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Useful info
Legal framework for the activities of maritime manning agencies
- Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (as amended)
- International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW)
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (concluded in Montego Bay on 10 December 1982)
- Merchant Shipping Code of the Russian Federation (determines the legal framework for crew employment)
- International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
- Labour Code of the Russian Federation
Seafarer certification and licensing
The certification of crew members of sea vessels is carried out on the basis of the Regulations on the Certification of Crew Members of Sea Vessels (link), approved by Order No. 378 of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated November 8, 2021.
The Regulation establishes the procedure for undergoing training, recording seagoing service, conducting qualification tests for candidates for diplomas, the procedure for issuing diplomas, confirmations of recognition of diplomas issued by a foreign state, qualification certificates, endorsements to diplomas for work on tankers (oil tankers, gas carriers, chemical tankers), certificates of qualification for ship cooks.
Documents of crew members of sea vessels issued on the basis of the Certification Regulation fully comply with the requirements of the STCW Convention.
Certification of crew members of sea vessels is carried out in 16 seaports of the Russian Federation.
- Seaport Arkhangelsk
- Seaport "Big Port St. Petersburg"
- Seaport Taganrog
- Seaport Tuapse
- Seaport Sevastopol
- Seaport Vladivostok
- Seaport Nevelsk
- Seaport Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
- Seaport Murmansk
- Seaport Kaliningrad
- Seaport Novorossiysk
- Seaport Kerch
- Seaport Astrakhan
- Seaport Nakhodka
- Seaport Kholmsk
- Seaport Vanino
Medical commission for seafarers
The annual medical examination of seafarers is a mandatory requirement to confirm a seafarer's professional fitness. Since March 1, 2023, these rules have been regulated by Order No. 714n of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated November 1, 2022 (link), which establishes clear standards for medical examinations.
The main purpose of the medical examination is to ensure that your health allows you to perform your duties on board safely and efficiently. Working at sea involves special conditions: long periods away from shore, stress, physical exertion, and potentially hazardous situations. Therefore, it is important that every crew member is in excellent physical and mental condition.
The medical examination program is quite extensive and aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of your health:
- Wide range of laboratory tests: This will help identify hidden diseases and assess your overall health.
- Mandatory drug and psychotropic substance test: Safety on board is paramount, and this test is an integral part of the screening.
- ECG (electrocardiogram): To assess the state of the cardiovascular system.
- Chest X-ray: To check the condition of the lungs.
- Examination by specialists: In addition to a general practitioner, you will need to undergo consultations with the following doctors:
- Narcologist: To assess conditions related to the use of psychoactive substances.
- Psychiatrist: To confirm mental health and the absence of contraindications to work in the maritime environment.
- Occupational Pathologist: A specialist who assesses the impact of working conditions on your health and identifies occupational diseases.
Dear seafarers, when choosing a medical facility for undergoing a seafarer medical examination, we recommend that you use regularly updated lists of approved medical centers, which are posted on the official websites of seaport authorities.
We attach the consolidated list of approved medical clinics here for your convenience.