Hiring crew for ships and yachts
Checking crew qualifications
You must check crew members’ discharge books to make sure everyone has the necessary qualifications and experience.
Crew members doing specialist jobs or working on particular types of craft may need special training.
Officers
Officers in your crew must have the necessary certificates of competency (CoCs).
Check that officers’ CoCs are valid.
Officers may need special training if working on tankers, high-speed craft or passenger ships.
Merchant navy ratings
Make sure that all crew have the correct rating for the work they’ll be doing. Watch ratings need a CoC if they’re performing navigation or engine room duties.
Crew on large yachts (24 metres long or over)
You must make sure your crew have a MCA Yacht Rating Certificate or other MCA recognised qualification, for example:
- an able seaman (AB) certificate issued under the International Labour Organisation (ILO) AB Convention
- a UK efficient deck hand (EDH) certificate
- a navigational or engine room watch rating certificate issued under Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW)