STCW 95: What It Means, Does It Expire, and What Changed
Every crew job ad seems to say "STCW 95 required." There's no course called STCW 95 any more, but the phrase hasn't gone away. Here's what it means, whether your certificate is still valid, and what changed in 2010.
What is STCW 95?
STCW 95 is the 1995 version of the international rulebook for seafarer training, the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers Convention. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted it in 1978, and it came into force in 1984. In a yacht job ad, "STCW 95" simply means your STCW Basic Training certificate.
Countries applied the 1978 version unevenly, so in 1995 the IMO rewrote it, shifting the focus from what you know to what you can actually do. According to the IMO's STCW page, the 1995 amendments came into force on 1 February 1997. They also added the STCW Code: Part A is mandatory and Part B is guidance. The rewrite was so big that everyone started calling the convention "STCW 95", and the name stuck.
The IMO's headquarters on London's Albert Embankment, where the 1995 STCW amendments were adopted. The 2010 amendments were agreed at a conference in Manila. Photo: Celsoazevedo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What does STCW 95 stand for?
Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, as amended in 1995. The "95" is the year of the big amendments, not a course you can still buy. You'll also see it written STCW95, "STCW 78 as amended", "STCW 2010" or "STCW 95+10". They all point to the same convention at different stages.
Don't confuse it with STCW-F 95, a separate 1995 convention for fishing-vessel crew. It doesn't apply to yachts.
Is STCW 95 still valid?
The 1995 rules no longer apply on their own. The 2010 Manila amendments replaced them. The IMO says those amendments came into force on 1 January 2012, and the UK MCA required full compliance from 1 January 2017. Since then, every seafarer has had to meet the 2010 standard.
Training you did before 2012 isn't wasted. The MCA's guidance on the Manila amendments says you need documentary evidence that you completed the training, or updated it, within the last five years. So what decides whether you're current is the date on your sea-survival and firefighting certificates, and whether they come from an approved school. Whether they say "95" doesn't matter.
Does STCW 95 expire?
Yes, in practice: two of the four Basic Training modules must be refreshed every five years. Those two are Personal Survival Techniques (PST) and Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF). The MCA lists them among the courses that need updating, along with advanced tickets such as Advanced Fire Fighting and Proficiency in Survival Craft. Elementary First Aid and Personal Safety and Social Responsibility aren't on that list.
Your certificate may have no expiry date printed on it. A captain or flag-state inspector will still count five years from the dates on your PST and FPFF certificates. If those are more than five years old, treat your STCW as expired until you've done a refresher. The UK route is in our STCW refresher course guide.
US crew: the Coast Guard's National Maritime Center (NMC) runs its own system. With at least 360 days of sea service in the last five years you can take a shorter revalidation course. Without it, you take the full refresher. Check the current NMC checklist before you book.
What's the difference between STCW 95 and STCW 2010?
STCW 2010 kept the structure of STCW 95 and added five-year refreshers, security training for all crew, stricter rest-hour and alcohol rules, and new training for officers.
| STCW 95 (1995 amendments) | STCW 2010 (Manila amendments) | |
|---|---|---|
| In force | 1 Feb 1997 | 1 Jan 2012 (full compliance from 1 Jan 2017) |
| Basic safety refreshers | No formal five-year refresher | PST and FPFF updated every 5 years |
| Security training | None required for all crew | Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA) for all crew; Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD) for crew with security tasks; piracy covered |
| Hours of rest | 10 hours in any 24, with wider room for exceptions | 10 hours in any 24 and 77 in any 7 days; approved exceptions can't drop below 70 a week |
| Alcohol | No STCW-wide limit | 0.05% blood alcohol or 0.25 mg/l breath |
| Medical fitness | Less detailed standards | Updated fitness standards, which your ENG1 medical covers |
| Officer training | Earlier navigation standards | ECDIS (electronic charts), leadership and teamwork, marine environment awareness |
| Fraud | Weaker checks | Stronger measures against fake certificates |
Sources: IMO STCW Convention page and MCA Manila amendments guidance, both checked 4 November 2026; MCA MGN 565 (January 2017) for rest hours and alcohol limits.
For a green deckhand or stew, three rows really matter: the five-year refresher, the security course, and the rest hours. The rest-hour rules are why a good captain logs your hours on charter.
What is an STCW 95 certificate?
In a yacht job ad, "STCW 95 certificate" means your STCW Basic Training, also called Basic Safety Training (BST). It's the five-day entry course every crew member needs before working on a commercial yacht, made up of PST, FPFF, Elementary First Aid and Personal Safety and Social Responsibility. Most yachts also want PSA, and many schools now include it in the package.
An abandon-ship drill in 1918. Ships held drills long before STCW. What the convention added was certified survival and firefighting training for every crew member. Photo: Navy Medicine, public domain.
Recruiters write "STCW 95" out of habit. If you hold a current Basic Training certificate from an approved school, you meet the requirement, so don't book a separate course because the ad uses the old name. What each day of the course involves is in our STCW Basic Safety Training guide.
How much does an STCW 95 course cost?
You'll be paying for STCW Basic Training, because no one runs a separate "STCW 95" course. Prices depend on the country, the school, and whether PSA is included. We keep current price ranges in the STCW Basic Safety Training guide. To train in a yachting hub, see our guides for Fort Lauderdale and Antibes. Doing the course where boats are based means you can dockwalk the same week.
STCW 95 FAQ
What is STCW 95 in simple terms?
It's the 1995 version of the global safety-training standard for seafarers. Yacht crew use the phrase to mean the STCW Basic Training certificate.
How long is STCW 95 valid for?
Five years from your Personal Survival Techniques and Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting dates. After that you need a refresher, or in the US, possibly a revalidation course.
Is STCW 95 the same as STCW 2010?
They're the same convention. STCW 2010 is the 1995 version plus the Manila amendments, and it's the standard every certificate is now issued under.
My certificate says STCW 95. Do I need to redo everything?
Usually not. If your PST and FPFF are over five years old, a refresher brings you up to date without repeating the full five-day course.
Do I need STCW 95 to work on a yacht?
On a commercially operated yacht, yes. Most captains want STCW Basic Training and an ENG1 or equivalent medical before they'll take you on, even for daywork.
Is STCW 95 enough to get a job?
It's the minimum, not an advantage. Our guide to breaking into the superyacht industry covers the CV and dock time that get you hired.
Next step
If your Basic Training is current, put it to work. Radius verifies the STCW and ENG1 certificates you upload. Add a CV and check in at a port within the last 30 days, and captains can see you on their crew map. It's free for crew. Going for your first deck job? Read our guide to junior deckhand yacht jobs next.