STCW 2026 Changes: New Requirements Every Seafarer Must Know

On January 1, 2026, the training that every seafarer must complete before working at sea changed. For the first time, the foundation of Basic Safety Training now includes a mandatory competence in preventing and responding to violence and harassment aboard ship.

The change is narrow in scope but wide in reach: because it sits inside a module every seafarer takes, it touches the entire maritime workforce.

What Is Changing in STCW for 2026?

The 2026 change is a single, precise amendment to the STCW Code. For a full explanation of the convention behind it, see the background guide on what STCW is. IMO Resolution MSC.560(108), adopted on 23 May 2024, amended Part A of the STCW Code and replaced Table A-VI/1-4, the Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR) module of Basic Safety Training. The amendment entered into force on 1 January 2026.

The revised table adds a new mandatory competence: "Contribute to the prevention of and response to violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying, and sexual assault." The maritime industry refers to this collectively as SASH (sexual assault and sexual harassment).

The overall structure of Basic Safety Training is unchanged. The four core modules remain the same, and PSSR is still one of them. What has changed is the content inside PSSR: the knowledge and understanding a seafarer must demonstrate now explicitly includes behavioral and social safety, not just physical safety.

New PSSR and SASH Training Requirements

The updated PSSR competence requires seafarers to demonstrate specific knowledge. The amendment was developed by a Joint ILO/IMO Tripartite Working Group in February 2024, ensuring the standard is consistent across both the STCW Convention and international labor frameworks.

Under the revised Table A-VI/1-4, a seafarer must be able to recognize inappropriate behavior, understand the consequences of violence and harassment for victims and crew safety, respond appropriately when incidents occur, and contribute to a respectful working environment aboard.

Who Must Complete the Updated Training

The requirement applies to all seafarers on internationally trading SOLAS vessels, across every rank and vessel type. Because PSSR is part of Basic Safety Training, and because every seafarer must hold Basic Safety Training, the new competence reaches the entire workforce, not a specialist subset.

Any seafarer completing or renewing Basic Safety Training on or after 1 January 2026 must hold the updated PSSR competence. Training providers, flag states, and maritime education institutions were given an 18-month lead time after the resolution's adoption to update their programs and issue guidance.

Certification Renewal Timelines

The point most frequently misunderstood is whether existing certificates must be retaken. Existing certificates do not need retaking. A valid Basic Safety Training certificate issued before 1 January 2026 remains legally valid until its expiry, unless a flag state or shipowner requires otherwise.

Existing seafarers pick up the new training naturally at their next five-yearly Basic Safety Training refresher or revalidation, when the updated PSSR content is delivered. No mid-certificate retraining is mandated at the international level. However, flag administrations and welfare bodies strongly encourage early alignment rather than waiting five years for a fleet to cycle through refreshers.

How This Affects Certificate of Competency Renewals

For officers and ratings tracking certification currency, the compliance picture is twofold.

The hard legal requirement is straightforward: anyone certificated from 2026 onward must hold the new PSSR competence. For compliance staff, this is a matter of checking that certificates issued on or after 1 January 2026 reflect the updated content, and that training providers deliver the SASH element.

Implementation details vary by flag state. Some flags require the new competence to be incorporated immediately into all Basic Training completed on or after 1 January 2026. Others allow existing certificates to remain valid until expiry, with the new competence addressed at renewal. The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, for example, requires all seafarers holding a PSSR certificate to complete additional training covering the new competence, and has arranged a free e-learning module for certificates dated before the cutoff. Fleet HR and crewing teams should confirm the specific transitional arrangements of each flag state their vessels operate under.

STCW Convention and Code, 2026 Edition: The Current Reference

The authoritative source for the amended requirements is the consolidated convention text itself. The STCW Convention and Code, 2026 Edition incorporates the 2024 amendments under Resolution MSC.560(108), alongside the earlier 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, and 2023 amendments, giving compliance staff and training institutions the current, fully consolidated reference in a single volume.

For training schools updating their PSSR syllabus and for fleet compliance teams verifying that crew certificates meet the current standard, the consolidated 2026 edition is the primary document against which training content and certificate currency should be checked.

Stay Current With the 2026 Standard

The STCW 2026 change is small in text but significant in what it signals: behavioral and social safety now sit alongside firefighting and survival as a foundation of every seafarer's training. Understanding who must comply and when keeps a crew certified and a fleet inspection-ready. Shop the STCW Convention and Code, 2026 Edition, or contact American Nautical Services at +1 (954) 522-3321 or sales@amnautical.com for guidance on current STCW and compliance publications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to common questions about the STCW 2026 changes.

Do I need to retake STCW training because of the 2026 changes?

Not automatically. A valid Basic Safety Training certificate issued before 1 January 2026 remains valid until its expiry. The new PSSR competence is picked up at your next five-yearly refresher or revalidation, unless your flag state or employer requires earlier alignment.

What is the STCW PSSR amendment?

The STCW PSSR amendment, introduced by IMO Resolution MSC.560(108), added a mandatory competence to the Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities module of Basic Safety Training. Effective 1 January 2026, it requires seafarers to demonstrate competence in preventing and responding to violence and harassment, including bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

Who does the STCW 2026 change apply to?

The change applies to all seafarers on internationally trading SOLAS vessels, across every rank and vessel type. Because PSSR is part of Basic Safety Training that every seafarer must hold, the new competence reaches the entire maritime workforce.

Where can I buy the current STCW Convention and Code?

The STCW Convention and Code, 2026 Edition is available from American Nautical Services. The consolidated edition incorporates the 2024 amendments under Resolution MSC.560(108) along with all prior amendments, making it the current reference for compliance.