STCW Basic Safety Training Course (BSTC)

Our STCW Basic Safety Training Course (BSTC) is a mandatory course for anyone who wants to work on a commercial vessel over 24 meters in length.

Covering a wide range of elements, the course will equip students with the skills and knowledge to work effectively and safely at sea. Combining theoretical studies with practical examples, students will learn how to handle various emergencies on the water from personal survival techniques through to fire fighting and first aid.

Category: STCW Basic Safety Courses

Course content

This course includes 5 components:

STCW Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR)

4 hoursClassroom
The STCW Personal Safety and Social Responsibility course (PSSR) forms part of the STCW Basic Safety Training Course and is mandatory for anyone wishing to work on a commerical vessel over 24 metres. Completely classroom-based, students can expect basic induction training in safety procedures and accident prevention as well as familiarisation with both the employment conditions and working environment at sea. Students will be assessed through direct observation, written and oral questioning as well as simulated scenarios before a short exam at the end of the course.
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STCW Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA)

4 hoursClassroom
The STCW Proficiency in Security Awareness course (PSA) is mandatory for anyone wishing to work on board a vessel without any designated security duties. The course itself forms part of the STCW Basic Safety Training and has been designed to provide basic security awareness, including the importance of ship security and recognising potential threats.
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STCW Personal Survival Techniques (PST)

1 dayClassroom & Practical
The STCW Personal Survival Techniques course (PST) equips students with the techniques needed to protect themselves, and survive during emergency situations at sea and is mandatory for anyone wishing to work on a commercial vessel over 24 metres. Covering everything from potential causes of distress through to how to safely abandon ship, this PST course is a combination of classroom based and practical training. Students will need to be water-confident as they will spend their practical session in the water, learning how to correctly wear life-jackets, safely abandon ship, use a survival suit and inflatable raft, all in a swimming pool.
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STCW Elementary First Aid (EFA)

1 dayClassroom
Part of the minimum basic safety training for seafarers, the STCW Elementary First Aid course (EFA) teaches students how to correctly and safely respond to medical emergencies and accidents on board a vessel. Run over one-day, the course teaches a range of basic first aid and life-saving skills in both theoretical and practical hands-on sessions. With assessments carried out during the day, this course meets the minimum requirement for familiarisation and basic safety training for seafarers who, on completion, will receive a certification which is valid for 5 years.

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STCW Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF)

2 daysPractical
The STCW Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting course (FPFF) is mandatory for any seafarers who will be given safety duties, it also forms part of the STCW Basic Safety Training course which is compulsory for anyone wanting to work on a commercial vessel over 24 metres. Run over 2 days, this FPFF course outlines how to minimise the risk of fire, the causes of fires and how to correctly extinguish them. Combining theoretical and practical training, students will use fire fighting equipment and breathing apparatus in our state-of-the-art, purpose-built fire fighting training facility. This unique setting enables students to face realistic scenarios during their training, practising the extinguishing of various types and sizes of fires.
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What our customers say

Completed the STCW 5-day course last week - excellent facilities, staff, and trainers. A first-class operation.

Liam - STCW Basic Safety Training Course, May 2026

Fantastic training week! The courses were packed with valuable information and practical activities, all really well delivered.

Sophie, STCW Basic Safety Training Course - November 2025