What is this course?

Course Overview

Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB) is an STCW mandatory certificate under Regulation VI/2-1 and Section A-VI/2-1 of the STCW Code. It is required for any seafarer who is designated to take charge of a survival craft or rescue boat during an emergency. On most commercial and superyacht vessels this means all deck officers and senior ratings who appear on the muster list as a lifeboat or rescue boat commander.

The course typically runs over five days and combines classroom instruction with substantial practical training in a swimming pool and on open water. Candidates operate actual davit-launched or free-fall lifeboats, handle rescue boats at sea, and practise survivor recovery and post-abandonment survival procedures. UK providers must hold MCA approval and the resulting certificate is recognised internationally by IMO flag states.

PSCRB sits above the basic Proficiency in Survival Craft (PSC) element covered during STCW Basic Safety Training. Where BST introduces the fundamentals, PSCRB qualifies the holder to take command at the embarkation station and in the water. Without it, a seafarer cannot legally be placed in charge of a lifeboat or rescue boat on a vessel subject to STCW.

Prerequisites

Valid STCW Basic Safety Training (BST) certificate covering all four elements: personal survival techniques, fire prevention and fire fighting, elementary first aid, and personal safety and social responsibilities
Seafarers should be physically capable of participating in pool and on-water practical exercises
No minimum sea service required to attend the course, though sea service is relevant at revalidation

What You Will Learn

Launching and recovery of lifeboat and rescue boat systems including davit-launched, free-fall, and hydrostatic release arrangements
Operation of all survival craft equipment including EPIRB, SART, flares, and communication devices
Use of pyrotechnic and non-pyrotechnic distress signals
Management of survivors in the water and on board survival craft, including first aid priorities after abandonment
Handling a rescue boat in adverse conditions and recovering persons from the water
Maintenance and inspection routines for survival craft and associated equipment
Hypothermia prevention, sea sickness, and psychological management of survivors

Where it takes you

Career Progression

PSCRB is a required element of the STCW certification package for any seafarer aiming for an officer of the watch certificate or above. It is also a standing requirement for senior ratings designated to take charge of survival craft on commercial yachts, superyachts, and merchant vessels. Completing it early in your career keeps your muster-list role unrestricted.

Before

STCW Basic Safety Training (BST)

Completion of all four BST elements is the formal prerequisite. Most candidates attend PSCRB shortly after completing their BST package or during their first officer of the watch programme.

This course

PSCRB

Five days of classroom, pool, and on-water training qualifying you to be placed in command of a survival craft or rescue boat. The certificate is valid for five years and recognised globally under STCW.

Next step

OOW Yacht or OOW 500 GT

PSCRB feeds directly into Officer of the Watch applications. With sea service accumulated, candidates apply for their first command certificate and take on watchkeeping responsibilities at the officer level.

Roles this qualification opens up: Deck Officer of the Watch (sail and motor yachts), Chief Officer on vessels up to 500 GT, Senior Bosun or Petty Officer on commercial vessels where a designated survival craft commander is required by the vessel's muster list, and Superyacht Mate positions where PSCRB appears as a flag state requirement in the vessel's safe manning certificate.

Course at a glance

Key Facts

Duration

5 days

STCW Regulation

VI/2-1

STCW Code Section

A-VI/2-1

Certificate Validity

5 years

Typical UK Cost

£700 – £1,000

Approval Body (UK)

MCA

Delivery Format

Classroom + Pool + On-water

Prerequisite

STCW BST

Revalidation: The PSCRB certificate must be revalidated before its five-year expiry date. Revalidation is typically achieved by completing an approved PSCRB refresher course, which is shorter than the original course. Candidates who have accumulated the required sea service during the certificate period and can provide documentary evidence may have a reduced refresher requirement. Revalidation requirements are set by the issuing flag state administration; UK certificates are governed by MCA guidance. Always check current requirements with your flag state or a recognised MCA-approved training provider well in advance of expiry.

Where to study