The three maritime medical requirements every professional seafarer must hold — ENG1 fitness certificate, STCW Medical First Aid, and STCW Medical Care on Board Ship.
This listing covers three distinct but related medical requirements that professional seafarers accumulate as their careers progress. The ENG1 Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate is not a training course — it is a statutory medical examination conducted by an MCA-approved doctor to confirm you are physically and mentally fit to work at sea. Governed by the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 and the UK Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Regulations, the ENG1 is the entry point: you must hold a valid ENG1 before any MCA Certificate of Competency (CoC) can be issued, and it must be renewed throughout your career.
The Proficiency in Medical First Aid (MFA) — STCW Regulation VI/4, Code Section A-VI/4-1 — is a mandatory four-day practical training course for seafarers designated to provide first medical response on board vessels where no doctor is present. It is required for Officer of the Watch (OOW) level and above across all commercially operated vessels, including superyachts, and is the direct prerequisite for the Medical Care certificate. The course is firmly maritime in scope: resuscitation, fracture and spinal management, burns, medical emergencies at sea, use of the onboard medical kit, and radio communication with shore-based medical services.
The Proficiency in Medical Care on Board Ship — STCW Regulation VI/4, Code Section A-VI/4-2 — is the advanced five-day certificate required of Masters, Chief Mates, and senior officers who will be designated as the Person in Charge of Medical Care on vessels without a ship's doctor. It builds on MFA to cover extended care planning, medication administration (IM, SC, IV), wound suturing, dental and obstetric emergencies, pharmacology basics, and co-ordination with telemedical assistance services such as CIRM. It is mandatory for all candidates seeking Master or Chief Mate CoC under STCW Regulation II/2.
All three medical certificates run in parallel with the main MCA qualification ladder. The ENG1 must be valid at every stage — it is a condition of holding any CoC. MFA is typically obtained alongside or just after BST, making it part of the standard crew package for any officer-aspirant. Medical Care follows when progressing towards Chief Mate or Master certification, and is expected of any senior officer serving as the designated medical person on board a superyacht or commercial vessel operating without a ship's doctor. Together, these certificates demonstrate to flag states, port state control, and employers that the vessel's medical chain of command meets MLC and STCW obligations.
ENG1 — Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate
MFA — Proficiency in Medical First Aid (STCW A-VI/4-1)
Medical Care — Proficiency in Medical Care on Board Ship (STCW A-VI/4-2)
Renewal: The ENG1 renews by repeat examination every two years (book up to 40 days before expiry to allow time for any supplementary tests). MFA does not carry a formal certificate expiry date under the STCW code, but MCA requires evidence of continued proficiency every five years for CoC revalidation — typically a full retake or a two-day refresher. Medical Care (A-VI/4-2) expires after five years; renewal is either the full five-day course or a three-day Medical Care on Board Ship Update (MCOBU) course at an approved provider.
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