#TECM2610711AFrance updates basic safety training certificate rules for seafarers
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France is updating the training program and validation rules for the basic safety training certificate required for seafarers. The revised annex sets minimum content, practical exercises, trainer qualifications, equipment standards, and recordkeeping duties for approved maritime training providers. The changes matter most for maritime training organizations and people seeking seafarer safety certification. Providers must align courses with the new survival, firefighting, first aid, social responsibility, fatigue, pollution prevention, and harassment-prevention requirements by 1 September 2026.
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Key Changes
- Replaces the existing annex with a detailed updated program for the basic safety training certificate.
- Sets minimum theoretical and practical training hours for survival at sea, firefighting, first aid, and personal safety and social responsibility modules.
- Adds explicit training content on preventing and responding to violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying, and sexual assault.
Obligations
What this law requires
Approved maritime training providers must provide trainees with written or electronic training materials covering the knowledge, understanding, and skills required by STCW table A-VI/1-1 for individual survival techniques.
Approved maritime training providers must deliver at least 10 hours of theoretical instruction and at least 5 hours of practical exercises for the individual survival techniques module.
Approved maritime training providers must use SOLAS-approved and currently valid equipment for practical survival and firefighting exercises.
Approved maritime training providers must validate survival, firefighting, and social responsibility training only after candidates demonstrate the minimum competence standards required by the relevant STCW tables, using continuous assessment during training.
Approved maritime training providers must retain evaluation documents, including assessment criteria and the nature of practical exercises where applicable, for 2 years so they can be presented during inspections.