There are many courses and subjects that a mariner needs to know in order to make it big in their career. We will now discuss about one such course and it is called the advanced STCW. STCW stands for standards of training certification and watch keeping. As the name itself suggest these courses are needed to understand the vital essentials of watch keeping.

This is something that every mariner will need when in the high sea and the course is highly recommended. There is a basic and an advanced STCW course. We will now discuss about the advanced STCW course.

As we have discussed before the basic STCW course is a mandatory one. It has to be taken by one and all mariner. As and when the licence needs to be renewed this course is taken again and again just to ensure that the mariner is fully aware of the updated STCW 95 code. This is recognized by the other countries too where as a license is valid only in your country.

Well this is all about the basic STCW course. However, the advanced STCW is not a mandatory course for every mariner. It is a specialized course and is taken by only those who are interested and want to enhance their knowledge about the same course. Now that you know a little bit about STCW 95 and about the advanced STCW we will move on to more details about advanced STCW courses.

The STCW was first drafted in the year 1978. It was later amended in the year 1995 by the IMO (international maritime organization) this was made to make the code more stringent. The mariners post this had to do the gap closing training to understand the difference between these two codes.

The first query that you will have is about the eligibility that you must have to do advanced STCW courses. The foremost requirement is that you must have a valid mariner’s licence. You must have completed the basic STCW course before you enrol for this advanced course.

Before you take this course you must have completed at least six months as a mariner in the sea. The training is physically challenging and demanding. This is exactly why one is required to present a valid medical report before they enrol for this course.

It is not that the two courses are hugely different. The codes that both the courses of STCW basic and advanced follow are the same. It is just that the STCW code is dividing into two major parts. The first part is called the part A and the second part is called part B. The IMO considers the first part as compulsory this is exactly why it becomes the basic STCW course.

The part B of the STCW code is nothing but the second half. This part is recommended. It is an advanced set of codes that are related to safety. It is not essential to know but knowing this can only improve your knowledge about the safety standards that needs to be maintained in the sea. A detailed study of this recommended section is called as advanced course in STCW. This helps the administration to update the codes better and also to ensure that the course is updated accordingly.

As we know that STCW has a list of things that needs to be done in the sea. A list of things that the mariners must know in order to survive in the sea is included in the basic STCW course. These are short term courses that are taken up by the mariners in their respective countries. These too consist of the same subjects like those in the basic STCW.

This is mainly given to those mariners who are assigned to fire fight when in the high sea. They are given a great deal of knowledge about how to fire fight and save lives. How to control fire and ensure that the damages caused by a fire are bare minimum is a part of this training. This course will give an advanced knowledge about how to survive in the sea and ensure that you save as many lives as possible. This will no doubt give you and your career an edge over others. There is a fee that is charged for these courses.

The course duration is longer that the basic STCW. The mariners are taken through practical sessions as well as theory. After the course is over one has to appear for an assessment to understand their knowledge and capability. The certification is a difficult one and cannot be as easily attained as the basic STCW off course. The training authority has to be completely sure that the mariner has understood the requirement well and will be able to now fight any fire no matter what the intensity is.

As far as the application is considered you can check online about different institutes in your country that provide these courses. You can directly contact them online and apply with the documents that have already been listed. If the institute likes your application and finds you eligible they will send you an admission card. You need to pay an admission fees. That is not very high and varies from institute to institute and the duration of the course. Once your fees are received you will be enrolled for the course. You might have to stay in the institute and get the training as these trainings are exhaustive.

So I hope now you understand well that what exactly advanced STCW is and how it can help you to take your career as a mariner to the next level. Knowledge in any field is a vital resource for success. However, the more knowledge you acquire the more will you realise that how powerful knowledge actually is. Hope you will make good utilization of the suggestions that we have given about advanced STCW courses and will make the best of the opportunity.

All the best !!!