REQUIREMENTS · ENGINEERING · SENIOR
What a Chief engineer needs on paper (2026)
Head of the engineering department, on the tonnage and power band the certificate names. Plus the basics.
TABLE COMPILED 19.08.2026
MUST HAVE
- Small Vessel Chief Engineer CoC, STCW III/3 (less than 500GT and 3000kW) or STCW III/2 (less than 3000GT and 9000kW)CoC
- VALID
- 5 years. Revalidation under MSN 1861 Amendment 1 needs 12 months sea service in the preceding 5 years or an accepted alternative occupation.
- UNLOCKS
- Running the engine room as head of department, on the tonnage and power band the certificate names.
SOURCE assets.publishing.service.gov.uk 19.08.2026
- Approved Engine Course 1 (AEC1)course
- VALID
- No expiry.
- UNLOCKS
- The engine room. It is described as the base minimum for superyacht engineers and it is where the engineering ladder starts.
SOURCE bluewateryachting.com 19.08.2026
- Approved Engine Course 2 (AEC2)course
- VALID
- No expiry.
- UNLOCKS
- The step from engine room hand to a candidate for the officer of the watch engineering ticket.
SOURCE bluewateryachting.com 19.08.2026
- Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB)CoP
- VALID
- 5 years.
- UNLOCKS
- Taking charge of a survival craft or rescue boat. Required from Chief Mate upward on deck and for engineer officers.
SOURCE stcwcoursefinder.com 19.08.2026
- HELM Management (Human Element, Leadership and Management)course
- VALID
- No fixed revalidation stated.
- UNLOCKS
- Holding a management level certificate, meaning chief officer and master on deck, and both chief engineer tickets.
SOURCE gov.uk 19.08.2026
- High Voltage (Management)courseCONDITIONAL
- VALID
- No revalidation stated.
- UNLOCKS
- Chief engineer or senior electro technical work on a high voltage vessel.
SOURCE assets.publishing.service.gov.uk 19.08.2026
- CoC revalidation submission (form MSF 4201)admin
- VALID
- Every 5 years. Needs 12 months sea service in the preceding 5 years, or an accepted alternative occupation from the MSN 1861 annex, plus current PST, FPFF, PSCRB and Advanced Fire Fighting evidence.
- UNLOCKS
- Keeping the certificate alive. A submission made within 6 months of expiry revalidates to the fifth anniversary of the old expiry date, while a late submission starts a fresh 5 year term from the revalidation date, so filing late quietly costs months.
SOURCE assets.publishing.service.gov.uk 19.08.2026
EXPECTED
Nothing at this rank beyond the basics.
NICE TO HAVE
Nothing at this rank beyond the basics.
Basics for everyone
The same list on every rank page, because every rank carries it.
MUST HAVE
- STCW Basic Safety Training (PST, FPFF, EFA, PSSR)CoP
- VALID
- PST and FPFF revalidate every 5 years. Treat EFA and PSSR as the same 5 year cycle.
- UNLOCKS
- Any paid job on a commercial or private yacht. No captain signs anyone on without it.
SOURCE certvaultapp.com 19.08.2026
- Security Awareness (STCW A-VI/6) or Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)CoP
- VALID
- MCA guidance states no mandatory expiry for Security Awareness. Many schools sell PDSD on a 5 year cycle. Treat as 5 years.
- UNLOCKS
- Serving on an ISPS Code vessel, and holding an actual security duty under the ship security plan.
SOURCE certifiedtraining.co.za 19.08.2026
- ENG1 seafarer medical certificate, or a flag accepted equivalentmedical
- VALID
- 2 years maximum for adults. 1 year for ages 16 to 18. Can be issued for a shorter period.
- UNLOCKS
- Being fit to join. It is the MLC Regulation 1.2 medical every seafarer must hold before starting work, and it gates every MCA certificate of competency.
SOURCE ukshipregister.co.uk 19.08.2026
- Passportidentity
- VALID
- Commonly 5 or 10 years by issuing state. Many countries require 6 months validity remaining at entry, plus 1 to 2 blank pages.
- UNLOCKS
- Crossing every border the boat crosses, and every flight taken to join or leave a boat.
SOURCE cbp.gov 19.08.2026
- US B1/B2 visatravelCONDITIONAL
- VALID
- Stamp valid up to 10 years depending on reciprocity. Each stay is capped by the I-94, typically 6 months.
- UNLOCKS
- Entering US waters aboard the yacht, and flying in to join a boat in the United States.
SOURCE dockwalk.com 19.08.2026
- Seaman's discharge book or approved service record bookadmin
- VALID
- No expiry. Entries are added per voyage.
- UNLOCKS
- A verifiable sign on and sign off record, which is the evidence every certificate of competency application is built on, and the document Spanish port immigration now stamps.
SOURCE evolutionagents.com 19.08.2026
- MLC Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA)admin
- VALID
- Runs for the length of the contract stated in it. No separate renewal.
- UNLOCKS
- Legal employment on board. Port State Control checks for a valid SEA on every seafarer and a missing one is a named common deficiency.
SOURCE edumaritime.net 19.08.2026
- Sea service testimonials and Training Record Book (TRB)adminCONDITIONAL
- VALID
- Testimonials must cover the last 12 months of service. The TRB is filled in over roughly 1 to 3 years and presented at the oral exam.
- UNLOCKS
- Progression to any certificate of competency. Without it the sea time does not count.
SOURCE gov.uk 19.08.2026
- Yellow fever vaccination certificatemedicalCONDITIONAL
- VALID
- Valid for the life of the person vaccinated, since the WHO amendment to International Health Regulations Annex 7 on 11 July 2016. No booster required.
- UNLOCKS
- Going ashore in countries that require proof of vaccination for arrivals from at risk countries, among them Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
SOURCE who.int 19.08.2026
- Flag state endorsement of a certificate of competencyendorsementCONDITIONAL
- VALID
- Tied to the underlying CoC. Malta endorsements revalidate on the same 5 year cycle as the CoC. Marshall Islands certificates issued by examination are valid 5 years and a temporary Certificate of Receipt of Application is valid 90 days. Cayman validity is unverified beyond tracking the CoC.
- UNLOCKS
- Serving on that flag's vessels in that rank. It is a separate document from the CoC and the CoC alone is not enough.
SOURCE cishipping.com 19.08.2026
EXPECTED
- Schengen Seaman Short Stay (Type C) visatravelCONDITIONAL
- VALID
- 1 to 5 years depending on contract and prior Schengen visa history. Entries capped at 90 days in any rolling 180 day period.
- UNLOCKS
- Personal travel and time ashore in the Schengen area for crew who are not Schengen nationals.
SOURCE smartmovecrew.com 19.08.2026
- References from previous captains or heads of departmentadmin
- VALID
- No expiry, but agencies weigh recency more heavily than count.
- UNLOCKS
- Getting past the agency shortlist. It is not a legal requirement anywhere.
SOURCE dockwalk.com 19.08.2026
YOUR GAP LIST
Tick what you already hold. The list below updates as you go.
Mandatory and expected rows only. Nice to have rows are on the list above.
The ticks stay in this browser. Nothing is sent anywhere and no account is needed.
Every document shows its expiry date. Pro accounts get an email before anything runs out.
QUESTIONS
Does ENG1 seafarer medical certificate, or a flag accepted equivalent expire?
2 years maximum for adults. 1 year for ages 16 to 18. Can be issued for a shorter period.
Does Sea service testimonials and Training Record Book (TRB) expire?
Testimonials must cover the last 12 months of service. The TRB is filled in over roughly 1 to 3 years and presented at the oral exam.
What catches engineering crew out?
The Y1 to Y4 yacht engineer route closed to new entrants on 31 December 2022, and new engineers now go through the Small Vessel structure in MSN 1904. Many yachts run an electrical specialist under the ETO job title without the formal certificate, which is allowed when no ETO is listed on the Safe Manning Document. High voltage training only bites when the vessel generates or distributes over 1000 volts, so it is a vessel fact rather than a rank requirement.