MCA-Approved STCW basic training

Your first step to working at sea.

If you want to work professionally on a yacht or other seagoing vessel, STCW Basic Training is where it starts.

It covers the essential safety, survival, firefighting, first aid and security skills every new crew member needs before heading to sea.

PYT Durban is an MCA-approved training provider, so you’re starting your career with training that meets recognised international professional maritime standards.

STCW Schedule

MCA-Approved Training • Durban, South Africa • Practical + Theory-Based Training

WHAT IS STCW? AND WHY DO I NEED IT?

STCW stands for Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.

It establishes international standards for the training and certification of seafarers, including the fundamental safety training required for people working at sea.

If you’re planning to work professionally onboard, STCW isn’t simply a nice qualification to add to your CV.

It’s fundamental safety training for a professional career at sea.

Whether your goal is to work aboard a superyacht, commercial vessel or elsewhere in the maritime industry, STCW Basic Training teaches you how to respond to some of the most serious situations you could encounter onboard.

Fire. Injury. Abandoning ship. Survival at sea. Security threats.

You need to know what to do when it matters.

That’s why STCW should be one of the very first things you consider when preparing for a professional maritime career.

YOUR STCW COURSE

AT A GLANCE

Duration: Up to 10 working days

Location: PYT Durban, South Africa
Courses: Run monthly, usually beginning on a Monday
Training: Theory + hands-on practical training
Certification: Certificates issued upon successful completion of each required element

Course Fee: 15 000 Ex PDSD – R18 000 Inc PDSD

Next Course: Check Calendar

FIVE ESSENTIAL AREAS OF TRAINING.

Your required STCW Basic Training covers five key areas:

A-VI/1-1

Learn how to survive an emergency at sea.

This module combines theory, practical training and an examination to teach essential survival-at-sea techniques.

You’ll learn how to rescue an unconscious person in the water, right a life raft, board a life raft and respond appropriately in an abandon-ship situation.

Important: You must be able to swim at least 50 metres unaided and without a life jacket.

A-VI/1-2

Learn how to respond when every second counts.

Fire is one of the most serious emergencies that can occur onboard a vessel – and every crew member needs to know how to respond.

Over three days of theoretical and practical training, you’ll learn the theory and prevention of fire, fight fires using hoses and extinguishers, work as part of a firefighting team and practise rescuing crew members in dark conditions while using breathing apparatus.

Competence is assessed through both theory and practical sessions.

A-VI/1-3

Be prepared to help when you’re first on the scene.

When you’re at sea, immediate medical assistance may not always be close by.

This two-day module develops the basic skills needed to assist an injured or ill person until further help is available.

You’ll learn CPR, patient handling, wound dressing and fracture splinting, supported by basic instruction in anatomy and physiology.

The course concludes with an examination.

 A-VI/1-4

Understand how to live and work safely as part of a professional crew.

Working onboard comes with a different environment, hierarchy and set of responsibilities from working ashore.

You’ll learn about the onboard chain of command, employee and employer rights, health and safety, conflict resolution and industry rules relating to alcohol, smoking and drugs, together with other important professional and contractual responsibilities.

Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD) prepares you for the additional security responsibilities you may be assigned as a yacht crew member. On yachts subject to the ISPS Code, PDSD is required when your role includes designated security duties, including those carried out as part of the watch schedule.

You’ll learn how to recognise security threats, control access to the yacht, carry out security inspections and use security equipment. From monitoring the gangway to supporting the yacht’s security procedures, this training helps you carry out your responsibilities confidently and keep everyone onboard secure.

WHY TRAIN AT PYT DURBAN?

✔ 26 years ✔ Internationally Recognised Qualifications ✔ MCA Approved; Practical Training ✔ Experienced & Friendly Instructors

 

START YOUR CAREER SOMEWHERE YOU’LL WANT TO COME BACK TO.

PYT has been training professional and leisure seafarers in Durban since 2000.

Over the years, PYT has grown into an established maritime academy, training everyone from students taking their first steps into the industry to experienced professionals progressing to Officer of the Watch and Captain qualifications.

We are also the only training school in South Africa offering the MCA career progression courses, giving our students the opportunity to start their training with PYT and return as their careers progress.

We offer courses approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and International Yacht Training Worldwide (IYT)

MCA-APPROVED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Start with training delivered through an approved provider and build your qualifications on a professional foundation.

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

STCW is safety training. You need more than theory. PYT combines classroom learning with practical exercises designed to develop real competence.

EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS

Learn from knowledgeable maritime instructors who understand both the standards being taught and the realities of working at sea.

THE PERSONAL APPROACH

Starting a career in yachting can feel overwhelming. Our instructors and administration team are here to answer questions, explain what’s expected and help make the training process easier to understand.

MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF TRAINING

PYT has been part of the maritime training industry since 2000, building an established reputation for quality training and high standards.

YOUR TRAINING CAN GROW WITH YOUR CAREER

Today it might be STCW.

Next it could be your Yacht Rating, RIB Master, Officer of the Watch training – and eventually Master-level qualifications.

PYT offers training pathways from entry-level courses through to Masters 3000 GT, allowing students to return as their careers progress.

Get In Touch

Call us today at +27313074992

WHAT WILL I ACTUALLY LEAVE KNOWING HOW TO DO?

By the end of your STCW training, you’ll know how to:

✓ Respond to an emergency at sea
✓ Right and board a life raft
✓ Assist others in survival situations
✓ Fight a fire and work within a firefighting team
✓ Perform CPR and basic first aid
✓ Respond to common onboard injuries
✓ Recognise and report security threats
✓ Understand onboard safety, hierarchy and responsibilities

They’re skills you may one day need to protect yourself, your fellow crew, your passengers and your vessel.

WHO IS STCW FOR?

STCW Basic Training is for people beginning or pursuing professional work at sea.

It could be the right starting point if:

✓ You’ve just finished school and are considering a career in yachting
✓ You want to work as professional yacht crew
✓ You’re interested in becoming a deckhand or interior crew member
✓ You’re preparing for your first professional role at sea
✓ You require STCW safety training for your maritime role
✓ You’re building the qualifications needed for a professional maritime career

 

NEVER WORKED ON A YACHT BEFORE?

Many students arrive at PYT at the very beginning of their maritime journey.

You don’t need to understand every qualification, certificate and career pathway before contacting us.

Tell us where you’d like to go, and our team can help you understand the training you’ll need to get started.

WHAT DOES “MCA APPROVED” ACTUALLY MEAN?

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an executive agency of the UK Government responsible for maritime safety and regulation.

It plays an important role in professional yachting, with MCA qualifications and training pathways widely used across the international industry.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU?

An MCA-approved course isn’t simply a course a training school has put together itself.

The course and its delivery must meet the applicable standards set by the MCA.

For you, that means:

✓ Recognised professional standards
Your training is delivered against established maritime requirements.

✓ Confidence in what you’re paying for
You’re training through an approved provider whose applicable courses must meet MCA requirements.

✓ Training built for a professional environment
You’re preparing to work at sea, not simply learning recreational boating skills.

✓ Somewhere to progress
PYT offers MCA-approved training from entry-level courses through to advanced professional qualifications.

FOR PARENTS

YOUR CHILD WANTS TO WORK ON A SUPERYACHT. NOW WHAT?

If nobody in your family has worked in the maritime industry before, terms like STCW, MCA, Yacht Rating and RIB Master can make the entire process feel complicated.

That’s completely understandable.

The important thing is to ensure that your son or daughter receives appropriate professional training from an established, approved provider and understands the pathway required for the career they want to pursue.

PYT has been training maritime students for more than 25 years.

Our team is happy to explain:

  • What STCW training involves
  • Why the qualification is required
  • What MCA approval means
  • What training may be needed next
  • What your son or daughter can expect during their course
  • The potential career progression within professional yachting

You don’t need to understand the industry before you call us.

That’s what we’re here for.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

STCW Basic Training provides the fundamental safety training required for seafarers working aboard applicable seagoing vessels. If you’re planning to begin a professional yachting career, it is one of the essential training requirements you’ll need to understand before seeking work onboard.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is the UK Government agency responsible for maritime safety and regulation within its remit. An MCA-approved course is delivered by an approved training provider in accordance with the applicable MCA requirements for that training.
For students, it provides confidence that the course they’re investing in is being delivered against established professional maritime standards.

When you’re starting a professional maritime career, you need to understand whether the training and certification you’re paying for are appropriate for the role and career pathway you intend to pursue.
Choosing an approved provider gives you greater confidence in the standards, oversight and professional relevance of your training.

Yes. PYT is proud to be an approved MCA training provider and offers MCA-approved courses from entry-level professional training through to advanced qualifications.

No. STCW is commonly one of the first training steps for people entering the professional maritime industry.

Yes. For the Personal Survival Techniques component, you must be able to swim at least 50 metres unaided and without a life jacket.

Both. Training includes theoretical learning as well as practical exercises and assessments. Practical components include survival-at-sea exercises, firefighting and first aid.

Yes. Certificates are issued upon successful completion of each required STCW element.
Is STCW only for people wanting to work on superyachts?
No. STCW applies much more broadly across the professional maritime industry. The exact certification required depends on the vessel, role and applicable regulations.

PYT’s required STCW courses are presented over a period of up to 10 working days, usually beginning on a Monday and finishing the following week.

That depends on the role you want onboard.
If you’re planning a professional yachting career, PYT offers further training for both deck and interior pathways and can help you understand which qualifications are relevant to your goals.

Contact us.
Tell the PYT team what kind of maritime career you’re considering and where you are in your journey, and we’ll help you understand the appropriate training pathway.

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

Really loved the training and was made really comfortable.
JJade, Your Content Goes Here
Everybody was welcoming and made everything understandable.
CChristpher,
I really enjoyed this course and all the instructors were amazing and easy to talk to.
AAshton,
All instructors were patient and incredibly helpful.
NNicole,
Thanks Pete, always a pleasure!
CChandre, returning PYT STCW Refresher student

MAKE SURE YOU START IT WITH THE RIGHT TRAINING.

Complete your STCW Basic Training in Durban with an established maritime academy and approved MCA training provider.

Whether you’re taking your first step into professional yachting or adding essential safety training to your maritime qualifications, PYT is ready to help you get started.


[email protected]
+27 (0)31 307 4992

PYT DURBAN | EST. 2000

Proud to be an approved MCA training provider.

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