EMSA hosts meeting on the Revision of the STCW Convention and Code

EMSA hosted representatives of the EU Member States and the European Commission for a meeting on the Revision of the STCW Convention and Code on the 24 and 25 June.

This meeting was part of the preparation of EU submissions to the IMO Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW) Sub-Committee meeting that takes place in February 2026.

The STCW Convention is one of the main maritime safety instruments adopted by IMO State Parties. It deals with education, training, assessment and certification of seafarers.

The process of its comprehensive review and subsequent revision was initiated in 2023. The review part, phase which was completed last February, has led to the identification of more than 600 gaps in the text of the Convention, ranging from inconsistencies to outdated training and certification requirements.
Until the end of the process, currently envisaged in 2030, the experts will work on the revision process that will address the gaps identified in the comprehensive review.
Regular technical meetings among Member States, the Commission and EMSA are expected to continue being held in the coming years, in between IMO sessions, to facilitate EU coordination and the preparation of submissions.

EMSA remains committed to the overall objective of this exercise, namely, to have an instrument that retains relevance in the coming decades, taking into account current and foreseeable changes in the shipping industry and the need to address forefront issues like marine environment protection, digitalisation, security and attractiveness of the seafaring careers including mobility, living conditions, and other aspects of seafarer welfare.