallel MLC 2024 amendment that made the harassment standard mandatory in MLC Regulation 4.3.
IMO Resolution MSC.428(98) (2017) urged flag states to address cyber-risk management in safety management systems by 2021, but it stopped short of an STCW competence requirement. The 2026 comprehensive review proposes inserting explicit cyber-awareness competencies into the relevant STCW tables — in particular for officers of the watch (Tables A-II/1 and A-III/1) and for electro-technical officers (Table A-III/6). The draft competence elements cover recognition of shipboard cyber-attack vectors, onboard network segregation, incident reporting under ISM, and familiarity with ship-specific cyber-risk management plans. Competency assessment methodologies are under development at STCW WG level.
STCW Chapter VIII already requires minimum rest hours (10 h in any 24 h / 77 h in any 168-h period) as the core fitness-for-duty standard. The 2026 review proposes supplementing this with guidance — and potentially mandatory standards — on psychological fitness, including recognition of fatigue beyond hours-of-rest metrics, mental-health first-aid awareness, and anonymous reporting pathways for seafarers experiencing mental health difficulties. The proposed changes draw on the ITF/ICS joint guidance on seafarer wellbeing published following the COVID-19 ship-abandonment crisis.
STCW Regulation V/4 and Tables A-V/4-1 and A-V/4-2 (Basic and Advanced Polar Code training) entered force in 2018 alongside the Polar Code itself. The 2026 review is examining whether the basic course content adequately covers ice navigation, cold-weather survival physiology, and the operational limitations of lifesaving appliances in sub-zero conditions. Proposals include expanding practical simulator hours for ice navigation and introducing mandatory refresher intervals for the advanced endorsement.
STCW Regulation V/3 mandates training for seafarers on ships subject to the IGF Code (currently primarily LNG-fuelled ships). As the maritime industry transitions to ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen propulsion, the 2026 review is developing new competency tables for each fuel type. Ammonia — with its toxicity and distinct firefighting requirements — is receiving particular attention. Officers responsible for fuel-gas systems will require type-specific endorsements similar to the existing LNG/LPG advanced tanker framework.
STCW Regulation V/2 (crowd management, crisis management, and human behaviour training for passenger-ship personnel) is being updated to reflect lessons from post-COVID reactivation of passenger ships and the growth of expedition-cruise operations in polar and remote areas. Draft amendments extend the crisis-management requirement to a wider range of hotel-department supervisors and introduce a specific module for expedition-vessel operations.
IMO is developing a MASS Code with planned adoption at MSC in 2024–2025 and entry into force in 2028. STCW competency frameworks for remote operators and for shore-side controllers of autonomous ships are being drafted in parallel. The 2026 STCW comprehensive review is expected to include transitional provisions for MASS Degree 3 (remotely controlled with no crew on board) and Degree 4 (fully autonomous) ship personnel, referencing the framework competencies agreed at MSC 108.
When does the harassment and bullying training requirement take effect?
The mandatory STCW harassment and bullying training requirement enters into force on 1 January 2026 under the 2024 STCW amendments adopted at MSC. Flag states that have not yet enacted the amendment into national law may grant a transitional period, but most major seafarer-supply states (Philippines, India, Ukraine, Indonesia) are expected to require compliance from the effective date.
Does the 2026 STCW review replace the Manila Amendments?
No. The 2026 comprehensive review adds to — and in some cases updates — the Manila Amendments structure. The Convention chapters and Code Part A tables remain the same framework; specific tables are amended rather than replaced. The 2026 review is the first end-to-end structural review since 1995, but it is an amendment process, not a re-adoption of the Convention.
What is the difference between the 2024 amendments and the 2026 comprehensive review?
The 2024 amendments were a targeted package adopted at MSC 108, focused primarily on the harassment and bullying training requirement and adjustments to MLC-aligned provisions. The 2026 comprehensive review is a broader IMO-led process examining the entire Convention structure — including MASS, alternative fuels, cyber, and mental health — with entry-into-force dates in the 2026–2028 window as each amendment package is adopted and accepted.
Does MSC.428(98) on cyber risk management currently create an STCW obligation?
MSC.428(98) is addressed to flag-state administrations and asks them to incorporate cyber-risk management into ISM safety management systems. It does not directly impose individual seafarer competency obligations under STCW. The 2026 review is the mechanism through which cyber-awareness will be inserted into STCW competency tables with a mandatory examination basis.
Disclaimer. General information only — not legal advice. Amendment timelines and national-implementation dates can vary by flag state. Verify requirements with your flag-state administration or a qualified maritime lawyer. See the country guides for flag-specific implementation timelines and the training-centres directory for approved course providers.