Seafarer's Medical Certificate

MLC 2006. Regulation 1.2 is short: seafarers shall not work on a ship unless they are certified as medically fit to perform their duties; exceptions can only be permitted as prescribed in the Code. Standard A1.2 spells this out: the competent authority requires that, prior to beginning work on a ship, seafarers hold a valid medical certificate attesting that they are medically fit to perform the duties they are to carry out at sea; the competent authority prescribes the nature of the medical examination and certificate, giving due consideration to applicable international guidelines; a medical certificate issued in accordance with the requirements of STCW is accepted by the competent authority for the purpose of Regulation 1.2; it is issued by a duly qualified medical practitioner who must enjoy full professional independence in exercising their medical judgement; a seafarer who has been refused a certificate or has had a limitation imposed shall be given the opportunity of a further examination by another independent medical practitioner or an independent medical referee; the certificate must state that hearing and sight, and colour vision where relevant to the work, are satisfactory, and that the seafarer is not suffering from any medical condition likely to be aggravated by service at sea or to endanger the health of others on board. The maximum period of validity is two years, one year for seafarers under 18, and six years for a certification of colour vision; a shorter period may be required by reason of specific duties or under STCW. If the certificate expires in the course of a voyage, it continues in force until the next port of call where the seafarer can obtain a medical certificate, but no longer than three months; in urgent cases the competent authority may permit a seafarer to work without a valid certificate on the same conditions, if the certificate expired only recently. For ships ordinarily engaged on international voyages, the certificate must as a minimum be provided in English.

STCW. Regulation I/9 "Medical standards" requires the same thing on the certification side: each Party establishes standards of medical fitness and the procedures for issuing a medical certificate; the examination is carried out by qualified medical practitioners recognised by that Party; every seafarer holding a certificate of competency or certificate of proficiency must hold a valid medical certificate; a candidate must be not less than 16 years of age; the period of validity is up to two years, or up to one year for those under 18; extension when it expires during a voyage is up to three months. Section A-I/9 of the Code adds the criteria: physical fitness, including for basic safety training; adequate hearing and speech; absence of any medical condition likely to impair the seafarer's ability to perform duties in normal and emergency conditions during the period of validity of the certificate; absence of any condition likely to be aggravated by service at sea; and no use of medication with side effects that would impair fitness for duty. Each Party maintains a list of recognised medical practitioners. For deck department personnel performing lookout duties, the standards of eyesight and colour vision in Table A-I/9-1 are not to be waived.

States that have ratified MLC must ensure that ships flying the flag of a State that has not ratified it do not receive more favourable treatment — that is, such ships are inspected against the same requirements in the ports of States that have ratified MLC. For a Ukrainian seafarer, Ukrainian rules drawn up with regard to STCW apply, together with the requirements of the ship's flag State.

Section A-I/9, paragraph 7, sets the minimum content of a medical certificate — a convenient checklist for reviewing a document from any country: the issuing authority and the requirements under which it was issued; the seafarer's particulars (surname and given name, date of birth, sex, nationality); the recognised medical practitioner's findings — whether the identity documents were checked, whether hearing, visual acuity and colour vision meet the requirements of Section A-I/9, the date of the last colour vision check, fitness for lookout duties, any limitations on fitness and what they are, freedom from any condition likely to be aggravated by service at sea, the date of examination and the date of expiry; the seal and signature of the issuing authority; and the seafarer's signature confirming they have been informed of the content of the certificate and of the right to a review. The certificate is drawn up in the official language of the issuing country; if that language is not English, the text must include a translation into English.

In Ukraine, the procedure is set by the Rules for Determining a Person's Medical Fitness for Work on Seagoing Vessels or Inland Navigation Vessels, approved by Ministry of Health Order No. 1793 and registered with the Ministry of Justice. The same order approves the form of the seafarer's medical certificate ("Medical certificate of seafarers") and repeals Ministry of Health Order No. 347 of 1996.

Who examines. A specially formed expert commission of a healthcare institution headed by a recognised medical practitioner — a doctor with at least five years of experience in the specialty "Ship Medicine," or at least five years in "Occupational Pathology" with a specialisation in ship medicine. Recognised medical practitioners have full professional independence in their judgement.

Types of examinations. Preliminary — before obtaining clearance to work on a ship; periodic — during employment, once every two years unless the certificate states otherwise; extraordinary — at the request of the shipowner or master, or at the crew member's own wish, in particular in cases of a state of health that prevents performing duties, signs of intoxication, involvement in an accident, or reasonable suspicion of a contraindication.

What is checked. The commission determines physical fitness and whether hearing and sight meet the minimum requirements (Annex 1 to the Rules), the absence of medical contraindications (Annex 2), and carries out the minimum list of examinations (Annex 3); a psychiatric examination is part of the medical examination. Recognised medical practitioners may consult other specialist doctors and carry out additional examinations taking into account the working conditions on board. See the annexes to the Rules, or the institution where you take the examination, for the exact list of doctors and tests. You need an identity document and your previous medical certificate, if you have one.

Who pays. Examinations are carried out at the employer's expense under contracts with healthcare institutions, or at the seafarer's own expense if they apply independently. Referring seafarers for periodic examinations, paying for them, and not allowing those without a valid examination to work are the employer's obligations; the master monitors that valid certificates are carried on board.

Result. The certificate states the finding — full or temporary fitness, limited fitness with the limitations or supporting measures specified, or full or temporary unfitness — and the period of validity. The maximum period is two years, one year for those under 18; the commission has the right to shorten it. If the period expires during a voyage, the certificate remains valid until the next port with a recognised medical practitioner, or until the end of the voyage, but no longer than three months. The result of the examination can be appealed in the manner established by law. Issued certificates are registered in the institution's log, and until a registry is launched in the electronic healthcare system, information about them is transmitted weekly to the State Service of Maritime and Inland Water Transport and Shipping of Ukraine (Shipping Administration).

MLC 2006 expressly requires that a seafarer be given the opportunity to examine and seek advice on the employment agreement before signing it. The medical certificate is part of that check.

1. Validity against the contract term. Compare the certificate's expiry date with the contract's end date, including any possible extension. The "until the next port, no more than three months" rule is a fallback mechanism, not a plan.
2. Fit for the position. Check the "fit for lookout duties" and "limitations" entries: a certificate with a limitation on trading area or type of work may not suit a specific ship. For deck positions involving lookout duties, the colour vision standard is not waived — check the date of the last check.
3. Language and form. For international voyages — the text must be in English. Check whether the company and the flag accept the Ukrainian "Medical certificate of seafarers" form without additional documents.
4. Recognition by the flag. A certificate issued under STCW is accepted for MLC purposes, while the nature of the examination and the form of the certificate are set by the competent authority of the flag State; a company may have its own conditions — find this out before signing.
5. What happens if there's a limitation or a refusal. You have the right to a further examination by an independent practitioner and the right of appeal.
6. Carry the original. The master monitors that valid certificates are carried on board; in the port of call, a port State inspector of an MLC Member may check the certificate too, regardless of whether the ship's flag has ratified MLC. What else to pack before going to sea is covered in a separate checklist of items and documents for the voyage.

Can you go to sea if the certificate expires during the contract? The conventions allow work until the next port of call where an examination is possible, but no longer than three months. It's not something to rely on as a rule: better to get examined in advance so the period covers the whole contract.

Will a Ukrainian certificate be accepted abroad? MLC requires acceptance of a certificate issued in accordance with STCW requirements, and the Ukrainian Rules are built with STCW in mind. The nature of the examination and the form of the certificate are set by the competent authority of the flag State; a company may have its own conditions — find this out with the crewing agency before signing.

MLC does not admit a seafarer to work without successfully completed training in personal safety on board ship and treats training under the mandatory IMO instruments as meeting this requirement; Under Regulation VI/1, STCW requires seafarers to receive safety familiarization and basic training (BST) or instruction. To understand the Convention's other requirements, the course on MLC 2006 requirements at the AVANT training centre can help. For conditions, format, duration and the programme, see the course page.

The medical certificate may be checked when the employment agreement is signed, on board by the master and during a port State inspection. So check the date, the period against the contract, any limitations, colour vision, the language of the document, and whether the flag and the company accept it. If something doesn't add up — sort it out before signing: fixing it after you've gone to sea will cost you far more.

Requirements for a specific seafarer are set by the law of the flag State, national rules and the shipowner.