International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW)

General Detail

General Information

  1. Type: Convention
  2. Date of signature:
  3. Place of signature: London, United Kingdom
  4. Depositary:
  5. Date of entry into force: 28/04/1984

Category

Transport and telecommunications

Sub category

Maritime shipping and load lines

Groups

IMO

What is it about?

This Convention establishes the minimum standards relating to training, certification, watchkeeping for seafarers, and port State control.

Why is it relevant?

This instrument is the main one setting up basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers on an international level. Previously to this Convention, individual Governments established such standards without reference to other countries, creating problems on interaction between maritime regulations.

Additional Information

This Convention applies to ships of non-party States when visiting ports of Governments Parties to the Convention. This procedure is stated as necessary to ensure that no more favourable treatment is given to ships entitled to fly the flag of a State which is not a Party than is given to ships entitled to fly the flag of a State that is a Party. Amendments to this Convention may be adopted by Governments or by IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee. They will normally enter into force one year and a half after being communicated to all Parties, unless they are rejected by one third of Parties. The 1995 amendments, which entered into force on 1 February 1997, are the most important ones. They completely revised the Convention bringing it up to date. They divided the annex of the Convention into regulations, establishing a new STCW code. This code is divided in Part A and B. Part A is mandatory and covers the minimum standards of competence required for seagoing personnel. Part B is recommended and deals with guidance intended to help Parties implement the Convention. These amendments also brought some innovations to the Convention mainly as concerns assurance of compliance with the Convention.

  • Convention on the International Maritime Organization (Geneva, 6/03/1948).

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Country ratifications
CountryRatification date
Albania20/03/2002
Algeria28/10/1988
Angola03/10/1991
Antigua and Barbuda05/02/1997
Argentina06/10/1982
Australia07/11/1983
Austria29/01/1997
Azerbaijan01/07/1997
Bahamas07/06/1983
Bahrain13/06/1996
Bangladesh06/11/1981
Barbados06/05/1994
Belarus13/10/1993
Belgium14/09/1982
Belize24/01/1997
Benin01/11/1985
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)11/04/1988
Brazil17/01/1984
Brunei Darussalam23/10/1986
Bulgaria31/03/1982
Cambodia08/06/2001
Cameroon06/06/1989
Canada06/11/1987
Cape Verde18/11/1989
Chile09/06/1987
China08/06/1981
Colombia27/07/1981
Comoros22/11/2000
Congo07/08/2002
Cote d'Ivoire05/10/1987
Croatia08/10/1991
Cuba05/12/1989
Cyprus28/03/1985
Czech Republic01/01/1993
Democratic People's Republic of Korea01/05/1985
Democratic Republic of the Congo04/04/1995
Denmark20/01/1981
Djibouti12/10/2015
Dominica21/06/2000
Ecuador17/05/1988
Egypt22/09/1980
El Salvador29/11/2012
Equatorial Guinea24/04/1996
Eritrea22/04/1996
Estonia29/08/1995
Ethiopia18/07/1985
Fiji27/03/1991
Finland27/01/1984
France11/07/1980
Gabon21/01/1982
Gambia01/11/1991
Georgia19/04/1994
Germany28/05/1982
Ghana26/01/1989
Greece22/03/1983
Grenada28/06/2004
Guatemala17/09/2002
Guinea05/08/1994
Guyana26/11/1997
Haiti06/04/1989
Honduras24/09/1985
Hungary15/10/1985
Iceland21/03/1995
India16/11/1984
Indonesia27/01/1987
Iran01/08/1996
Iraq10/12/2001
Ireland11/12/1984
Israel16/01/1986
Italy26/08/1987
Jamaica19/02/1987
Japan27/05/1982
Jordan17/05/2000
Kazakhstan07/03/1994
Kenya15/12/1992
Kiribati05/08/1987
Kuwait22/05/1998
Latvia20/05/1992
Lebanon05/12/1994
Liberia28/10/1980
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya10/08/1983
Lithuania04/12/1991
Luxembourg14/02/1991
Madagascar07/03/1996
Malawi09/03/1993
Malaysia30/01/1992
Maldives22/01/1987
Malta21/06/1991
Marshall Islands25/04/1989
Mauritania17/11/1995
Mauritius04/07/1991
Mexico02/02/1982
Micronesia (Federated States of)14/07/1998
Moldova11/10/2005
Mongolia26/06/2002
Montenegro03/06/2006
Morocco22/07/1997
Mozambique15/11/1985
Myanmar04/05/1988
Namibia24/01/2005
Netherlands26/07/1985
New Zealand30/07/1986
Nicaragua09/03/2009
Nigeria13/11/1984
Norway18/01/1982
Oman14/09/1990
Pakistan10/04/1985
Palau29/09/2011
Panama29/06/1992
Papua New Guinea28/10/1991
Peru16/07/1982
Philippines22/02/1984
Poland27/04/1983
Portugal30/10/1985
Qatar29/05/2002
Republic of Korea04/04/1985
Romania11/01/1993
Russian Federation09/10/1979
Saint Kitts and Nevis11/06/2004
Saint Lucia20/05/2004
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines28/06/1995
Samoa24/05/1993
Sao Tome and Principe29/10/1998
Saudi Arabia29/11/1990
Senegal16/01/1997
Serbia27/04/1992
Seychelles22/08/1988
Sierra Leone13/08/1993
Singapore01/05/1988
Slovakia01/01/1993
Slovenia25/06/1991
Solomon Islands01/06/1994
South Africa27/07/1983
Spain21/10/1980
Sri Lanka22/01/1987
Sudan26/02/1997
Suriname10/12/2013
Sweden08/01/1981
Switzerland15/12/1987
Syrian Arab Republic20/07/2001
Thailand19/06/1997
Togo19/07/1989
Tonga07/02/1995
Trinidad and Tobago03/02/1989
Tunisia08/02/1995
Turkey28/07/1992
Turkmenistan04/02/2009
Tuvalu22/08/1985
Ukraine07/01/1997
United Arab Emirates15/12/1983
United Kingdom28/11/1980
United Republic of Tanzania27/10/1982
United States of America01/07/1991
Uruguay03/08/1993
Vanuatu22/04/1991
Venezuela13/10/1987
Viet Nam18/12/1990
Yemen14/02/2005
Treaties analysis
YearRatifications
19791
19805
19818
198210
19837
19846
198512
19863
198711
19886
19898
19903
199112
19926
19938
19946
19957
19965
199710
19983
20003
20013
20025
20043
20053
20061
20092
20111
20121
20131
20151
Total161
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