Seaman's Book and seafarer's documents: what they are and how to get them in 2026

Without the right set of documents no ship will take you on, however strong your CV is. Here is the seafarer's core document set and the order in which to build it.

Seaman's Book (Continuous Discharge Certificate)

Your main "service record" at sea. Every contract is entered in it: vessel, rank, sign-on and sign-off dates. Your sea service (the time counted toward your next CoC) is calculated from this book. Issued by the maritime administration; foreign-flag work often needs an internationally recognised book.

Seafarer's Identity Document (SID)

An ID that identifies you specifically as a seafarer under the ILO convention. It lets you cross borders in ports, take shore leave, and travel to and from the ship. It is not the same as your travel passport — you need both.

Certificate of Competency (CoC) and Endorsements

The CoC proves your qualification (watch officer, engineer, master). The endorsement is a specific flag's recognition of your CoC (Panama, Liberia, Malta, etc.). The owner usually tells you which flag endorsement is required.

Medical certificate

A statement of fitness for sea service on the international form. No valid medical, no boarding. Usually valid up to 2 years.

STCW certificates

Core set: Basic Safety Training, Proficiency in Survival Craft, Advanced Fire Fighting, Medical First Aid, Security Awareness. Tankers, gas carriers and passenger ships require extra courses.

The order to collect them

1. Travel passport → 2. Medical exam and certificate → 3. Basic STCW courses → 4. CoC and Seaman's Book → 5. Flag endorsement → 6. Visa (e.g. US C1/D) if your route needs it.

Watch the expiry dates — an expired certificate turns a ready candidate into a rejected one overnight.

Documents in order? Find a contract for your qualification on seajobs.pro — filtering by rank and vessel type saves weeks of searching.