Seafarer Medical Certificate: What It Covers and How Long It Lasts

A seafarer medical certificate is the flag state document confirming that you are medically fit to perform your duties at sea. It is issued by a doctor approved by that administration after a set examination, and for seafarers aged 18 and over it is valid for a maximum of two years. Seafarers under 18 must revalidate every year.

The certificate is not a general health check and it has no meaning ashore. It answers one narrow question: can this person do the job, including emergency duties, without endangering themselves or the rest of the crew? That framing explains almost every decision a marine medical examiner makes.

Which certificate you need depends on the flag, not your nationality

The requirement sits in STCW Regulation I/9 and Section A-I/9 of the STCW Code, the international convention setting minimum training and fitness standards for seafarers, and is reinforced by the Maritime Labour Convention. Every seafarer holding an STCW certificate and serving at sea must also hold a valid medical certificate issued under those provisions.

Each administration issues its own version. UK ships use the ENG1, issued by an MCA approved doctor. The United States issues a Medical Certificate through the National Maritime Center. Canada issues a Marine Medical Certificate through a Transport Canada designated marine medical examiner. Norway, the Marshall Islands, Liberia, Panama and the other large registries each maintain approved doctor lists of their own.

The certificate you need is the one accepted by the flag of the ship you are joining, plus anything your employer adds on top. A UK ENG1 is widely recognized in the yacht and offshore sectors, but it does not automatically satisfy a US or Canadian requirement. Confirm the flag before you book the appointment, because a repeat examination costs a week and a second fee.

What the examination covers

The core content follows joint IMO and ILO guidelines, so the shape of the examination is similar everywhere:

• Vision, including distance acuity, near vision for chart and instrument work, color vision for deck ranks, and visual fields.
• Hearing, tested against a defined standard because you must hear alarms and radio traffic.
• Cardiovascular and respiratory fitness, including blood pressure.
• Physical capability for emergency duties: climbing ladders in breathing apparatus, handling hoses, passing through restricted openings, and boarding survival craft.
• Medical history, current medication, mental health, and any condition requiring regular specialist follow up.
• Drug and alcohol screening where the flag or the operator requires it.

Examiners look hardest at conditions that could cause sudden incapacity far from medical help. Poorly controlled diabetes, epilepsy, untreated sleep apnea, significant cardiac disease and unmanaged psychiatric conditions are the usual sticking points. Not because they are disqualifying in ordinary life, but because a ship at sea has no emergency department.

Restrictions, unfit findings and what happens next

A certificate is not simply pass or fail. Examiners can issue it with restrictions: near coastal service only, no lookout duties, no solo watchkeeping, or a shorter validity with a follow up review. Those restrictions are printed on the certificate and operators read them.

A temporary unfit finding is common and usually recoverable. It normally means treat the condition, provide the specialist report, and return. Permanent unfitness is rarer and generally carries an appeal route through the issuing administration. If you are turned down, ask exactly which standard you failed and what evidence would change the decision, and get the answer in writing.

How to stop the medical costing you a contract

Most lost joining dates come from timing rather than from health. A few habits prevent that:

• Book the examination three to four months before expiry, not three weeks. Specialist reports take time.
• Bring your current certificate, photo identification, glasses or contact lenses, and a written list of medication with doses.
• Take supporting letters for any managed condition. An examiner holding a current cardiology report can often certify where one without it has to defer.
• Align the expiry with your other documents. A medical that runs out mid contract can force an unplanned crew change.
• Keep a scanned copy on your phone and with your manning agent. Port state control inspectors check crew documents on board.

Cost, and who pays

Fees vary by country and by clinic, and they are set by the doctor rather than by the administration. Under the Maritime Labour Convention, where a shipowner requires the examination the cost sits with the owner rather than the seafarer, and many companies reimburse against a receipt. Cadets and new entrants usually pay up front and claim back, so keep the invoice.

Next step

Before booking, confirm the flag of your next ship and pull the approved doctor list for that administration. Our Merchant Navy Careers section covers the rest of the certification chain that sits alongside the medical, from basic safety training to your first certificate of competency.

Sources and further reading

• Medical Certificate (ENG 1) - UK Ship Register
• STCW I/9 Medical Fitness and Eyesight Requirements
• IMO STCW.7/Circ.19/Rev.1 guidance

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