STCW Chapter V: Special Training Requirements

Background: STCW 1978 + 1995 ro-ro amendments + Manila 2010

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 as adopted in London on 7 July 1978 included a Chapter V titled “Special Requirements for Tankers”, with three Regulations: V/1 governing oil tankers, V/2 governing chemical tankers, and V/3 governing liquefied gas tankers. The 1978 framework reflected the casualty record of the late 1960s and 1970s, in particular the Torrey Canyon stranding of 1967, the Amoco Cadiz casualty of 1978 (which occurred during the conference itself), and the long record of cargo-handling fires and explosions on chemical and gas tankers (Marine Vapor 1962, Yuyo Maru No. 10 1974, Mostoles 1969). The 1978 Chapter V required tanker masters and officers to demonstrate specialised knowledge of cargo properties, cargo-handling operations, fire safety on tankers and pollution prevention, with the detail of the requirement set out in the original Annex’s tabulated competence statements.

The 1995 STCW Amendments, adopted at the IMO Conference of Parties in London 26 June to 7 July 1995 and entered into force 1 February 1997, restructured the Convention into the present “thin Convention plus Code” architecture. The 1995 package introduced a fourth Chapter V Regulation, V/2 Special Training Requirements for Personnel on Ro-Ro Passenger Ships, prompted by the Herald of Free Enterprise capsize of 6 March 1987 off Zeebrugge (193 fatalities) and the Estonia capsize of 28 September 1994 (852 fatalities). Both casualties had exposed deep gaps in passenger-ship crew training in crowd management, evacuation procedures, communication with passengers, the management of mixed-language complements during emergencies, and the human-behaviour dynamics of passenger reaction to a developing crisis. The 1995 V/2 set out the four-tier passenger-ship training architecture (familiarization, crowd management, crisis management plus human behaviour, passenger ship safety) that the 2010 Manila Amendments subsequently consolidated.

The 2010 Manila Amendments, adopted at a Conference of Parties held in Manila, Philippines, from 21 to 25 June 2010, and entered into force on 1 January 2012 with full effect from 1 January 2017, restructured the entire chapter. The previously fragmented tanker Regulations (V/1 oil, V/2 chemical, V/3 gas in the 1978 numbering, then renumbered after 1995) were consolidated into Reg V/1-1 (oil and chemical tankers grouped together because of the shared liquid-cargo risk profile and overlapping Section A-V/1-1.1 basic familiarization) and Reg V/1-2 (liquefied gas tankers, kept separate because of the distinct cryogenic and pressurised gas hazard profile). The four passenger-ship requirements were consolidated into a single Reg V/2 with four sub-paragraphs (V/2.1 familiarization, V/2.2 crowd management, V/2.3 crisis management plus human behaviour, V/2.4 passenger ship safety training). The Manila package also rationalised the relationship between basic familiarization (now treated as a one-off lifetime competence) and advanced training (now treated as a 5-year-revalidation competence), introduced mandatory simulator-based training for advanced gas tanker, advanced chemical tanker and crisis management plus human behaviour, and tightened the onboard-service prerequisite for advanced certificates.

Chapter V special-training overview

The table below maps the five in-force Regulations to their ship-type trigger, construction-code counterpart, amendment package, entry-into-force date, and certificate tiers. Together they cover every commercially significant high-hazard ship category operating today under SOLAS.

The two-tier architecture is common to all five Regulations. Basic familiarization establishes foundational hazard knowledge and is a once-in-a-career qualification. Advanced training establishes management-level operational competence, requires onboard sea service on the relevant ship type as a prerequisite, and revalidates on a 5-year cycle under Regulation I/11.

2015 IGF Code + Polar Code amendments to Chapter V

The 2015 amendments to STCW added two entirely new Regulations to Chapter V, in parallel with the entry into force of the underlying ship-construction and ship-operation codes that they support.

Regulation V/3 (training for ships subject to the IGF Code, using gas or other low-flashpoint fuels) was adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.396(95), adopted at the 95th session of the Maritime Safety Committee in June 2015, as part of the package that also adopted the IGF Code itself (Resolution MSC.391(95)). Reg V/3 entered into force on 1 January 2017 in step with the IGF Code. The corresponding STCW Code amendments (Section A-V/3 tabulated competences) were adopted by Resolution MSC.397(95) at the same session. The Regulation responded to the operational reality that the chemical and physical hazards of gas as fuel (LNG bunkering at minus 162 degrees Celsius, gas-line integrity in the engine room, double-walled fuel piping, gas-detection systems, emergency shutdown logic) are qualitatively different from those of conventional fuel oils, and that the existing Chapter III engineering competence does not cover them. Reg V/3 follows the two-tier architecture (basic V/3.1 plus advanced V/3.2) consistent with the rest of Chapter V.

Regulation V/4 (training for masters and officers on ships operating in polar waters) was adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.416(97), with the corresponding STCW Code amendments adopted by MSC.417(97). Reg V/4 entered into force on 1 July 2018, with mandatory basic polar training applying from that date and advanced polar training applying from 1 July 2020 for officers on ships that were already trading in polar waters before that date. The Reg V/4 STCW amendments were adopted in parallel with the Polar Code safety framework (Resolution MSC.385(94), adopted at MSC 94 in November 2014) and the Polar Code MARPOL amendments (Resolution MEPC.264(68), adopted at MEPC 68 in May 2015), with the training obligations designed to track the Polar Code’s own entry-into-force date of 1 January 2017 at a 18-month lag to allow administrations time to approve polar training programmes. The Regulation responded to the operational reality that polar navigation (ice-class hull operation, ice-pilotage, low-air-temperature equipment performance, isolation from search-and-rescue resources, communication challenges in high latitudes, polar lifeboat and survival-craft operation, environmental sensitivities of pristine ecosystems) imposes competence demands beyond Chapter II navigation training. Reg V/4 also follows the two-tier basic plus advanced architecture.

The 2015 package also adopted, in Section B-I/12, dedicated guidance on simulator-based training for IGF, polar and the existing tanker plus passenger-ship endorsements, recognising that several of the high-hazard scenarios (cryogenic LNG cargo line failure, ice-belt navigation in deteriorating visibility, mass evacuation of a passenger ro-ro after a fire on the vehicle deck) cannot be safely or reproducibly covered through onboard service alone.

HTW review: cyber, autonomous ships, and alternative fuels

The IMO Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW) is conducting a comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and Code. As of 2026, this review includes proposals that would, if adopted, extend Chapter V in three directions.

Cybersecurity competence is proposed for addition across all Reg V advanced courses, recognising the cyber-vulnerability of cargo control systems on tankers, integrated bridge plus ECDIS plus DP systems on passenger ships, IGF gas-supply control systems, polar-rated propulsion plus ice-radar systems, and bunker-supply control systems. The proposal would codify into mandatory STCW competence the cyber risk-management obligation that IMO Resolution MSC.428(98) placed on ship operators under the ISM Code from 1 January 2021. The only STCW amendment in force as of 1 January 2026 is Resolution MSC.560(108) (adopted at MSC 108, May 2024), which revised STCW Code Table A-VI/1-4 to add mandatory basic-training competence on prevention of and response to violence and harassment at work (SASH); that amendment concerns basic safety training under Chapter VI, not Chapter V.

Alternative-fuel familiarization expanded to cover methanol, ammonia and hydrogen in addition to the existing LNG and LPG scope of Reg V/3 is under HTW development but not yet adopted. The proposal responds to the rapid commercial deployment of methanol as marine fuel from 2023 onward (Maersk methanol-ready container series, Stena methanol roll-on roll-off vessels), the development of ammonia as marine fuel (Yara, NYK, MOL ammonia-fuelled bulk-carrier projects), and the emergence of hydrogen as a propulsion fuel for short-sea and inland services. Each fuel has distinct hazard properties: methanol is toxic by inhalation and ingestion; ammonia is acutely toxic at low concentrations and forms explosive mixtures; hydrogen has wide flammability range and high diffusivity. No entry-into-force date has been confirmed for the fuel-expansion proposals.

Autonomous and remote-control ship training at familiarization and supervisory levels for officers serving on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) vessels is also under HTW development. The proposals address the intersection of Chapter V hazards (tanker cargo operations, IGF bunkering, passenger-ship evacuation) with autonomous functions. These are not adopted and have no confirmed implementation timeline.

Reg V/1-1: Oil + Chemical Tanker training

Regulation V/1-1, in its post-Manila form, sets out the mandatory minimum training and qualification requirements for masters, officers, ratings and any other personnel assigned specific duties and responsibilities related to cargo or cargo equipment on oil tankers and chemical tankers. The Regulation is the consolidated descendant of the original 1978 V/1 (oil) plus 1978 V/2 (chemical) Regulations, grouped together because the operational hazards of the two ship types overlap substantially: both carry liquid bulk cargo at near-ambient temperature and pressure, both rely on conventional pumping and piping infrastructure, both operate the standard tanker cargo-handling routine (loading, ballasting, voyage tank monitoring, unloading, tank cleaning, gas-freeing) within a flammable-vapour or toxic-vapour atmosphere, and both are subject to the same fundamental fire and pollution risk. The structural difference between the IBC Code chemical tanker (constructed for hazardous-chemical cargo with cargo containment plus venting plus material compatibility specifications) and the conventional oil tanker is reflected in the advanced-level Section A-V/1-1.3 standard, which sits above the shared basic familiarization.

Reg V/1-1 is sub-divided into three paragraphs corresponding to three certificates:

• V/1-1.1 Basic Familiarization for any seafarer with cargo-related duties on oil or chemical tankers.
• V/1-1.2 Advanced Oil Tanker Operations for masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers and any other officer with immediate responsibility for cargo on oil tankers.
• V/1-1.3 Advanced Chemical Tanker Operations for masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers and any other officer with immediate responsibility for cargo on chemical tankers.

The basic familiarization is a once-in-a-career qualification with lifetime validity, and the two advanced certificates are 5-year-revalidation certificates contingent on continuing service or refresher training. An officer who serves on both oil and chemical tankers must hold both V/1-1.2 and V/1-1.3, with the basic V/1-1.1 covering the entry-level familiarization for both.

Reg V/1-1.1: Basic Familiarization (5 days)

Reg V/1-1.1 sets the standard for the basic familiarization required of every officer or rating with cargo-related duties on oil or chemical tankers. The candidate must:

1. Have completed approved seagoing service of not less than 3 months on oil or chemical tankers, including familiarization with cargo operations under the supervision of a qualified officer; or alternatively, have completed an approved basic training course meeting the requirements of Section A-V/1-1.1.
2. Demonstrate the competence specified in Section A-V/1-1.1, covering: contribution to the safe operation of an oil or chemical tanker; precautions to be taken to prevent hazards; application of occupational health and safety precautions and measures; carrying out fire-fighting operations; responding to emergencies; and taking precautions to prevent pollution of the environment from the release of oil or chemicals.

The training duration is typically 5 days of classroom plus practical instruction, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 1.01 Basic Training for Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations. The course covers cargo properties (specific gravity, vapour pressure, flash point, flammability range, toxicity, water reactivity for chemicals), tanker design and equipment (cargo tanks, cofferdams, double-hull arrangement, segregated ballast tanks, inert-gas system, cargo pumping room, vapour-recovery system, emergency shutdown), cargo operations (loading sequence, ballasting and de-ballasting, voyage tank pressure monitoring, discharge, crude-oil washing, tank cleaning, purging, gas-freeing), fire safety (cargo-fire scenarios, foam-system operation, fixed deck-foam plus tank-foam, dry-chemical applicators), emergency response (cargo-leak isolation, fire response, casualty drills, cargo-related medical emergencies including hydrogen sulphide exposure on sour-crude tankers), and pollution prevention (MARPOL Annex I plus Annex II compliance, oil-record-book entries, cargo-record-book for chemicals, ship-shore safety checklist).

Once issued, the V/1-1.1 certificate has lifetime validity and does not require revalidation, on the principle that basic familiarization establishes a foundation of cargo knowledge that, once internalised, does not deteriorate to the point of requiring re-training. Continuing competence is assured through the V/1-1.2 plus V/1-1.3 advanced revalidation cycles for officers who progress beyond the rating level.

Reg V/1-1.2: Advanced Oil Tanker (8 days + simulator)

Reg V/1-1.2 sets the standard for the advanced oil tanker operations certificate required of masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers and any other officer with immediate responsibility for cargo loading, discharge, care in transit, handling of cargo, tank cleaning or other cargo-related operations on oil tankers. The candidate must:

1. Hold the basic familiarization V/1-1.1.
2. Have completed approved seagoing service of not less than 3 months on oil tankers in addition to the V/1-1.1 sea-service prerequisite (or, for newly qualified officers, completion of an approved onboard training programme with at least three loading and three unloading operations, documented in an approved cargo-operations training-record book).
3. Demonstrate the competence specified in Section A-V/1-1.2, covering: ability to safely perform and monitor all cargo operations; familiarity with the physical and chemical properties of oil cargo; taking precautions to prevent hazards; application of occupational health and safety precautions and measures; carrying out fire-fighting operations; responding to emergencies; and taking precautions to prevent pollution of the environment.

The training duration is typically 8 days of classroom plus practical plus simulator instruction, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 1.02 Advanced Training for Oil Tanker Cargo Operations. The course expands on the basic familiarization with management-level cargo planning (loading and discharge plans, stress and stability calculations during cargo operations, cargo heating for waxy crudes, cargo measurement and the bill-of-lading verification process), inert-gas system management at management level, vapour-emission control under MARPOL Annex VI Reg 15, ship-to-ship transfer (STS) operations under MARPOL Annex I Chapter 8 plus the OCIMF STS Transfer Guide, crude-oil washing under MARPOL Annex I Reg 33, advanced fire-safety and damage-control under tanker-specific scenarios, and the master’s responsibilities under the Tanker Safety Guide plus the OCIMF International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT).

The simulator component, delivered in accordance with Section B-I/12, addresses the dynamic interplay between cargo operations and ship behaviour: changes in trim and stability as cargo and ballast are exchanged, free-surface effects during partial loading, and the interaction between cargo pumping, inert-gas plant operation and emergency shutdown sequencing. The certificate is valid for 5 years, with revalidation by approved refresher training, by approved sea service on oil tankers within the preceding 5 years (typically a minimum of 3 months in the validity period), or by approved combined sea service plus refresher training.

Reg V/1-1.3: Advanced Chemical Tanker (8 days + simulator)

Reg V/1-1.3 sets the standard for the advanced chemical tanker operations certificate required of masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers and any other officer with immediate responsibility for cargo on chemical tankers. The candidate must hold the basic V/1-1.1, have completed an additional 3 months of approved seagoing service on chemical tankers (or an approved onboard programme with at least three loading and three unloading operations of representative chemicals across the hazard categories), and demonstrate the competence of Section A-V/1-1.3.

The Section A-V/1-1.3 competence covers chemical-cargo-specific topics: the hazard categorisation of chemical cargo under the IBC Code (toxicity, flammability, water reactivity, corrosivity, polymerisation tendency, vapour pressure, freezing point, pour point); compatibility chart usage for adjacent-tank cargo (the USCG Compatibility Chart plus the IMO Compatibility Chart) to prevent reactive cargo combinations; tank coating and cargo material compatibility (epoxy, zinc silicate, stainless steel, phenolic for various cargo categories); cargo containment and cargo equipment specifications under the IBC Code; cargo planning and loading sequence under cargo segregation rules; tank cleaning planning across cargoes including the use of Dr. Verwey’s Chemical Tanker Reference plus the OCIMF Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI) databases; ventilation and atmospheric control during cargo operations including positive pressure, inert and ventilated tank atmospheres for different cargo classes; cargo heating, cooling and pressure control; cargo-handling fire safety, including the specific fire risks of polymerising cargo (acrylates, styrene, vinyl monomers, methyl methacrylate); emergency response to chemical leaks, vapour clouds, polymerisation runaway and toxic exposure; the master’s interface to the CDI ship-inspection regime, the OCIMF Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE) for chemical tankers, and the IBC Code verification process.

The training duration is typically 8 days with substantial simulator content under Section B-I/12 covering chemical-cargo-specific scenarios (incompatibility incidents, polymerisation runaway with cooling-system failure, toxic-vapour leak in port). The certificate is valid for 5 years with revalidation through approved refresher or sea service on chemical tankers.

Reg V/1-2: Liquefied Gas Tanker training

Regulation V/1-2 sets out the mandatory minimum training and qualification requirements for masters, officers, ratings and any other personnel assigned specific duties and responsibilities related to cargo or cargo equipment on liquefied gas tankers. Liquefied gas tankers operate under the IGC Code for newer vessels (built after 1 July 1986) or under the GC plus EGC Codes for older units. The hazard profile is qualitatively different from oil and chemical tankers: cargo is carried at cryogenic temperatures (LNG at minus 162 degrees Celsius, ethylene at minus 104 degrees Celsius, ethane at minus 89 degrees Celsius, propane at minus 42 degrees Celsius if fully refrigerated), at pressure plus temperature combinations (LPG semi-refrigerated at moderate pressure plus moderate cold), or at ambient pressure with deep refrigeration, and the principal hazards are cryogenic burns to personnel and brittle fracture of carbon-steel hull plating from cargo spillage, asphyxiation from gas displacement of breathable atmosphere, vapour-cloud explosion (VCE) from gas-leak ignition, and brittle-fracture risk to cargo containment under thermal-shock conditions during emergency shutdown.

Reg V/1-2 is sub-divided into two paragraphs:

• V/1-2.1 Basic Familiarization for any seafarer with cargo-related duties on liquefied gas tankers.
• V/1-2.2 Advanced Liquefied Gas Tanker Operations for masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers, cargo engineers and any other officer with immediate responsibility for cargo on liquefied gas tankers.

The basic-plus-advanced architecture parallels Reg V/1-1, with the same lifetime-basic plus 5-year-advanced cycle.

Reg V/1-2.1: Basic Familiarization (5 days)

Reg V/1-2.1 requires the candidate to have completed approved seagoing service of not less than 3 months on liquefied gas tankers, including familiarization under supervision (or an approved basic training course); and to demonstrate the competence of Section A-V/1-2.1, covering: contribution to the safe operation of a liquefied gas tanker; precautions to prevent hazards; application of occupational health and safety; carrying out fire-fighting operations; responding to emergencies; and pollution prevention.

The training is typically 5 days equivalent to the IMO Model Course 1.04 Basic Training for Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations. The course covers gas-cargo properties (vapour pressure curves, flammability range, asphyxiation risk, cryogenic effects, toxic-product impurities such as hydrogen sulphide in sour LNG and amines in conditioned gas), gas-tanker design (containment systems including spherical Moss tanks, prismatic membrane tanks of GTT NO96 and Mark III variants, IMO Type A, B and C independent tanks, structural-protection insulation systems), cargo-handling equipment (cryogenic pumps, manifold ESD valves, cargo-temperature and pressure monitoring, vapour-handling system, gas combustion unit on LPG carriers, boil-off-gas reliquefaction or dual-fuel use), basic cargo operations (loading at terminal under STS or jetty, voyage cargo monitoring, unloading), fire safety (gas-cargo fire scenarios, dry-chemical and water-curtain protection), emergency response (cryogenic spill containment, brittle-fracture inspection, gas-leak isolation), and pollution prevention. Like V/1-1.1, the certificate has lifetime validity.

Reg V/1-2.2: Advanced Gas Tanker (8 days + simulator)

Reg V/1-2.2 sets the advanced gas tanker operations standard. The candidate must hold V/1-2.1, have completed 3 months of additional approved seagoing service on liquefied gas tankers beyond the V/1-2.1 prerequisite (or an approved onboard programme), and demonstrate Section A-V/1-2.2 competence covering ability to safely perform and monitor all cargo operations including cargo system control during arrival, departure, emergency, transfer and loading or unloading; familiarity with the physical and chemical properties of liquefied gas cargo; precautions to prevent hazards; occupational health and safety; fire-fighting; responding to emergencies; and pollution prevention.

The training is typically 8 days with substantial simulator content under Section B-I/12, equivalent to IMO Model Course 1.06 Advanced Training for Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations. The simulator component is mandatory and addresses the dynamic interaction of cargo, ship and equipment systems during loading, voyage management of boil-off, terminal arrival and departure, emergency cargo-system depressurisation, and cargo-related emergencies (cargo-tank pressure excursion, cargo containment system breach, cargo-line cryogenic leak, gas-detection alarm cascade). The advanced course covers all of the basic familiarization scope plus management-level cargo planning, cargo measurement including the calculation of energy quantities for LNG cargo (gross calorific value, gross heating value, the Wobbe index for LNG quality acceptance), cargo conditioning (warming up plus inerting plus aeration plus gassing-up plus cooling-down for tank changeovers and dry-dock preparation), interface to the OCIMF SIGTTO International Safety Guide for Inland Navigation Tank-Barges plus the SIGTTO LNG Operations in Port Areas plus Liquefied Gas Handling Principles on Ships and in Terminals, ship-shore interface during loading at LNG export terminals (Sabine Pass, Ras Laffan, Bonny Island, Karratha, Yamal, Sakhalin, Tortue), and the master’s responsibilities under the SIGTTO Tanker Safety Guide plus the SIGTTO STS Transfer Guide for Liquefied Gases.

The certificate is valid for 5 years with revalidation by approved refresher training, by approved sea service on liquefied gas tankers within the preceding 5 years (typically a minimum of 3 months), or by approved combined sea service plus refresher training.

Reg V/2: Passenger Ship training (consolidated 2010)

Regulation V/2 sets out the mandatory minimum training and qualification requirements for masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on passenger ships, including ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft. The Regulation in its post-Manila consolidated form applies to every passenger ship engaged on international voyages, with the four-tier training architecture (familiarization, crowd management, crisis management plus human behaviour, passenger ship safety) applied to different categories of personnel according to their role in passenger safety.

The casualty record underpinning Reg V/2 is one of the bleakest in maritime history. Beyond the Herald of Free Enterprise (1987) and Estonia (1994) casualties already cited, the record includes the Salem Express sinking (1991, more than 470 fatalities), the Princess of the Stars typhoon capsize (2008, more than 800 fatalities), the Sewol capsize (2014, 304 fatalities), and the Costa Concordia grounding (2012, 32 fatalities). Each casualty contributed evidence to the design of Reg V/2 competences: ro-ro evacuation modelling, crowd-flow capacity at staircase choke points, crew-language interface to multilingual passenger lists, the human-behaviour response of passengers to abandon-ship orders, the master’s command-and-control role during a developing crisis, and the integration of passenger safety with vessel survivability.

The four sub-paragraphs of Reg V/2 are tiered by responsibility level: V/2.1 familiarization is the universal entry-level competence for any crew member with passenger-safety duties; V/2.2 crowd management is required for the officer-and-rating tier with direct duty for managing passenger movement; V/2.3 crisis management plus human behaviour is required for the master and officer tier with crisis-management responsibility; V/2.4 passenger ship safety training is the full officer-level competence for passenger-ship masters, chief mates and chief engineers.

Reg V/2.1: Familiarization (1 day)

Reg V/2.1 sets the basic familiarization standard for all crew members assigned to passenger ships with safety, security or environmental-protection duties. The competence is the entry-level passenger-ship competence and is required of stewards, hotel-side ratings, deck and engine ratings, and entry-level officers before service on a passenger ship.

The training is typically 1 day of classroom plus practical instruction, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 1.28 Crowd Management, Passenger Safety and Safety Training for Personnel Providing Direct Services. The course covers the general layout of a passenger ship, location of life-saving and fire-fighting equipment, mustering-station arrangement, passenger-induction procedures, basic communication with passengers including non-verbal techniques for limited-language situations, and the role of the crew member in mustering and abandon-ship operations.

Once issued, the V/2.1 certificate has lifetime validity and applies to subsequent service on different passenger ships, although ship-specific familiarization at signing-on remains a separate ISM Code requirement.

Reg V/2.2: Crowd Management

Reg V/2.2 sets the standard for crowd management training for officers, ratings and any other personnel designated on muster lists to assist passengers in emergency situations on passenger ships. The competence is required of any crew member with direct duty for managing passenger movement during a crisis: hotel-side supervisors with passenger evacuation duties, deck-rating mustering personnel, casino-side supervisors, restaurant-side supervisors with mustering duty, bridge-team officers (junior watchkeepers) supporting the passenger-ship master in evacuation.

The training duration is typically 1 to 2 days beyond the V/2.1 baseline, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 1.28 crowd-management module. The course covers the principles of crowd dynamics (the Boyle plus Smith model of pedestrian flow, choke-point management, the queuing dynamics of corridor and stairway traffic during evacuation), passenger psychology under crisis (the freeze plus flight plus fight reaction, the diffusion-of-responsibility effect on emergency response, the role of leadership figures in crowd response), communication strategies for multilingual passenger complements (the use of the IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases, the role of pictogram signage, multilingual public-address scripting), the management of mobility-impaired passengers and the elderly, child plus infant evacuation procedures, and the interface between the muster list and the actual onboard operating practice.

The V/2.2 certificate has lifetime validity subject to continuing service.

Reg V/2.3: Crisis Management + Human Behaviour (5 days + simulator)

Reg V/2.3 sets the standard for crisis management and human behaviour training for masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers and any other person designated on the muster list as having responsibility for the safety of passengers in emergency situations on passenger ships. The competence is the management-level passenger-ship safety competence and is the most demanding of the four Reg V/2 tiers.

The training duration is typically 5 days with substantial simulator and role-play content under Section B-I/12, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 1.29 Crisis Management and Human Behaviour Training. The course covers the master’s command structure during a developing crisis (the OODA loop applied to ship emergency, the bridge-team management plus engine-room management interface during multi-system failure, communication with the company’s emergency response team and the flag-State coast-guard), the integration of vessel survivability with passenger safety (damage control plus passenger evacuation plus search and rescue), lifeboat plus liferaft launching under operational stress, evacuation modelling (the IMO Maritime Safety Committee MSC.1/Circ.1238 evacuation analysis methodology), passenger-and-crew accountability during evacuation, the master’s interface with the SAR coordinator, post-evacuation crisis management (passenger triage, family-notification protocols, media interface), and the human-behaviour dynamics of crisis (panic, herding, defiance, helping behaviour, the bystander effect).

The simulator component is mandatory and uses immersive scenario-based training (typically with a multi-deck simulator covering the bridge, central control room, hotel-management office and a representative muster station) to expose the management-level officer to a developing crisis (fire on the vehicle deck of a ro-ro, propulsion failure in heavy weather with passenger seasickness escalating to medical emergency, evacuation following grounding, cyber-attack on passenger management systems with cascade failure of public-address). The certificate is valid for 5 years with revalidation by approved refresher or continuing service.

Reg V/2.4: Passenger Ship Safety Training

Reg V/2.4 sets the standard for passenger ship safety training for masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers and any other person designated on the muster list as having responsibility for passenger safety, integrated with the V/2.3 crisis management plus human behaviour competence. The V/2.4 competence is the full-scope passenger-ship safety training, often delivered as an extended package with V/2.2 plus V/2.3 in a 5-to-10-day programme.

Section A-V/2.4 covers life-saving appliances and arrangements (lifeboat capacity, liferaft launching, marine evacuation systems including chute and slide arrangements on cruise ships, life-jacket distribution, immersion-suit storage and donning, the launching of survival craft under adverse conditions), fire safety on passenger ships (the SOLAS Chapter II-2 fire-protection regime for passenger ships, fire-zone integrity, sprinkler-system operation, atrium-fire scenarios on cruise ships, vehicle-deck fire on ro-ros), the medical-care arrangement on passenger ships (the doctor-on-board requirement under SOLAS Chapter II-2, the medical-locker and pharmacy provision, communicable-disease management including outbreak protocols), passenger documentation under SOLAS Chapter III Reg 27 plus the passenger list verification, and the ship security officer interface under the ISPS Code on passenger ships.

The certificate is valid for 5 years with revalidation by approved refresher or continuing service.

Reg V/3: IGF Code training (added 2015, in force 2017)

Regulation V/3, added by IMO Resolution MSC.396(95) (adopted at the 95th session of the Maritime Safety Committee, June 2015) and entered into force on 1 January 2017, sets out the mandatory minimum training and qualification requirements for masters, officers, ratings and any other personnel on ships subject to the IGF Code, that is, ships using gas or other low-flashpoint fuels as propulsion or auxiliary fuel. The IGF Code applies to ships built or converted after 1 January 2017 that use natural gas, methanol, ethanol, hydrogen, ammonia or other low-flashpoint fuels (as defined by flash point below 60 degrees Celsius under the SOLAS Chapter II-2 fire-safety regime). Reg V/3 is the STCW counterpart to the construction-side IGF Code.

The STCW Code amendments corresponding to Reg V/3, setting out the mandatory Section A-V/3 competence tables and the recommended Section B-V/3 guidance, were adopted simultaneously at MSC 95 by Resolution MSC.397(95). The IMO HTW Sub-Committee carried out the detailed competence drafting prior to adoption, with the tabulated standards specifying knowledge, understanding, proficiency, methods of demonstrating competence, and criteria for evaluating competence across both the basic and advanced tiers.

The architecture is the standard two-tier basic plus advanced structure:

• V/3.1 Basic IGF Familiarization for officers and ratings serving on IGF-Code ships with safety, security or environmental-protection duties.
• V/3.2 Advanced IGF Training for masters, chief mates, chief engineers, second engineers and any officer or rating with immediate responsibility for the gas or low-flashpoint fuel system.

Reg V/3.1: Basic IGF Familiarization

Reg V/3.1 requires the candidate to have completed approved seagoing service of not less than 1 month on IGF-Code ships including familiarization under supervision (or an approved basic training course meeting Section A-V/3.1); and to demonstrate competence including: contribution to the safe operation of a ship subject to the IGF Code; precautions to prevent hazards on a ship subject to the IGF Code; application of occupational health and safety precautions and measures; carrying out fire-fighting operations on a ship subject to the IGF Code; responding to fuel-related emergencies on a ship subject to the IGF Code; and taking precautions to prevent pollution.

The training is typically 1 to 3 days, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 7.13 Basic Training for Ships using Fuels covered within the IGF Code. The course covers the IGF Code regulatory framework, the chemistry of LNG and LPG as the primary low-flashpoint marine fuels, the layout of an IGF Code-compliant fuel system (storage tanks plus piping plus bunkering manifold plus vaporiser plus engine-supply plus emergency shutdown), basic emergency response (gas-leak detection, ventilation control, isolation of fuel supply), and the basic fire-safety implications of a low-flashpoint fuel system. HTW proposals under review would add methanol, ammonia and hydrogen coverage to the basic course once adopted. The V/3.1 certificate has lifetime validity.

Reg V/3.2: Advanced IGF (5 days + simulator + LNG/methanol/ammonia)

Reg V/3.2 sets the advanced IGF training standard. The candidate must hold V/3.1, have completed at least 1 month of approved seagoing service on IGF-Code ships beyond the V/3.1 prerequisite (or an approved onboard programme), and demonstrate the competence of Section A-V/3.2 covering: ability to safely perform and monitor all operations related to the fuel; familiarity with the physical and chemical properties of fuels covered by the IGF Code; precautions to prevent hazards; occupational health and safety; fire-fighting operations; responding to emergencies; and pollution prevention.

The training is typically 5 days with substantial simulator content under Section B-I/12, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 7.14 Advanced Training for Ships using Fuels covered within the IGF Code. The course covers fuel-system management at management level including bunkering planning, ship-shore interface during bunkering (the SIGTTO LNG Bunker-ship STS Transfer Guide plus the developing methanol bunkering protocols), fuel-tank monitoring during voyage, engine-side fuel supply control, emergency shutdown sequencing and recovery. The in-force V/3.2 framework addresses LNG and LPG as the primary low-flashpoint marine fuels. HTW proposals under review would add fuel-specific modules for methanol, ammonia and hydrogen: methanol toxicity plus medical response; ammonia toxicity at extremely low concentrations (15 ppm protective threshold under the IBC Code reference) and the personal-protective-equipment regime; hydrogen flammability range plus diffusivity plus high-pressure fuel-storage regime. Those modules are not yet in force.

The certificate is valid for 5 years with revalidation by approved refresher or continuing service.

Reg V/4: Polar Code training (added 2015, in force 2018)

Regulation V/4, added by IMO Resolution MSC.416(97) (with the corresponding STCW Code competence tables added by MSC.417(97)), entered into force on 1 July 2018, sets out the mandatory minimum training and qualification requirements for masters and officers on ships operating in polar waters, defined by the Polar Code as Arctic waters north of the Arctic area boundary and Antarctic waters south of 60 degrees South. The Polar Code safety framework had entered into force on 1 January 2017 via Resolution MSC.385(94) (adopted at MSC 94 in November 2014); the STCW training obligations followed 18 months later, with mandatory basic polar training applying from 1 July 2018 and advanced polar training applying from 1 July 2020 for vessels already trading in polar waters before that date under a transitional provision in IMO Circular MSC-MEPC.7/Circ.21.

The Regulation responds to the operational reality that polar navigation imposes competence demands beyond Chapter II navigation training: ice classification of the hull (under the IACS Polar Class 1 to 7 unified rules plus the Finnish-Swedish Ice Class plus the Canadian Arctic Class), ice-pilotage techniques (besetment management, ice-belt navigation, ice-edge approach plus departure), low-air-temperature equipment performance (deck machinery, lifeboat-launching gear, breathing apparatus, anti-icing of survival craft), isolation from search-and-rescue resources (SAR-response times in the polar regions can exceed 5 days for the most remote operating areas), communication challenges in high latitudes (the Iridium plus Inmarsat coverage limit at high latitudes plus the limitations on terrestrial radio), and polar-survival techniques in the context of SOLAS Chapter XIV polar waters and the Antarctic special area and Polar Code MARPOL framework.

The architecture follows the two-tier basic plus advanced structure:

• V/4.1 Basic Polar Familiarization for masters, chief mates and officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships operating in polar waters.
• V/4.2 Advanced Polar Training for masters and chief mates on ships operating in polar waters during the periods of the year when the Polar Code applies fully.

Reg V/4.1: Basic Polar Familiarization

Reg V/4.1 requires the candidate to have completed approved seagoing service or training and demonstrate competence covering: contribution to the safe operation of ships operating in polar waters; monitoring and ensuring compliance with legislative requirements; application of safe working practices, response to emergencies; ensuring compliance with pollution-prevention requirements and prevention of environmental hazards; and use of the Polar Water Operational Manual.

The training is typically 1 to 3 days, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 7.11 Basic Training for Ships Operating in Polar Waters. The course covers the Polar Code regulatory framework (Parts I-A, I-B, II-A, II-B), the polar-waters geographical scope, the Polar Water Operational Manual structure, basic ice physics and ice nomenclature (the World Meteorological Organisation Sea Ice Nomenclature plus the egg-code reading), the principal polar hazards (ice loads on hull, low-temperature equipment failure, isolation from SAR), and basic emergency response (man-overboard in polar waters with cold-water-shock survival window of typically less than 5 minutes for unprotected personnel). The V/4.1 certificate has lifetime validity.

Reg V/4.2: Advanced Polar (5 days + simulator + ice navigation)

Reg V/4.2 sets the advanced polar training standard for masters and chief mates of ships operating in polar waters. The candidate must hold V/4.1, have completed at least 2 months of approved seagoing service in polar waters or other equivalent approved seagoing service performing the duties of a chief mate or master, and demonstrate the competence of Section A-V/4.2 covering ice navigation (planning of voyage in polar waters, manoeuvring in ice, voyage planning under the Polar Code, ice-routing service interpretation), low-air-temperature equipment operation, application of safe working practices including operations on icy decks plus working at heights in polar conditions, response to emergencies in polar waters, ice-induced hull stress monitoring and damage assessment, search-and-rescue under polar conditions including the integration with the Arctic Council SAR Agreement plus the Antarctic Treaty SAR cooperation framework, and survival in polar waters including the use of the Polar-rated survival suit, polar-rated lifeboat with extended endurance, and the Survival on Ice competence under the Antarctic operating regime.

The training is typically 5 days with substantial simulator content under Section B-I/12, equivalent to the IMO Model Course 7.12 Advanced Training for Ships Operating in Polar Waters. The simulator component covers ice-navigation scenarios (besetment, ice-edge transit, escorted convoy with icebreaker, ice-induced grounding, hull damage from ice load), polar-emergency scenarios (engine-room fire under low-temperature conditions, cargo-hold or accommodation fire with limited evacuation options, abandon-ship in pack ice with extended SAR delay), and the master’s command-and-control under the Polar Code Part I-A Chapter 11 manning plus training requirements. The certificate is valid for 5 years with revalidation by approved refresher or continuing polar service.

Reg V/5: DP ship training (proposed 2024)

Regulation V/5, under HTW review and not yet adopted, proposes to set the mandatory minimum training and qualification requirements for officers and ratings on ships fitted with dynamic-positioning (DP) systems. DP systems hold a vessel on a target position or track using continuous computer-controlled thrust adjustment based on position-reference inputs (DGPS, hydroacoustic positioning, taut-wire, laser range finder, fan-beam) and environmental-sensor inputs (wind sensors, gyro, motion-reference units). DP-capable vessels are widely operated in the offshore industry (drilling rigs, offshore-supply vessels, accommodation vessels, dive-support vessels, subsea-construction vessels, cable-lay vessels, pipe-lay vessels) and in cruise plus heavy-lift sectors, with operations at safety-critical proximity to other infrastructure (drilling rigs, platforms, FPSO units, offshore wind turbines, subsea pipelines).

Reg V/5 is expected to formalise the IMCA M 117 DP Operator Training and Certification scheme into Convention-level competence, with a tiered architecture: DP rating (basic familiarization), DP operator (operational level), and DP supervisor or DP master (management level). The IMCA framework, in widespread industry use since the 1990s, is the de facto international standard, and Reg V/5 will codify its core requirements (theoretical training, simulator training, sea-time on a DP-2 or DP-3 vessel, examination plus revalidation cycle of 5 years) into the STCW Convention. The Regulation is contingent on completion of the HTW work programme on DP training; no adoption resolution has been issued and no entry-into-force date has been confirmed.

Section A-V/1-1.1 oil/chem familiarization competences

Section A-V/1-1.1 of the STCW Code is the tabulated mandatory competence standard underlying the Reg V/1-1.1 oil and chemical tanker basic familiarization. The Section follows the four-column STCW Code architecture (competence, knowledge plus understanding plus proficiency, methods for demonstrating competence, criteria for evaluating competence), with the following six competences:

1. Contribute to the safe operation of an oil or chemical tanker: cargo properties (specific gravity, vapour pressure, flash point, flammability range, toxicity), hazard identification, ship-specific cargo-handling system layout, cargo records.
2. Take precautions to prevent hazards: hot-work safety, enclosed-space entry, electrostatic precautions during loading, lightning-strike risk, smoking and flame-source control.
3. Apply occupational health and safety precautions and measures: PPE for tanker operations including chemical-resistant gloves, full-face respirator and SCBA, tank-entry permit-to-work, atmospheric monitoring including the use of portable multi-gas detectors.
4. Carry out fire-fighting operations: tanker-specific fire scenarios, deck-foam plus tank-foam plus dry-chemical applicators, emergency shutdown sequencing, the master’s authority during fire emergency.
5. Respond to emergencies: cargo-leak isolation, vapour-cloud management, emergency-towing rig (ETR) deployment for damaged tankers, casualty drills, cargo-related medical emergencies including hydrogen sulphide exposure.
6. Take precautions to prevent pollution of the environment: MARPOL Annex I plus Annex II compliance, oil-record-book entries, cargo-record-book entries for chemicals, ship-shore safety checklist completion, segregated-ballast-water management.

Each competence is assessed through approved combination of examination plus demonstrated proficiency under supervised training plus onboard service, with criteria covering accuracy of operation, application of correct procedure, completion within applicable time limits, and demonstrated awareness of consequences of error.

Section A-V/1-2.2 gas advanced competences

Section A-V/1-2.2 is the tabulated mandatory competence standard underlying the Reg V/1-2.2 advanced liquefied gas tanker operations certificate. The seven competences are:

1. Ability to safely perform and monitor all cargo operations: planning of loading, voyage management plus boil-off control, unloading, ballast operations during cargo, tank atmosphere control (inerting, purging, gassing-up, cooling-down, warming-up, aerating), STS transfer.
2. Familiarity with the physical and chemical properties of liquefied gas cargo: cryogenic temperatures, vapour pressure curves, flammability range, asphyxiation risk, brittle-fracture risk to ship and personnel, combustibility plus explosivity plus toxicity matrix for LNG, LPG, ethylene, propane, butane, ammonia (under IGC Code), VCM, butadiene.
3. Take precautions to prevent hazards: cryogenic-spill management, gas-detection system operation, hot-work and enclosed-space management on gas tankers, cargo-pump-room ventilation regime.
4. Apply occupational health and safety precautions and measures: cryogenic-PPE including face shields plus thermal gloves, SCBA for gas-cargo work, the cargo-engineer plus cargo-operator team plan.
5. Carry out fire-fighting operations: gas-cargo fire scenarios, dry-chemical and water-curtain protection, tank-cover fire on pressurised carriers, emergency depressurisation plus emergency cargo-discharge.
6. Respond to emergencies: cargo-tank pressure excursion, containment-system breach, cargo-line cryogenic leak, gas-detection alarm cascade, abandon-ship under gas-cargo conditions.
7. Take precautions to prevent pollution of the environment: MARPOL Annex II plus Annex VI compliance, cargo-record-book entries, gas-emission control during loading and voyage, methane-slip control under MARPOL Annex VI Reg 14 plus Reg 18 framework on dual-fuel ships.

The competence is assessed through approved examination plus simulator-based assessment under Section B-I/12 plus onboard demonstration during the prerequisite seagoing service.

Section A-V/2 passenger ship competences

Section A-V/2 of the STCW Code is the tabulated mandatory competence standard underlying the Reg V/2 passenger-ship training tiers. The Section is sub-divided into the four sub-paragraphs corresponding to V/2.1 to V/2.4, with the principal competences:

• A-V/2.1 Familiarization: layout of the ship, location of life-saving and fire-fighting equipment, mustering-station arrangement, basic communication with passengers.
• A-V/2.2 Crowd Management: mustering of passengers, communication procedures under emergency, passenger-flow management at choke points, communication with mobility-impaired passengers, child plus elderly evacuation, the role of the muster list.
• A-V/2.3 Crisis Management plus Human Behaviour: command structure during a developing crisis, life-saving appliance operation under stress, evacuation modelling and execution, accountability during evacuation, post-evacuation management, the human-behaviour dynamics of crisis (panic, herding, defiance, helping behaviour, the bystander effect).
• A-V/2.4 Passenger Ship Safety Training: life-saving appliances, fire safety on passenger ships, medical care arrangement, passenger documentation plus list verification, security interface under ISPS.

The Section is supplemented by Section B-V/2 recommended guidance covering scenario design, simulator scope and assessment criteria for the management-level V/2.3 competence.

Section A-V/3 IGF Code competences

Section A-V/3 is the tabulated mandatory competence standard underlying Reg V/3 IGF Code training, adopted at MSC 95 by Resolution MSC.397(95). The Section is sub-divided:

• A-V/3.1 Basic IGF Familiarization: contribution to safe operation, precautions to prevent hazards, occupational health and safety, fire-fighting, emergency response, pollution prevention.
• A-V/3.2 Advanced IGF Training: ability to safely perform and monitor all fuel-related operations including bunkering, voyage fuel-system management, engine-side fuel supply control, emergency shutdown plus recovery, fuel-system inspection plus maintenance, with fuel-specific modules for LNG and LPG under the in-force 2015 framework; proposals under HTW review would add modules for methanol, ammonia and hydrogen if and when adopted.

The competence assessment requires examination plus simulator under Section B-I/12 plus onboard demonstration.

Section A-V/4 Polar Code competences

Section A-V/4 is the tabulated mandatory competence standard underlying Reg V/4 Polar Code training, adopted by Resolution MSC.417(97). The Section is sub-divided:

• A-V/4.1 Basic Polar Familiarization: contribution to safe operation, monitoring of compliance with legislative requirements, application of safe working practices, response to emergencies, prevention of environmental hazards, use of the Polar Water Operational Manual.
• A-V/4.2 Advanced Polar Training: ice navigation including planning, manoeuvring in ice, voyage planning under the Polar Code, low-air-temperature equipment operation, application of safe working practices on icy decks, response to polar emergencies including ice-induced hull damage, search-and-rescue under polar conditions, survival in polar waters.

The competence is assessed through approved examination plus simulator under Section B-I/12 plus polar sea service.

Simulator training under Section B-I/12

Section B-I/12 of the STCW Code provides the mandatory plus recommended framework for simulator-based training and assessment under the Convention. The Section sets the performance standards for STCW-approved simulators (radar, ARPA, ECDIS, GMDSS, engine-room, cargo-handling, ship-handling, plus the integrated bridge), the qualifications of simulator instructors and assessors, and the methodology for simulator-based competence demonstration. For Chapter V applications, Section B-I/12 specifically governs:

• Cargo-handling simulator for advanced oil tanker (V/1-1.2), advanced chemical tanker (V/1-1.3) and advanced gas tanker (V/1-2.2) under the IMO Model Course series.
• Ship-handling plus crisis-management simulator for crisis management plus human behaviour (V/2.3) on passenger ships.
• Fuel-handling plus engine-room simulator for advanced IGF (V/3.2) covering bunkering, fuel-supply management and emergency shutdown.
• Polar navigation simulator for advanced polar (V/4.2) covering ice navigation, ice-belt transit, besetment management, and polar emergency scenarios.

Simulator-based assessment is the principal route to demonstrate management-level competence for these high-hazard scenarios because onboard demonstration of catastrophic-failure scenarios (cargo-tank explosion, mass evacuation, ice-induced grounding) is impossible to engineer safely.

Certificate validity: 5 years advanced, lifetime basic

The Chapter V certificate-validity regime is one of the clearer examples of the STCW two-tier architecture: basic familiarization is a one-off lifetime competence (V/1-1.1, V/1-2.1, V/2.1, V/3.1, V/4.1), while advanced training is a 5-year revalidation competence (V/1-1.2, V/1-1.3, V/1-2.2, V/2.3, V/2.4, V/3.2, V/4.2).

The lifetime validity of basic familiarization rests on the principle that the foundational hazard knowledge of a tanker, gas tanker, passenger ship, IGF Code ship or polar-waters ship, once internalised, does not deteriorate to the point of requiring re-training. This contrasts with advanced training, where the operational competence is highly procedural, depends on continuing application, and degrades measurably without continuing service.

For advanced certificates, revalidation under Reg I/11 is achieved by:

• Approved seagoing service of typically not less than 3 months on the relevant ship type within the preceding 5 years; or
• Approved equivalent function (such as approved sea service in a relevant capacity equivalent to the certificate held); or
• Approved refresher training at an STCW-approved training centre, of typical duration 2 to 5 days depending on the certificate; or
• Approved combined service plus refresher for officers with intermittent service.

PSC inspection focuses on the expiry date of the advanced certificate and the continuing-service evidence in the Discharge Book or equivalent national record.

Major training providers: BMI, Maersk, V.Ships, BSM, Anglo-Eastern, MMD

Chapter V training is delivered globally through a combination of state-operated maritime academies, manufacturer-affiliated training centres and operator-affiliated training centres. Major providers include:

• British Maritime Institute (BMI) Plymouth, the United Kingdom’s principal STCW training centre, operating the full Chapter V suite plus the simulator-based components.
• Nautilus plus Maersk Training, the Maersk-group training arm operating in Svendborg (Denmark), Houston (United States), Newcastle (United Kingdom) and Singapore, with strong focus on advanced gas, advanced IGF and polar competence.
• V.Ships Training, the V.Group manning division’s training arm, with centres in Glasgow, Cyprus and Manila operating the full Chapter V suite for V.Group’s managed fleet plus third-party clients.
• BSM Crew Service Centre, the Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement training arm, operating in Hamburg, Limassol, Manila and Mumbai with the full Chapter V suite.
• Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy in Mumbai and Karjat, with the full Chapter V suite plus dedicated polar simulator and gas-cargo simulator.
• MMD (Mumbai Maritime Department, the Director General of Shipping recognised provider) plus the Indian Maritime University plus the TS Chanakya plus the MERI plus the AMET group of Indian academies, operating the full Chapter V suite for the Indian-flag fleet plus third-country flag fleets crewed from India.
• STC Group (Netherlands), WMU (Sweden), Kalmar Maritime Academy (Sweden), Aboa Mare (Finland) plus other European academies operating Chapter V suites with regional emphasis (Aboa Mare on polar, STC Group on chemical tanker plus IGF, Kalmar on passenger ferry).
• BMT plus Lloyd’s Maritime Academy plus Shell Marine plus BP Shipping plus Chevron Shipping in-company training units operating advanced tanker training with company-specific modules layered on the STCW baseline.

Each provider delivers against the IMO Model Course suite plus the flag-State approval of the relevant maritime administration, and certificates are mutually recognisable under the Reg I/10 framework.

Relationship to IGC Code (gas carrier construction)

The IGC Code (International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk, Resolution MSC.370(93)) sets the construction-side standard for gas-carrier hull, machinery, cargo containment and cargo-handling system design. The IGC Code applies to gas carriers built on or after 1 July 1986; older units operate under the GC Code or the EGC Code. The IGC Code is the construction counterpart to the Chapter V Reg V/1-2 training: a gas carrier is a ship designed to the IGC Code standard, and its officers serve under the V/1-2 competency standard.

The cross-link is operationally important. Chapter V Reg V/1-2.2 advanced training presupposes that the trainee will serve on an IGC Code ship; the simulator scenarios assume IGC Code containment systems (Type A prismatic, Type B Moss spherical or membrane prismatic, Type C pressurised); and the cargo-handling competence is keyed to IGC Code cargo classification (LNG, LPG, ethylene, propane, butane, refrigerants, ammonia, VCM). PSC inspection at gas-loading terminals routinely cross-checks the V/1-2.2 endorsement against the ship’s IGC Code Certificate of Fitness.

Relationship to IBC Code (chemical tanker construction)

The IBC Code (International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk, Resolution MEPC.19(22) plus MSC.4(48)) sets the construction-side standard for chemical-tanker hull, machinery, cargo containment, cargo materials and cargo-handling system design. The IBC Code applies to chemical tankers built on or after 1 July 1986; older units operate under the BCH Code. The IBC Code is the construction counterpart to Chapter V Reg V/1-1.3 training: a chemical tanker is a ship designed to the IBC Code standard, and its officers serve under the V/1-1.3 competency standard.

The IBC Code Chapter 17 cargo list (covering categories X, Y, Z and OS for the four pollution categories of MARPOL Annex II) is the principal cargo-knowledge framework for V/1-1.3, with each cargo category mapped to construction requirements (tank type, material compatibility, ventilation, cargo-system venting, deck-foam capacity). PSC inspection at chemical-loading terminals cross-checks the V/1-1.3 endorsement against the ship’s IBC Code Certificate of Fitness.

Relationship to IGF Code (gas as fuel)

The IGF Code (International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels, Resolution MSC.391(95)) sets the construction-side standard for ships using gas or other low-flashpoint fuels as fuel (not as cargo). The IGF Code applies to ships built on or after 1 January 2017 that use gas or low-flashpoint fuel; legacy LNG-fuelled vessels have grandfather provisions under flag-State acceptance. The IGF Code is the construction counterpart to Chapter V Reg V/3 training: an IGF-Code ship is a ship designed to the IGF Code standard, and its officers serve under the V/3 competency standard.

The Reg V/3 STCW training was added by Resolution MSC.396(95) at the same MSC 95 session (June 2015) that adopted the IGF Code via MSC.391(95), making the training and construction obligations parallel from day one. The in-force Reg V/3 training covers LNG and LPG as the primary low-flashpoint fuels; HTW proposals under review would add fuel-specific modules for methanol, ammonia and hydrogen but are not yet adopted. PSC inspection at IGF-Code bunker terminals cross-checks the V/3 endorsement against the ship’s IGF Code Statement of Compliance.

Relationship to ISM Code

The ISM Code (International Safety Management Code, Resolution A.741(18)) sets the safety-management-system standard for ships and operators. The ISM Code interfaces with Chapter V at the manning verification layer: every IGF-Code ship, every gas tanker, every chemical tanker, every oil tanker, every passenger ship and every polar-operating ship must list the relevant Chapter V endorsements in its safe manning document under SOLAS Reg V/14 plus IMO Resolution A.1047(27), and the operator’s safety management system (SMS) must include a procedure for verifying that signed-on officers and ratings hold the required endorsements. ISM internal audit, flag-State DOC verification and PSC inspection cross-check this layer routinely.

ISM Code also drives the ship-specific familiarization requirement on signing-on, which is distinct from the STCW-approved generic familiarization. A V/1-1.1 certificate-holder joining a specific oil tanker must complete the ship-specific familiarization (equipment locations, safety-system arrangement, cargo-handling specifics for the particular ship) under the ISM Code SMS, in addition to the STCW V/1-1.1 baseline.

Class society approval of training programmes

Class societies (DNV, Lloyd’s Register, ABS, BV, RINA, KR, ClassNK, CCS, plus the rest of IACS) operate in the Chapter V space in two distinct capacities: as flag-State Recognised Organisations under STCW Reg I/6 (delegating training-provider approval functions from the flag State to the class society), and as independent training providers (operating their own training centres for company-specific or fleet-specific modules layered on the STCW baseline). Flag-State delegation under Reg I/6 covers approval of training centres against Section A standards, audit of training-record-book completion, audit of simulator capability under Section B-I/12, and audit of refresher-training cycles under Reg I/11. The class society’s role is regulated under the IACS plus IMO framework and audited by the flag State plus by IMO under the IMSAS plus III Code regime.

DNV and LR additionally operate substantial in-house training centres focused on tanker, gas, IGF and polar competence, with substantial industry uptake by oil-major-affiliated and gas-major-affiliated operators (Shell, BP, Equinor, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Saudi Aramco, ADNOC, Petrobras, Pertamina, Sinopec, CNOOC, NIOC).

PSC inspection: training certificates onboard

Port State control under the Paris MoU, Tokyo MoU, Vina del Mar Agreement (Latin America), Caribbean MoU, Indian Ocean MoU, Mediterranean MoU, Black Sea MoU, Riyadh MoU, Abuja MoU and the United States Coast Guard QUALSHIP 21 plus Port State Control programme verifies Chapter V endorsements at every inspection of a ship type within Chapter V scope. The verification covers:

• The presence onboard, in original form, of the relevant flag-State endorsement for each officer in a Chapter V-relevant role.
• The validity of the endorsement (within the 5-year revalidation cycle for advanced certificates).
• The flag-State recognition of the issuing party where the certificate is issued by a third State (under Reg I/10).
• The match between the safe manning document and the actual signed-on complement.
• The presence of approved basic familiarization for ratings with safety duties on the relevant ship type.

Common deficiencies include: expired V/1-1.2 advanced oil tanker on a master signing on after a long shore-based gap; missing V/3 IGF endorsement on a chief engineer joining a methanol-fuelled vessel for the first time; missing V/4 advanced polar on a chief mate of an Arctic-trading vessel during the polar-applicable period of the year; mis-matched V/1-1.3 chemical tanker endorsement issued for oil tanker scope only on a chemical-cargo voyage; and forged or fraudulent endorsements (a recurring deficiency in some open-registry trades, addressed by stricter Reg I/10 verification at recognising-flag level).

PSC detention under the Paris MoU plus Tokyo MoU STCW deficiency code (10) is one of the principal grounds for ship detention worldwide, with annual reports from each MoU secretariat providing the principal evidence base on Chapter V compliance in practice.

Cybersecurity training: HTW proposals for Chapter V

The IMO HTW Sub-Committee has been developing proposals to add cybersecurity competence across all advanced Chapter V certificates (V/1-1.2, V/1-1.3, V/1-2.2, V/2.3, V/2.4, V/3.2, V/4.2). These proposals are not yet adopted. Under the draft framework the competence would be layered onto each certificate at the Section A level with a fixed module covering: identification of network-borne attack vectors against the cargo-control room, the bridge, the engine-control room, the integrated bridge plus DP, the IGF gas-supply control system, the polar-rated propulsion plus ice-radar systems, and the bunker-supply control systems; segregation of operational technology (OT) from information technology (IT) networks; cyber-incident response procedures including isolation of affected systems, fallback to manual operation, communication with the company’s cyber response team and the flag-State maritime cybersecurity authority; and the master’s command-and-control under cyber-incident conditions where multiple shipboard systems are simultaneously compromised.

The proposal would codify into mandatory STCW competence the cyber risk-management obligation that IMO Resolution MSC.428(98) placed on ship operators under the ISM Code from 1 January 2021. The in-force STCW amendments as of 2026 do not yet include Chapter V cybersecurity competence; the applicable cyber obligations for seafarers currently flow from the ISM Code SMS and from flag-State and company cyber policy, not from a Chapter V endorsement requirement.

Alternative-fuel familiarization: proposals under HTW review

The IMO HTW Sub-Committee is developing proposals to extend the Reg V/3 IGF advanced training to cover methanol, ammonia and hydrogen as marine fuels, in addition to the existing LNG and LPG scope of the in-force 2015 framework. These proposals have not been adopted and no entry-into-force date has been set. The HTW review responds to:

• Methanol as marine fuel: Maersk methanol-ready container series with first vessel delivered 2023, Stena methanol roll-on roll-off operating since 2015, A.P. Moller-Maersk methanol-fuelled fleet target of 100-plus vessels by 2030.
• Ammonia as marine fuel: Yara Birkeland ammonia-fuelled feeder under construction, NYK plus MOL ammonia-fuelled bulk-carrier projects with delivery from 2026 to 2028, Wilhelmsen ammonia bunker-vessel pilot.
• Hydrogen as marine fuel: short-sea plus inland hydrogen pilots in Norway (Norled), Germany (HHLA Hydrogen), Netherlands (Future Proof Shipping).

Each fuel is added as a fuel-specific module to the V/3.2 advanced training, with module duration of 1 to 3 days depending on the fuel complexity. Methanol training covers methanol toxicity (oral plus inhalation plus dermal), methanol-fire characteristics (invisible flame, requires alcohol-resistant foam), and methanol-bunkering protocols. Ammonia training covers ammonia toxicity at extremely low concentrations (15 ppm protective threshold under the IBC Code reference for cargo, applied to fuel use), the personal-protective-equipment regime including SCBA at all bunkering operations, ammonia-leak isolation, and the medical response to ammonia exposure. Hydrogen training covers hydrogen flammability range, diffusivity, high-pressure fuel-storage regime, and the hydrogen-embrittlement issue for piping and pressure vessels.

Autonomous + remote-control ship training: proposals under HTW review

The IMO HTW Sub-Committee is developing proposals that would add autonomous and remote-control ship training at familiarization and supervisory levels for officers serving on MASS Category 1 vessels (with periodic-unattended operation phases) and for shore-based remote operators of MASS Categories 2 and 3 vessels. These proposals are not yet adopted. Under the proposed framework the competence would be layered onto each advanced Chapter V certificate, addressing:

• Autonomous cargo operations on tankers (V/1-1.2, V/1-1.3, V/1-2.2): supervision of autonomous loading, voyage cargo monitoring, automated cargo-system isolation in response to cargo-tank pressure or temperature excursion.
• Autonomous bunkering under V/3.2: supervision of autonomous bunkering operations between IGF-Code ship and bunker vessel, automated emergency shutdown sequencing.
• Autonomous evacuation systems under V/2.3 plus V/2.4: supervision of autonomous mustering and evacuation systems, the master’s command-and-control under partial autonomy.
• Polar-operations autonomy under V/4.2: supervision of autonomous ice-detection and ice-routing, the master’s role in over-riding autonomous decisions in ice-belt navigation.

If adopted, the competence would be delivered as a 1-day plus module on top of existing advanced course duration, with a separate dedicated training pathway for shore-based remote operators outside the traditional STCW certificate-of-competency framework but linked through the same Section A standard.

Common certification errors and edge cases

Several recurring errors appear in Chapter V endorsement management across the global fleet, documented in the annual deficiency reports of the Paris and Tokyo MoUs.

Treating basic familiarization as a 5-year revalidation certificate. The basic V/1-1.1, V/1-2.1, V/2.1, V/3.1 and V/4.1 certificates have lifetime validity; only advanced certificates revalidate. PSC officers routinely encounter masters who believe their basic tanker familiarization has lapsed simply because 5 years have elapsed since issue, and who carry expired advanced certificates alongside current basic certificates, when the correct position is the reverse.

Confusing oil tanker advanced (V/1-1.2) with chemical tanker advanced (V/1-1.3). They are separate certificates. An officer serving on chemical tankers must hold V/1-1.3 even if V/1-1.2 is held; the two are not interchangeable. The shared V/1-1.1 basic familiarization creates the impression that the advanced certificates are variants of the same qualification, but the Section A-V/1-1.2 and Section A-V/1-1.3 competence tables are distinct, and chemical tanker operators are held to V/1-1.3 at PSC and at CDI and SIRE ship inspection.

Treating V/3 IGF as covering all alternative fuels under one certificate. The in-force V/3.2 advanced certificate covers LNG and LPG as low-flashpoint marine fuels. HTW proposals would add fuel-specific modules for methanol, ammonia and hydrogen, but those modules are not yet in the Convention. Pending adoption, ships using methanol as fuel operate under V/3.2 as the closest applicable STCW endorsement, and operators apply company-level familiarization on methanol-specific hazards on top of the Convention baseline. PSC officers inspect against the in-force standard.

Confusing IGC Code advanced gas tanker (V/1-2.2 cargo) with IGF Code advanced gas fuel (V/3.2 fuel). The two are distinct certificates covering distinct hazard profiles. A chief engineer joining an LNG carrier (gas as cargo) needs V/1-2.2; joining an LNG-fuelled container ship (gas as fuel) needs V/3.2; joining an LNG-fuelled LNG carrier (both, increasingly common on the Australia-Japan and Qatar-Europe trades) needs both. Mismatched certificates on this combined type have generated detentions at Rotterdam, Singapore and Brisbane since 2020.

Misinterpreting the Polar Code seasonality and the V/4 endorsement trigger. The Polar Code applies year-round for Antarctic waters but only during the seasonal polar-applicable period for Arctic routes. V/4 endorsement requirements track the actual polar operational period of the voyage. A vessel with seasonal Arctic service (summer Arctic, conventional winter trading) requires V/4.2 on the master and chief mate only during the polar-applicable period; outside that period the vessel operates under the standard Chapter II framework. PSC at Norwegian, Icelandic and Canadian ports checks the voyage plan against the calendar to determine whether V/4 is required for the specific voyage in progress.

Sea-service interruption beyond 5 years for advanced certificates. An advanced Chapter V certificate-holder with more than 5 years of gap in service on the relevant ship type must complete refresher training to revalidate; the certificate is not automatically void at the 5-year mark but cannot be exercised without revalidation. An officer who held V/1-2.2 and left gas tanker service in 2018 to work onshore, then wished to return to an LNG carrier bridge in 2024, cannot simply present the 2018-issued certificate. The certificate is still in date (issued 2018, valid to 2023) but expired, and the officer must complete refresher training at an approved training centre.

Certificate forgery and administrative fraud. Forged or fraudulently issued endorsements void the seafarer’s qualification. PSC detention and prosecution of the seafarer plus the issuing entity may follow; the most serious cases (flags under MSC scrutiny for systematic certificate fraud) result in the recognising flag refusing to endorse any further certificates from that issuing state until the IMO investigation is closed.

Reg I/10 mutual recognition gap. An officer holding a Chapter V certificate from a flag State whose STCW competence is under HTW Sub-Committee scrutiny (the post-Manila white-list mechanism) may face PSC complications at high-standard ports despite formal certificate validity. The Paris MoU annual reports identify specific flag States whose Chapter V endorsements attract targeted inspection.

The dispensation trap. Regulation I/10 paragraph 5 allows a flag State administration to issue, in exceptional circumstances, a dispensation allowing service without the full Chapter V endorsement on a named ship for a period not exceeding 6 months, subject to a competence-equivalence basis. Dispensations are not recognitions and apply only to the specific named vessel. A dispensation holder who joins a different ship with the same type still needs the full endorsement; PSC finds dispensation-holders in Chapter V roles on ships other than the named vessel several times each year in the MoU annual statistics.

Career progression and certificate accumulation

A seafarer’s Chapter V portfolio accumulates across a career in proportion to the ship types served. The typical progression for a deck officer on the tanker and gas-carrier sector reaches the following certificate portfolio by the time they serve as master of a large-tonnage LNG carrier:

1. V/1-1.1 Basic Tanker Familiarization: typically acquired before the first oil tanker or chemical tanker appointment, often during the OOW cadet year as part of a pre-service package. Duration: 5 days. Validity: lifetime.
2. V/1-2.1 Basic Gas Tanker Familiarization: typically acquired before the first LPG or LNG carrier appointment. Duration: 5 days. Validity: lifetime.
3. V/1-1.2 Advanced Oil Tanker Operations: typically acquired 12 to 24 months into oil tanker service, once the 3-month sea-service prerequisite is satisfied. Duration: 8 days plus simulator. Validity: 5 years.
4. V/1-2.2 Advanced Liquefied Gas Tanker Operations: typically acquired 12 to 18 months into gas tanker service, as the officer progresses from third officer to second officer or chief officer. Duration: 8 days plus simulator. Validity: 5 years.
5. V/3.1 Basic IGF Familiarization: acquired when the officer joins an IGF-Code ship (dual-fuel container ship, methanol-fuelled ferry, LNG-fuelled bulk carrier). Duration: 1 to 3 days. Validity: lifetime.
6. V/3.2 Advanced IGF Training: acquired for chief engineer or chief mate roles on IGF-Code ships. Duration: 5 days plus simulator. Validity: 5 years.
7. V/4.1 Basic Polar Familiarization: acquired when the officer joins a vessel trading in polar waters. Duration: 1 to 3 days. Validity: lifetime.
8. V/4.2 Advanced Polar Training: acquired for master or chief mate roles on polar-trading vessels. Requires 2 months of polar sea service prerequisite. Duration: 5 days plus simulator. Validity: 5 years.

By the time an officer reaches master of a large-tonnage LNG carrier operating seasonal Arctic routes (a trade profile now common on the Yamal-to-Europe and Yamal-to-Asia routes), total Chapter V classroom-plus-simulator training accumulated across the career is approximately 30 to 40 days, with the advanced V/1-2.2 and V/4.2 certificates both requiring active revalidation every 5 years. The V/3.2 is also required if the vessel uses gas as fuel (as the newest LNG carriers increasingly do, drawing on boil-off gas for propulsion).

This career accumulation model reflects the deliberate design of Chapter V as a layered system: each new ship type brings a new endorsement layer, and the overall portfolio depth of a senior officer on a complex vessel (LNG carrier using boil-off as propulsion, trading to polar waters) reflects the genuine hazard exposure of that service.

Limitations

Chapter V training standards describe minimum Convention requirements; flag States may impose additional competence thresholds above the Convention floor. The in-force Chapter V framework as of 2026 consists of the Manila 2010 Amendments (Reg V/1-1, V/1-2, V/2) and the 2015 amendments (Reg V/3 via MSC.396(95)/MSC.397(95), Reg V/4 via MSC.416(97)/MSC.417(97)). HTW proposals to add cybersecurity competence, alternative-fuel modules (methanol, ammonia, hydrogen) and autonomous-ship supervisory training to Chapter V are under active review but not adopted; no entry-into-force date for those proposals should be cited as confirmed. The V/3 and V/4 resolution references (MSC.396(95), MSC.397(95), MSC.416(97), MSC.417(97)) represent the best-available identification from public IMO documentation; practitioners should verify against the IMO Official Document System (IMODOCS) before citing in legal instruments. PSC deficiency statistics cited from MoU secretariats are annual aggregates and reflect the population of inspected vessels, not the full trading fleet. Training provider names and locations reflect commercial arrangements as of 2026 and are subject to change. Reg V/5 on DP training has not entered into force and its final text is subject to HTW revision before MSC adoption. The 5-year revalidation cycle applies unless the flag State has imposed a stricter cycle; the Convention sets the floor, not the ceiling.

See also

• STCW Convention parent article
• STCW Chapter II: Master + Deck Department Officers deck-side core chapter
• STCW Chapter III: Engine Department Officer + Rating competency engine-side core chapter
• IGC Code gas-carrier construction, V/1-2 trigger
• IBC Code chemical-tanker construction, V/1-1.3 trigger
• IGF Code gas-as-fuel ship safety, V/3 trigger
• Polar Code polar-waters operations, V/4 trigger
• SOLAS Chapter VII: Carriage of Dangerous Goods cargo regulatory framework
• SOLAS Chapter XIV: Polar Waters safety-side polar framework
• ISM Code safety management system, manning verification interface
• MARPOL Convention pollution-prevention competence interface
• MARPOL Annex VI Reg 13 NOx Tier NOx compliance interface for IGF dual-fuel
• MARPOL Annex VI Reg 14 sulphur cap sulphur-cap compliance interface for IGF dual-fuel
• MARPOL Annex VI Reg 18 bunker delivery note BDN documentation interface
• Antarctic Special Area and Polar Code MARPOL polar framework
• Voyage Data Recorder VDR casualty-evidence interface for Chapter V incident analysis
• Calculator catalogue

References

The principal source for STCW Chapter V is the IMO consolidated text of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, together with the STCW Code (Sections A and B), available from the IMO publishing service and the IMO Knowledge Centre. The 2010 Manila Amendments, adopted at the Diplomatic Conference of Parties held in Manila 21 to 25 June 2010, consolidated the previously fragmented oil plus chemical plus gas tanker Regulations into Reg V/1-1 (oil and chemical tanker, with Sections A-V/1-1.1, A-V/1-1.2 and A-V/1-1.3) and Reg V/1-2 (liquefied gas tanker, with Sections A-V/1-2.1 and A-V/1-2.2), and consolidated the four passenger-ship Regulations into a single Reg V/2 with sub-paragraphs V/2.1 to V/2.4; the Manila package entered into force 1 January 2012 with full effect from 1 January 2017. The 2015 STCW amendments added Reg V/3 (IGF Code training) via IMO Resolution MSC.396(95) and the corresponding STCW Code competence tables via Resolution MSC.397(95), both adopted at the 95th session of the Maritime Safety Committee in June 2015 in parallel with the IGF Code itself (Resolution MSC.391(95)), with Reg V/3 entering into force 1 January 2017. The polar training Regulation V/4 was added by IMO Resolution MSC.416(97) (STCW Convention amendments) and MSC.417(97) (STCW Code amendments), adopted at the 97th session of the Maritime Safety Committee in parallel with the Polar Code safety framework (Resolution MSC.385(94), adopted at MSC 94 in November 2014) and the Polar Code MARPOL amendments (Resolution MEPC.264(68), adopted at MEPC 68 in May 2015), with Reg V/4 entering into force 1 July 2018 and mandatory basic polar training applying from that date. Subsequent refinements adopted at MSC sessions through 2018 to 2024 address ECDIS plus simulator-based assessment plus operational integration of Chapter V with Chapters II and III. HTW Sub-Committee proposals covering cybersecurity, alternative-fuel familiarization for methanol plus ammonia plus hydrogen, and autonomous plus remote-control supervisory training are documented in reports of the HTW Sub-Committee to MSC; these proposals have not been adopted as of 2026 and no implementation date has been confirmed. The minimum safe-manning framework that operationalises Chapter V at the ship level is set out in IMO Assembly Resolution A.1047(27) (Principles of Minimum Safe Manning). The IMO Member State Audit Scheme governing party performance is established under Resolution A.1067(28) and operationalised through the III Code (Resolution A.1070(28)). Port-State control enforcement is operated through the Paris Memorandum of Understanding and the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding secretariats and the United States Coast Guard QUALSHIP 21 programme, with annual deficiency reports providing the principal evidence base on STCW Chapter V compliance in practice. The European Union’s implementation of STCW for EU flag States is set out in Directive 2022/993 (replacing Directive 2008/106/EC), incorporating the full Chapter V endorsement framework. Industry guidance on the practical implementation of Chapter V is published by SIGTTO (gas tanker plus IGF), OCIMF (oil and chemical tanker via ISGOTT plus the Tanker Safety Guide plus the SIRE programme), CDI (chemical-tanker inspection), IMCA (DP operations feeding the proposed Reg V/5), the Cruise Lines International Association CLIA (passenger ship best practice), and the IACS member societies (DNV, Lloyd’s Register, ABS plus the rest), each operating training centres and approval programmes that implement Section A standards in practice. The casualty record underpinning Chapter V evolution (Torrey Canyon 1967, Amoco Cadiz 1978, Marine Vapor 1962, Yuyo Maru No. 10 1974, Mostoles 1969, Herald of Free Enterprise 1987, Estonia 1994, Salem Express 1991, Princess of the Stars 2008, Sewol 2014, Costa Concordia 2012) is maintained in the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) Marine Casualties and Incidents module and in the casualty-investigation reports of the relevant flag-State maritime accident investigation authorities.

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