CoC vs CoP: certificate of competency and certificate of proficiency

1 In short

A certificate of competency (CoC) is issued to masters, officers and GMDSS radio operators and entitles the holder to serve in a stated capacity and at a stated level of responsibility. A certificate of proficiency (CoP) is any other STCW certificate issued to a seafarer, confirming that training, competence or sea service requirements have been met: a watch rating certificate or basic safety training, for example. A CoC is revalidated at intervals of no more than five years; to serve under another flag, a CoC needs that flag State’s endorsement attesting recognition, and a flag State issues it only if it recognises certificates of the country that issued yours.¹

2 What the STCW Convention says

Certificate of competency. A certificate issued and endorsed for masters, officers and GMDSS radio operators under chapters II, III, IV or VII of the STCW annex, entitling the lawful holder to serve in the capacity and perform the functions at the level of responsibility specified in it. CoC in the glossary²

Certificate of proficiency. A certificate, other than a certificate of competency, issued to a seafarer and stating that the relevant requirements of training, competencies or seagoing service in the Convention have been met. CoP in the glossary³

Documentary evidence. Any other documentation, neither a certificate of competency nor a certificate of proficiency, used to establish that a requirement of the Convention has been met.⁴

3 CoC and CoP side by side

4 Endorsements: attesting issue and recognition

The endorsement attesting the issue of a certificate is issued only when all requirements of the Convention have been met; the Administration may print it in the certificate itself.¹⁶

An Administration may recognise a certificate issued by another Party only after it has confirmed, through an evaluation of that Party, that the Convention’s requirements on standards of competence, training, certification and quality are fully complied with, and has agreed with that Party on prompt notification of significant changes. Certificates issued by a non-Party are not recognised. The Administration endorses the certificate only after ensuring its authenticity and validity. The endorsement expires as soon as the certificate does or is withdrawn, suspended or cancelled, and in any case not more than five years after its issue. Endorsement attesting recognition¹⁷

If circumstances require, and only where it already recognises certificates of the Party that issued yours, the Administration may allow you to serve on a ship under its flag for up to three months while your application for the endorsement is processed. Documentary proof that the application has been submitted must be readily available.¹⁸

5 Which certificate do you need?

• Officers and engineers – a certificate of competency for the rank, plus the certificates of proficiency that the ship and their duties require.¹⁹
• Watch ratingsEngine-room watch ratings – on a seagoing ship of 500 GT or more, a rating forming part of a navigational watch holds a watch rating certificate of proficiency (STCW II/4); on a ship of 750 kW or more, a rating forming part of an engine-room watch holds an engine-room watch rating certificate (STCW III/4). Ratings under training and ratings whose duties are of an unskilled nature are exempt.²⁰
• Every seafarer – safety familiarization on board; seafarers with designated safety or pollution-prevention duties also need basic safety training, and on ships covered by the ISPS Code every seafarer needs security-awareness training.^21,22

6 Frequently asked questions