Bosun / Crane Operator: certificates and documents

Deck Department
Full article
Checked 1 October 2026

Department: Deck Department
Qualification document: No single international document

Jobs for this position

Contents6

1 What the job involves

A bosun/crane operator combines the duties of bosun and crane operator. The STCW Convention has no separate certificate for either. Requirements depend on the actual duties: a watch rating certificate for navigational watchkeeping on a ship of 500 GT or more, a certificate under Regulation II/5 for service as able seafarer deck, and Chapter VI certificates according to designated duties. The Code has no separate standard of competence for crane work: for support-level functions without tables of competence, the Administration determines the training, assessment and certification.^31,32

Deck work at the support level. For an able seafarer deck the Code covers mooring and anchoring operations, handling cargo and stores, the safe operation of deck machinery, rigging, bosun's chairs, pilot ladders and gangways, occupational safety when working aloft, over the side and in enclosed spaces, pollution prevention, and maintenance and repair: painting, lubrication, surface preparation.³³

Cranes and cargo gear. For an able seafarer deck the Code covers the function and use of cranes, booms and hoists, the ability to use and understand basic signals for operating winches, windlasses, cranes and hoists, and the use and handling of cranes, derricks and winches. The Code has no separate standard of competence for crane operators.³⁴

Survival craft and rescue boats. Seafarers designated to operate survival craft and rescue boats hold a certificate of proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats. A candidate must be at least 18, with 12 months of approved sea service, or an approved course and 6 months of sea service. Fast rescue boats require a separate course and certificate.^35,36

Safety on board. Before being assigned shipboard duties, everyone working on board receives safety familiarization: alarm signals, muster and embarkation stations, escape routes, lifejackets, action on fire and man overboard. Seafarers with designated safety or pollution-prevention duties complete basic training before starting work: personal survival techniques, fire prevention and fire fighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and social responsibilities. On a ship required to comply with the ISPS Code, everyone also receives security-related familiarization before being assigned shipboard duties, and crew members without designated security duties complete security-awareness training.^37–40

How work is usually shared (practice, not a rule)

A bosun/crane operator usually works on ships with their own cargo cranes: leads the deck crew on the chief mate's instructions and operates the crane during cargo work. Employers often ask for a crane operator qualification and experience on cranes of the same type.

2 Qualification

There is no single international qualification document for this position: the flag State and the employer set the qualification. The documents below depend on the ship and the duties.¹

3 Documents and training

The set of documents depends on the ship, the flag and your duties. Each document shows when it is needed: if the condition does not apply to your ship, you may not need it. The final list for a voyage is set by the employer and the flag State. This covers ships to which the STCW Convention and MLC 2006 apply.

Everyone on board

Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate^2,3I/9
Basic Safety Training^4–6VI/1
Assigned safety or pollution-prevention duties
Shipboard Safety Familiarisation⁷A-VI/1.1
Security Awareness Training^8,9VI/6
The ISPS Code applies to the ship; crew member without designated security duties

Depending on ship type and area

Basic Training – Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations^10–12V/1-1
Oil tanker or chemical tanker; assigned duties related to cargo or cargo equipment
Basic Training – Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations^11–13V/1-2
Liquefied gas tanker; assigned duties related to cargo or cargo equipment
Basic Training for Service on Ships Subject to the IGF Code^14–16V/3
The ship is subject to the IGF Code; assigned safety duties related to fuel

Depending on assigned duties

Passenger Ship Crowd Management Training^17–19V/2.7
Passenger ship; assigned to assist passengers in emergencies
Advanced Fire Fighting^20,21VI/3
Designated to control fire-fighting operations
Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Other Than Fast Rescue Boats^22,23VI/2
Assigned to survival craft or rescue boats
Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats^22,24VI/2
Assigned to a fast rescue boat

If the employer requires

set by the employer or industry, not by the conventions

Offshore travel and emergency training²⁵
Work on or travel to an offshore installation, as the employer requires
Employer-specified English language test^26–28
The employer requires an English test
Crane qualification for the specified equipment and operations^29,30
The employer requires a crane qualification

4 Career path

The sea service below is the STCW minimum: the regulations it comes from are titled "mandatory minimum requirements", and the Code sets out minimum standards that every issuing Party must maintain.^41,42

Step	Document	Condition
Watchkeeping Seaman	Certificate of Proficiency – Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch	At least 16 years old; approved sea service including at least 6 months of training and experience, or special training ashore or on board including at least 2 months of approved sea service; the service is linked to navigational watchkeeping under the direct supervision of the master, the officer of the watch or a qualified rating.⁴³ MoreLess
Able Seafarer Deck	Certificate of Proficiency – Able Seafarer Deck	At least 18 years old; a watch rating certificate; then approved sea service in the deck department of at least 18 months, or at least 12 months plus approved training; the competence standard of Table A-II/5, including survival craft and rescue boats, assessed on approved training and experience under Section A-VI/2, paras 1–4.^44,45 MoreLess
Bosun / Crane Operator		The STCW Convention sets no separate certificate: where the Code has no tables of competence for certain functions at the support level, the Administration determines the training, assessment and certification for them.³² MoreLess

5 Validity and revalidation

STCW does not require ratings' certificates to be revalidated: revalidation under Regulation I/11 applies to masters, officers and radio operators, and Table B-I/2 of the Code shows no revalidation for ratings. If your certificate shows an expiry date, go by that date.^46,47

A medical certificate is valid for no more than two years, or one year under the age of 18. Evidence of maintained competence in basic training (personal survival, fire fighting) and, if you hold them, in survival craft and rescue boats and advanced fire fighting is required every five years.^48–50

6 Frequently asked questions

Does a bosun/crane operator need a separate crane certificate?

The STCW Convention sets no such certificate: knowledge of cranes, derricks and signals is part of the able seafarer deck standard. Where the Code has no tables of competence for certain functions at the support level, the Administration determines the training, assessment and certification; under MLC 2006 a seafarer must be trained or certified as competent or otherwise qualified for the duties. Check with the employer which crane qualification will be accepted.^51,52

How much sea time do I need for an able seafarer deck certificate?

After you qualify as a watch rating: at least 18 months of approved sea service in the deck department, or at least 12 months plus approved training.⁵³

Does a bosun need a survival craft certificate?

Yes, if designated to operate a survival craft or rescue boat. The certificate requires a minimum age of 18 and 12 months of approved sea service, or an approved course and 6 months of sea service; maintained competence is proved every five years.^35,54,55

What certificates does a Bosun / Crane Operator need?

There is no single international qualification document for this position. Everyone on board: Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate; Basic Safety Training; Security Awareness Training. 10 more documents depend on the equipment, the ship type and the duties. When each one is required and how long it is valid is shown in the table and under Documents and training.¹

Document	When required	Validity	Rule
Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate	Always	By the certificate, at most 2 years	I/9
Basic Safety Training	Assigned safety or pollution-prevention duties	As issued; competence shown every 5 years	VI/1
Security Awareness Training	The ISPS Code applies to the ship; crew member without designated security duties	As shown on the issued document	VI/6
Basic Training – Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations	Oil tanker or chemical tanker; assigned duties related to cargo or cargo equipment	As issued; competence shown every 5 years	V/1-1
Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Other Than Fast Rescue Boats	Assigned to survival craft or rescue boats	As issued; competence shown every 5 years	VI/2
Advanced Fire Fighting	Designated to control fire-fighting operations	As issued; competence shown every 5 years	VI/3