Basic STCW Course

Lesson 1 • Seafarer Certification and Documentation

Identifies the certificates, endorsements, and record books required under STCW. Ensures seafarers understand their personal compliance obligations before joining a vessel.

Lesson 2 • Structure of the STCW Convention

Explains the Articles, Regulations, and Code (Parts A and B) that form the STCW framework. Provides the structural literacy needed to navigate certification requirements.

Lesson 3 • History and Purpose of STCW

Covers the origins of the STCW Convention and why it was established. Connects the historical context to current mandatory training requirements for seafarers.

Lesson 1 • Fatigue Management and Hours of Rest

Explains the physiological effects of fatigue and mandatory rest-hour requirements. Equips seafarers to recognise impairment and comply with watchkeeping regulations.

Lesson 2 • Social Responsibilities and Conduct

Addresses professional conduct, anti-harassment policies, and multicultural teamwork. Prepares seafarers to maintain a respectful and productive shipboard environment.

Lesson 3 • Shipboard Safety Awareness

Introduces hazards unique to the maritime environment and basic precautionary behaviours. Grounds seafarers in the safety mindset required before any practical task onboard.

Lesson 1 • Wound Care and Bleeding Control

Covers assessment and management of cuts, lacerations, and severe haemorrhage onboard. Connects wound care skills to the limited medical resources available at sea.

Lesson 2 • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Teaches correct CPR technique and use of automated external defibrillators for cardiac arrest. Builds the life-saving skill most critical in remote maritime settings.

Lesson 3 • Onboard Medical Equipment and Medications

Familiarises seafarers with the ship's medical chest contents and basic medication administration. Ensures correct use of available resources when professional care is unavailable.

Lesson 4 • Burns, Fractures, and Shock Management

Addresses treatment of thermal burns, musculoskeletal injuries, and hypovolaemic shock. Prepares seafarers for the most common serious trauma scenarios encountered onboard.

Lesson 1 • Firefighting Procedures and Drills

Establishes the sequence of actions from alarm to fire control and post-fire checks. Integrates equipment skills into coordinated team response through drill practice.

Lesson 2 • Portable and Fixed Firefighting Equipment

Trains seafarers on extinguisher types, hose systems, and fixed suppression installations. Ensures correct equipment selection and operation during an actual fire event.

Lesson 3 • Breathing Apparatus and Protective Gear

Covers donning, operation, and limitations of self-contained breathing apparatus. Prepares seafarers to enter smoke-filled spaces safely during firefighting operations.

Lesson 4 • Fire Detection and Alarm Systems

Covers fixed detection systems, alarm panels, and crew notification procedures. Connects early detection to faster response and reduced fire damage.

Lesson 1 • Lifeboat and Rescue Boat Operations

Explains launching, boarding, and basic operation of lifeboats and rescue boats. Connects survival theory to the practical use of primary abandonment equipment.

Lesson 2 • Life Rafts and Survival Equipment

Covers life raft deployment, boarding, and use of onboard survival supplies. Prepares seafarers to sustain life until rescue in open-ocean conditions.

Lesson 3 • Lifejackets and Immersion Suits

Covers correct donning, adjustment, and limitations of lifejackets and immersion suits. Directly prepares seafarers for water entry in cold or rough sea conditions.

Lesson 4 • Safe Water Entry and In-Water Survival

Teaches controlled water entry techniques and heat-escape-lessening postures. Reduces risk of cold shock and hypothermia during the critical first minutes in water.

Lesson 1 • Survival Craft Command and Organisation

Defines the responsibilities of the person in charge of a survival craft after abandonment. Builds leadership skills that ensure orderly and effective craft management.

Lesson 2 • Navigation and Seamanship in Survival Craft

Covers basic navigation, weather reading, and seamanship techniques for survival craft. Enables the commander to make informed decisions about course and shelter.

Lesson 3 • Maintenance of Survival Craft Equipment

Addresses inspection schedules, servicing requirements, and defect reporting for survival craft. Ensures equipment readiness before an emergency occurs.

Lesson 1 • Search and Rescue in Fire Conditions

Trains teams to conduct primary and secondary searches in smoke-filled compartments. Integrates SCBA skills with systematic search patterns and casualty extraction.

Lesson 2 • Post-Incident Review and Reporting

Covers documentation, root-cause analysis, and lessons-learned reporting after a fire. Closes the safety loop by converting incident data into preventive measures.

Lesson 3 • Hazardous Materials and Dangerous Goods Fires

Addresses firefighting considerations for vessels carrying dangerous goods or chemicals. Connects cargo documentation knowledge to safe suppression decisions.

Lesson 4 • Firefighting Tactics for Complex Scenarios

Covers tactics for engine room, cargo hold, and accommodation fires. Builds decision-making skills for high-risk, resource-limited shipboard environments.

Lesson 1 • Trauma and Surgical Emergencies

Addresses management of major trauma, abdominal emergencies, and dental pain. Extends first aid skills to more complex interventions available in the ship's medical chest.

Lesson 2 • Managing Medical Emergencies

Covers recognition and treatment of heart attack, stroke, anaphylaxis, and seizures. Prepares the designated medical officer for life-threatening emergencies at sea.

Lesson 3 • Telemedical Assistance and Medical Evacuation

Explains how to access shore-based medical advice and coordinate medical evacuations. Connects onboard care to the global telemedical support network available to ships.

Lesson 4 • Patient Assessment and Medical History

Teaches systematic patient assessment using SAMPLE history and vital sign monitoring. Provides the diagnostic foundation for all subsequent medical interventions.