Seafarers Training

The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) is responsible for the training and certification of Ghanaian Seafarers in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW) 1978 as amended. The STCW Convention establishes the minimum basic requirements on training, certification, and watch keeping for seafarers internationally. The Convention has been incorporated into Ghanaian law by the Ghana Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch keeping) for Seafarers, 2016, LI 2226.

Seafarers desirous of obtaining valid Ghanaian Certificates of Competency (CoC) are thus, required to meet the minimum basic requirements of the STCW Convention incorporated into Ghanaian law through the Ghana Shipping (Standards on Training, Certification, and Watch keeping for Seafarers) Regulations, 2016, L.I. 2229. In pursuance of this, GMA conducts examinations and issues CoC to seafarers trained at approved Maritime Education and Training Institutions (METIs). The Authority currently has one approved METI, namely the Regional Maritime University. The Authority has also undertaken an action in relation to Regulation I/10 of the STCW Convention on mutual recognition of certificates, culminating in Memoranda of Understanding with 34 major ship owning countries. This means that Seafarers with Ghanaian CoC have a variety of ships and countries to work with.

Certificates and Other Documents issued by the Authority

  • Certificates of Competency
  • Certificates of Proficiency
  • Certificates of Endorsement
  • Seafarer’s Record Book and Certificate of Discharge
  • Cadet record book
  • Seafarers Identity Document
  • Seafarer medical fitness certificate
Seafarers Examination

1ST EXAMINATION JANUARY
WRITTEN JANUARY
ORALS JANUARY
2ND EXAMINATION APRIL
WRITTEN APRIL
ORALS APRIL
3RD EXAMINATION JULY
WRITTEN JULY
ORALS JULY
4TH EXAMINATION OCTOBER
WRITTEN OCTOBER
ORALS OCTOBER

  1. Letter from Regional Maritime University
  2. Copies of entries in the Discharge book
  3. Copies of Certificates
  4. Copies of Sea-Service testimonials
  5. Address for verification if applicable
  6. Payment receipts
  1. The applicant shall obtain a letter for Confirmation of Sea-Service form from the Regional Maritime University (RMU).
  2. The applicant shall produce a Confirmation of Sea Service form to the Accounts Department of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a payment order form and proceed to the bank to make payment in respect of eligibility.
  3. The applicant shall submit the cash deposit receipt from the bank to GMA Accounts Department for an official receipt.
  4. The applicant shall submit a letter for Confirmation of Sea Service and all supporting documents to the Registry of Ghana Maritime Authority (i.e. copies of Discharge book entries, copies of all certificates held, copies of sea service testimonials, and payment receipt).
  5. In cases where certificates held by the applicant were not issued by the Ghana Maritime Authority, the applicant shall provide the address of the issuing Authority to GMA for verification of such certificates.
  6. Approval for eligibility letters takes fourteen (14) working days to be issued.
  1. Application for an Examination
    • The Ghana Maritime Examinations Committee shall conduct all examinations.
    • Application Forms may be obtained from the Ghana Maritime Authority.
    • Applicants are advised to submit applications by hand.
    • Candidates for the examination should apply for a Notice of Eligibility as follows:
      • No later than 30 days before the date of the examination to be taken, the completed application form, the examination fee, and supporting documentation should be sent by hand or by post as indicated above.
      • The GMA will only accept an application if the candidate has satisfactorily completed the initial training and/or the qualifying seagoing service requirements for the class of certificate applied for.
    • CANDIDATES SHOULD NOTE THAT THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY OR ENDORSEMENT CAN ONLY BE ISSUED WHEN HE OR SHE POSSESSES A VALID MEDICAL FITNESS CERTIFICATE.
    • When a candidate’s application has been approved, a NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY shall be issued. This notice will specify any exemptions or subjects previously passed. It will also authorize the candidate’s admission to the written and oral parts of the examination as appropriate.
    • To apply for re-examination in the event of failure, the Notice of Eligibility together with a fresh application and the appropriate fee should be sent by hand or post to the Examination Unit of the Ghana Maritime Authority, then a new Notice of Eligibility will be issued.
    • When a candidate passes both oral and ALL the necessary written examinations, the Administration shall issue the appropriate Certificate of Competency.
  1. Every candidate must provide proof of identity before being allowed into an examination hall. This identification document may be a Passport, Discharge Book or National Identity Document.
  2. Additionally, every candidate must produce a NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY before being allowed to take an examination.
  3. Candidates must be seated in an examination hall no later than TEN (10) minutes before the commencement of an examination.
  4. No candidate shall be allowed into an examination hall THIRTY (30) minutes after an examination has commenced.
  5. Any candidate who completes an examination before the stipulated time may be allowed to leave except that no candidate may be permitted to leave an examination hall within the first THIRTY (30) minutes of an examination that is in progress.
  6. Under such a situation the candidate must call the invigilator’s attention and proceed as in 7 and 8 below.
  7. Candidates must remain seated at the end of an examination, and may only leave after all answer scripts and materials supplied have been collected by the invigilator, and the permission given to do so.
  8. Upon leaving an examination that is still in progress, candidates must leave the vicinity entirely and shall desist from communicating with any person in the examination hall in any manner whatsoever.
  9. Candidates must not communicate with each other in any manner whatsoever when an examination is in progress.
  10. Any candidate in need of assistance during an examination must call the attention of the invigilator by raising a hand.
  11. Candidates must provide their own pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, drawing instruments, mathematical tables, electronic calculators, etc. and any other materials as prescribed. They shall not be allowed to BORROW these items from fellow candidates while an examination is in progress.
  12. Mobile phones are not allowed in an examination hall.
  13. All materials for an examination, other than those items listed in 11 above shall be provided by the GHANA MARITIME EXAMINATIONS BOARD.
  14. With the exception of diagrams, all answers shall be written in blue or black ink.
  15. With the exception of question numbers, Candidates must not write in the left margins of answer sheets but may use the right margins for rough work.
  16. All the exam-answer pages shall be numbered and signed by candidates in the spaces provided, to be accepted as genuine for marking.

The following actions shall constitute examination offenses:

  1. Impersonation
  2. Cheating by
    • The introduction into an examination hall, materials other than those stated in 11 by a candidate.
    • The unauthorized exchange of materials between candidates.
    • Communicating among candidates in any manner whatsoever
  3. Acts of voilence and abuse

  1. Any candidate found impersonating shall be handed over to the Police for prosecution.
  2. Candidates caught cheating shall:
    • Be immediately expelled from the examination room.
    • Not be allowed to continue with the remaining examination.
    • Have the papers already been written, cancelled?
    • Be banned from taking any examinations conducted by the GHANA MARITIME EXAMINATIONS COMMITTEE for a period of THREE years commencing from the date the offence was committed.
  3. Handing over to the police
  1. Results of examinations shall be published in writing by the Chief Examiner of Seafarers or an appointed representative.
  2. Results shall be published within ONE calendar month of the completion of an examination, commencing from the last day of the examination in question.
  3. A candidate may petition for the review of an examination result, by applying and paying a fee, which is equal to THREE times the fee chargeable for the particular examination.
  4. A petition must be filed with the GHANA MARITIME EXAMINATIONS BOARD within two weeks of the publication of results to be considered valid.

The Interview

  1. A panel of not less than 2 examiners and an observer shall conduct the interview.
  2. Candidates must produce NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY before examinations will be conducted.
  3. Candidates must produce for scrutiny, originals of the following documents:
    • Discharge Books.
    • Testimonials of Sea-Going Service.
    • Record of Sea Training where applicable
    • Present Certificates of Competency where applicable.

Offences

  1. Production of false documents:

Penalty

  1. Any candidate who produces false documents at an Oral examination shall be handed over to the Police for prosecution and banned from taking any oral examination for a period of two years commencing from the date the offence was committed.

Declaration of Results

  1. Results of an Oral examination shall be declared by the Examiner/s immediately on the completion of the Interview.

Academic Subjects

  1. A candidate shall retain the validity of a pass in any subject for a period of 5 years.
  2. A candidate who fails in a subject shall be allowed an unlimited number of re-sits in that subject within the stipulated 5 years period.
  3. Failure to pass in all subjects and hence satisfy all the conditions for the award of a certificate of competency for that class within the stipulated period of 5 years shall result in automatic nullification of the validity of passes in all the subjects.
  4. The candidate shall then be required to re-attend a course of study before being allowed to continue with the certification process.

Professional Subjects

    1. All subjects at the professional level shall be taken and passed together en bloc.
    2. A candidate who fails to pass as required shall be allowed an unlimited number of re-sits within a period of 2 years
    3. A candidate who fails to pass and hence satisfies all the conditions for the award of a certificate of competency for that class within the stipulated period of 2 years shall be required to return to sea for additional six months experience before further attempts shall be permitted.
    4. Continuous failure after that for a further 2 years shall result in automatic nullification of the validity of any passes.
    5. The candidate shall then be required to re-attend a course of study before being allowed to continue with the certification process.
Regulation 1/10 of STCW Convention MOU's Countries
  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cyprus
  • Denmark
  • Dominican Republic
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Germany
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Isle of Man
  • Korea
  • Liberia
  • Luxembourg
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Marshal Islands
  • Nigeria
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Spain
  • St. Vincent and Grenadines
  • United Kingdom
  • Vanuatu