Getting My STCW Basic Training Certificate to Work at Sea
Before you can work at sea, there’s a rite of passage every seafarer has to complete: SOLAS training. More formally, STCW Basic Training – the course designed to make sure you possess the fundamental safety skills necessary for a maritime career.
For me, it began in late November 2015, well before I stepped into a classroom. First came the medical certificate, then the seaman’s book – which meant getting my passport in order as well. Both were prerequisites before I could even enroll in the training.
By the end of December, the official notice arrived: five days of SOLAS training in Johor, scheduled for 4–8 January 2016. It was the unavoidable first step before I could board my first cruise ship.
Arriving at the training centre
The SOLAS training took place at MSTS Pasir Gudang in Johor, which used a training barge.
The company arranged everything: five nights at Swan Garden Hotel (twin rooms, check-in on the Sunday before class), daily transport to the centre, and the full cost of the course and accommodation.
They provided a modest meal allowance, along with a packing list that included swimming attire, sports shoes, writing materials – and, curiously, an English dictionary.
There was one condition, though. While the company covered the training, the expense would be charged back to you if you quit before completing your first contract.
Looking back, that clause feels stern but practical. Because once we were onboard, the demanding conditions did make many consider leaving before even finishing a contract.
My training group
In my training batch, six of us were from the same company – all new hires in different departments, plus one re-joiner who seemed far more relaxed than the rest. One was even from my own department.
Basic training often works like this: you’re grouped with people you may never meet again, or sometimes you get lucky and end up assigned to the same ship. For many crew, these early training days are where friendships begin, making the first contract a little less daunting.
Most people bonded quickly over the course and the long days. I was more reserved, but even so, it was comforting to have familiar company faces at meals. It stopped the week from feeling like an entirely solitary routine.
The training
The training covers the essentials every seafarer needs before boarding a ship – survival at sea, fire safety, first aid, and safe working practices. It blends classroom lessons with practical, hands-on drills.
Some parts were simple enough, like practising CPR or wrapping a bandage around an arm.
Then came the drills that spiked your adrenaline. Everyone had to jump into the water in an immersion suit – only about two metres high, but my heart was still racing. (Filipino friends later told me their training required a higher jump; I was secretly relieved ours wasn’t.)
The fire training came last and stretched over two days, and for good reason. We suited up in full firefighting gear, learned to handle heavy extinguishers, and made our way into a dark, smoke-filled container to “rescue” a mannequin.
Breathing through the apparatus and feeling the heat sting your skin, even from a distance, was a sharp lesson in how quickly smoke and flames can take over.
It was a lot to absorb in just a few days, but that’s the point. It’s the foundation of safety every crew member carries with them.
Takeaway
If SOLAS training is coming up for you, here’s the practical bit: bring the documents they ask for, pay attention to the lectures, and try to really understand the material instead of just showing up because it’s required.
My path took me to working on cruise ships, and while emergencies are rare, the training is the first real push into life at sea, giving you a clearer sense of what ship life demands.
The STCW Basic Training certificate is valid for five years. In 2020, I had to take a refresher course, this time at a centre closer to home. Safety training isn’t just something you do once and forget. It follows you throughout your career at sea.
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