The review is based on data extracted from certificates and endorsements registered by EU Member States, Iceland, and Norway until 31 December 2022. This data, which was transferred and recorded in the STCW Information System (STCW-IS) by 31 December 2023, represents a snapshot of the European labour market in terms of the number of seafarers holding valid certificates and endorsements in 2022. It does not cover only masters and officers actively serving on board ships.

Current certification statistics

The data included in the STCW-IS shows that by end-2022, 171,539 masters and officers held valid certificates of competency (CoC) issued by EU Member States while another 116,990 masters and officers held original CoCs issued by non-EU countries with endorsements issued by EU Member States attesting their recognition (EaR). Overall, the end of 2022 saw almost a third of a million masters and officers as potential manpower to serve on board EU Member State flagged vessels.

Top countries issuing certificates

The five EU Member States with the highest number of masters and officers holding CoCs issued by them in 2022 were, by order of magnitude, Poland, Norway, Greece, Croatia, and Romania. The five EU Member States with most masters and officers holding EaRs issued by them, also by order of magnitude, were Malta, Cyprus, Portugal, Norway, and Denmark. Finally, the five non-EU countries which had more masters and officers holding CoCs recognised by EU Member States were the Philippines, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, India, and Türkiye.

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	Issue 91 of Robban Assafina (May/ June 2024)