Like all treaties, the STCW Convention is an agreement between countries. As of November 1998, there were 133 countries which had formally expressed their commitment to the obligations expressed by the STCW Convention. Virtually every maritime country is a "party" to this agreement. Following is a summary of the articles of the STCW Convention. The summary highlights a number of basic principles.

The first chapter of the Annex to the STCW Convention covers a wide spectrum of administrative and procedural matters which affect the interpretation and application of the technical requirements in the remaining seven chapters.

MASTER AND DECK DEPARTMENT

Chapter II of the STCW Annex, and the associated sections of the STCW Code, are devoted to the requirements for the master, and officers and ratings who serve in the deck department, and/or those who perform functions relating to navigation; cargo handling and stowage; and controlling the operation of the ship and care for persons on board. There are four regulations in the chapter.

ENGINE DEPARTMENT

Chapter III of the STCW Annex, and the associated sections of the STCW Code, are devoted to the requirements for the officers and ratings who serve in the engine department, and/or those who perform functions relating to marine engineering; electrical, electronic and control engineering; maintenance and repair; and controlling the operation of the ship and care for persons on board.

The structure of this chapter mirrors the structure of Chapter II. The first regulation focuses on the officer in charge of the watch and the operational level of responsibility. The second and third regulations focus on the chief engineer and second engineer officer, and the management level of responsibility. And the fourth regulation concerns the rating who is a part of the watch at the support level.

SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL ON CERTAIN TYPES OF SHIPS

Chapter V of the STCW Annex, and the associated sections of the STCW Code, address qualifications for (a) personnel on tankers, and (b) personnel on ro-ro passenger ships. (Note: A new amendment came into force on January 1, 1999 which sets service qualifications for personnel on passenger ships other than RoRo passenger ships.

EMERGENCY. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY. MEDICAL CARE AND SURVIVAL FUNCTIONS

Chapter VI of the STCW Annex, and the associated sections of the STCW Code, encompass a wide variety of requirements, including (a) familiarization and basic safety training; (b) proficiency in survival craft; (c) training in advanced fire-fighting; and (d) medical care.

ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION

Chapter VII of the STCW Annex, and the associated sections of the STCW Code, allow for STCW certificates to be based on an alignment of the seven functions and three levels of responsibility which is different from the alignment or structure provided for in Chapters II (deck department) and III (engine department).

WATCH KEEPING

Chapter VIII of the STCW Annex, and the associated sections of the STCW Code, are a consolidation of material relating to watchkeeping arrangements. The primary focus of the STCW convention is to ensure that an effective watch is maintained on all seagoing ships, by qualified and fit personnel under all circumstances.

The Articles

The Articles are the heart of a convention. They state the legal arrangements that exist between the countries which go through the formal process of agreeing to be bound by these arrangements. Both obligations and privileges are included in the articles of the STCW convention, as well as a number of limitations and controls. These are discussed in more detail in section 3 of this handbook.

The Articles in the STCW Convention have remained unchanged since they were originally adopted in 1978. The 1995 Amendments to the convention only affect the Annex to the convention.