STCW Basic Safety Training is the international safety qualification every seafarer must hold before joining a ship, including hospitality crew on cruise ships. It covers personal survival, fire prevention and fire fighting, elementary first aid, and personal safety.
It is issued only by training centres approved by SAMSA, the South African Maritime Safety Authority. A preparation academy cannot issue it, and neither can an agent.
The document checklist
Valid passport, valid well beyond your contract. STCW Basic Safety Training from a SAMSA accredited centre. Seafarer medical from a SAMSA approved doctor. Seaman's book, applied for through SAMSA once you have a job offer. Police clearance for a criminal background check. US C1/D crew visa for itineraries that touch the United States.
Get the order right
There is a correct order to all of this, and getting it wrong costs time and money. The sequence, and what each document costs today, is set out on our STCW page. If you are still unsure, talk to us and we will map it with you.
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