Treaty

International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978

PartiesParties with a link have a reservation.

Party Signature RatificationS=Signature without reservation or requirement of ratification R=Ratification, Acceptance, Approval or Notification A=Accession Su=Succession NK=Not Known Entry into force Renunciation Termination
Albania 20-03-2002 (A) 20-06-2002
Algeria 28-10-1988 (A) 28-01-1989
Angola 03-10-1991 (A) 03-01-1992
Antigua and Barbuda 05-02-1997 (A) 05-05-1997
Argentina 06-10-1982 (A) 28-04-1984
Australia 30-11-1979 07-11-1983 (R) 28-04-1984
Austria 29-01-1997 (A) 29-04-1997
Azerbaijan 01-07-1997 (A) 01-10-1997
Bahamas 07-06-1983 (A) 28-04-1984
Bahrain 13-06-1996 (A) 13-09-1996
Bangladesh 06-11-1981 (A) 28-04-1984
Barbados 06-05-1994 (A) 06-08-1994
Belarus 13-10-1993 (A) 13-01-1994
Belgium 07-12-1978 14-09-1982 (R) 28-04-1984
Belize 24-01-1997 (A) 24-04-1997
Benin 01-11-1985 (A) 01-02-1986
Bolivia 11-04-1988 (A) 11-07-1988
Brazil 17-01-1984 (A) 28-04-1984
Brunei 23-10-1986 (A) 23-01-1987
Bulgaria 31-03-1982 (A) 28-04-1984
Cabo Verde 18-09-1989 (A) 18-12-1989
Cambodia 08-06-2001 (A) 08-09-2001
Cameroon 06-06-1989 (A) 06-09-1989
Canada 06-11-1987 (A) 06-02-1988
Chile 09-06-1987 (A) 09-09-1987
China 13-06-1979 08-06-1981 (R) 28-04-1984
Colombia 27-07-1981 (A) 28-04-1984
Comoros 22-11-2000 (A) 22-02-2001
Cook Islands 17-02-2010 (A) 17-05-2010
Costa Rica 06-06-2018 (A) 06-09-2018
Côte d'Ivoire 05-10-1987 (A) 05-01-1988
Croatia 27-07-1992 (Su) 08-10-1991
Cuba 05-12-1989 (A) 05-03-1990
Cyprus 28-03-1985 (A) 28-06-1985
Czech Republic 19-10-1993 (Su) 01-01-1993
Czechoslovakia (<01-01-1993) 06-05-1981 (A) 28-04-1984
Democratic People's Republic of Korea 01-05-1985 (A) 01-08-1985
Democratic Republic of the Congo 04-04-1995 (A) 04-07-1995
Denmark 04-06-1979 20-01-1981 (R) 28-04-1984
Djibouti 12-10-2015 (A) 12-01-2016
Dominica 21-06-2000 (A) 21-09-2000
Dominican Republic 09-06-2016 (A) 09-09-2016
Ecuador 17-05-1988 (A) 17-08-1988
Egypt 22-09-1980 (A) 28-04-1984
El Salvador 29-11-2012 (A) 01-03-2013
Equatorial Guinea 24-04-1996 (A) 24-07-1996
Eritrea 22-04-1996 (A) 22-07-1996
Estonia 29-08-1995 (A) 29-11-1995
Ethiopia 18-07-1985 (A) 18-10-1985
Federated States of Micronesia 14-07-1998 (A) 14-10-1998
Fiji 27-03-1991 (A) 27-06-1991
Finland 30-11-1979 27-01-1984 (R) 28-04-1984
France 18-07-1979 11-07-1980 (R) 28-04-1984
Gabon 21-01-1982 (A) 28-04-1984
Gambia, The 01-11-1991 (A) 01-02-1992
Georgia 19-04-1994 (A) 19-07-1994
Germany 26-03-1979 28-05-1982 (R) 28-04-1984
Ghana 26-01-1989 (A) 26-04-1989
Greece 29-10-1979 22-03-1983 (R) 28-04-1984
Grenada 28-06-2004 (A) 28-09-2004
Guatemala 17-09-2002 (A) 17-12-2002
Guinea 05-08-1994 (A) 05-11-1994
Guinea-Bissau 24-10-2016 (A) 24-01-2017
Guyana 26-11-1997 (A) 26-02-1998
Haïti 06-04-1989 (A) 06-07-1989
Honduras 24-09-1985 (A) 24-12-1985
Hungary 15-10-1985 (A) 15-01-1986
Iceland 21-03-1995 (A) 21-06-1995
India 16-11-1984 (A) 16-02-1985
Indonesia 27-01-1987 (A) 27-04-1987
Iran 01-08-1996 (A) 01-11-1996
Iraq 10-12-2001 (A) 10-03-2002
Ireland 30-11-1979 11-09-1984 (R) 11-12-1984
Israel 16-01-1986 (A) 16-04-1986
Italy 26-08-1987 (A) 26-11-1987
Jamaica 19-02-1987 (A) 19-05-1987
Japan 27-05-1982 (A) 28-04-1984
Jordan 17-05-2000 (A) 17-08-2000
Kazakhstan 07-03-1994 (A) 07-06-1994
Kenya 15-12-1992 (A) 15-03-1993
Kiribati 05-08-1987 (A) 05-11-1987
Kuwait 22-05-1998 (A) 22-08-1998
Latvia 20-05-1992 (A) 20-08-1992
Lebanon 05-12-1994 (A) 05-03-1995
Liberia 21-03-1979 28-10-1980 (R) 28-04-1984
Libya 10-08-1983 (A) 28-04-1984
Lithuania 04-12-1991 (A) 04-03-1992
Luxembourg 14-02-1991 (A) 14-05-1991
Madagascar 07-03-1996 (A) 07-06-1996
Malawi 09-03-1993 (A) 09-06-1993
Malaysia 30-01-1992 (A) 30-04-1992
Maldives 22-01-1987 (A) 22-04-1987
Malta 21-06-1991 (A) 21-09-1991
Marshall Islands 25-04-1989 (A) 25-07-1989
Mauritania 17-11-1995 (A) 17-02-1996
Mauritius 04-07-1991 (A) 04-10-1991
Mexico 02-02-1982 (A) 28-04-1984
Moldova 11-10-2005 (A) 11-01-2006
Mongolia 26-06-2002 (A) 26-09-2002
Montenegro 03-06-2006 (Su) 03-06-2006
Morocco 22-07-1997 (A) 22-10-1997
Mozambique 15-11-1985 (A) 15-02-1986
Myanmar 04-05-1988 (A) 04-08-1988
Namibia 24-01-2005 (A) 24-04-2005
Nauru 18-06-2018 (A) 18-09-2018
Netherlands, the Kingdom of the 26-07-1985 (A) 26-10-1985
New Zealand 30-07-1986 (A) 30-10-1986
Nicaragua 09-03-2009 (A) 09-06-2009
Nigeria 13-11-1984 (A) 13-02-1985
Niue 18-05-2012 (A) 18-08-2012
Norway 26-11-1979 18-01-1982 (R) 28-04-1984
Oman 24-09-1990 (A) 24-12-1990
Pakistan 10-04-1985 (A) 10-07-1985
Palau 29-09-2011 (A) 29-12-2011
Panama 29-06-1992 (A) 29-09-1992
Papua New Guinea 28-10-1991 (A) 28-01-1992
Peru 16-07-1982 (A) 28-04-1984
Philippines 22-02-1984 (A) 22-05-1984
Poland 01-12-1978 27-04-1983 (R) 28-04-1984
Portugal 30-10-1985 (A) 30-01-1986
Qatar 29-05-2002 (A) 29-08-2002
Republic of Korea, the 04-04-1985 (A) 04-07-1985
Republic of the Congo 07-08-2002 (A) 07-11-2002
Romania 11-01-1993 (A) 11-04-1993
Russian Federation 09-10-1979 (S) 28-04-1984
Saint Kitts and Nevis 11-06-2004 (A) 11-09-2004
Saint Lucia 20-05-2004 (A) 20-08-2004
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 28-06-1995 (A) 28-09-1995
Samoa 24-05-1993 (A) 24-08-1993
San Marino 19-04-2021 (A) 19-07-2021
São Tomé e Principe 29-10-1998 (A) 29-01-1999
Saudi Arabia 29-11-1990 (A) 01-03-1991
Senegal 16-01-1997 (A) 16-04-1997
Serbia 03-06-2006 (Su) 03-06-2006
Seychelles 22-08-1988 (A) 22-11-1988
Sierra Leone 13-08-1993 (A) 13-11-1993
Singapore 01-05-1988 (A) 01-08-1988
Slovakia 30-01-1995 (Su) 01-01-1993
Slovenia 12-11-1992 (Su) 25-06-1991
Solomon Islands 01-06-1994 (A) 01-09-1994
South Africa 27-07-1983 (A) 28-04-1984
Spain 21-10-1980 (A) 28-04-1984
Sri Lanka 22-01-1987 (A) 22-04-1987
Sudan 26-02-1997 (A) 26-05-1997
Suriname 10-12-2013 (A) 10-03-2014
Sweden 15-11-1979 08-01-1981 (R) 28-04-1984
Switzerland 14-11-1979 15-12-1987 (R) 15-03-1988
Syria 20-07-2001 (A) 20-10-2001
Tanzania 27-10-1982 (A) 28-04-1984
Thailand 19-06-1997 (A) 19-09-1997
Timor-Leste 12-10-2022 (A) 12-01-2023
Togo 19-07-1989 (A) 19-10-1989
Tonga 07-02-1995 (A) 07-05-1995
Trinidad and Tobago 03-02-1989 (A) 03-05-1989
Tunisia 08-02-1995 (A) 08-05-1995
Türkiye 28-07-1992 (A) 28-10-1992
Turkmenistan 04-02-2009 (A) 04-05-2009
Tuvalu 22-08-1985 (A) 22-11-1985
Uganda 03-04-2019 (A) 03-07-2019
Ukraine 07-01-1997 (A) 07-04-1997
United Arab Emirates 15-12-1983 (A) 28-04-1984
United Kingdom 01-12-1978 28-11-1980 (R) 28-04-1984
United States of America 25-01-1979 01-07-1991 (R) 01-10-1991
Uruguay 03-08-1993 (A) 03-11-1993
Vanuatu 22-04-1991 (A) 22-07-1991
Venezuela 13-10-1987 (A) 13-01-1988
Vietnam 18-12-1990 (A) 18-03-1991
Yemen 14-02-2005 (A) 14-05-2005
Yugoslavia (< 25-06-1991) 23-03-1979 05-11-1984 (R) 05-02-1985

Extensions

China

Extended to Entry into force Termination
Hong Kong SAR 01-07-1997
Macao SAR 18-07-2005

Denmark

Extended to Entry into force Termination
Faroes 18-09-1990

New Zealand

Extended to Entry into force Termination
Cook Islands 30-10-1986 17-05-2010
Niue 30-10-1986 18-08-2012

United Kingdom

Extended to Entry into force Termination
Bermuda 01-01-1989
British Virgin Islands 19-06-2006
Cayman Islands 01-04-1991
Gibraltar 27-09-1995
Hong Kong (< 01-07-1997) 03-11-1984 01-07-1997
Man, Isle of 01-07-1985

Parties with reservations, declarations and objections

Party Reservations / Declarations Objections
Argentina Yes Yes
Australia Yes No
Canada Yes Yes
Chile Yes No
Costa Rica Yes No
Denmark Yes No
United Kingdom Yes No

Argentina

18-02-2014

[...] A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). [...] the Argentine Government objects and rejects the extension, by the UK Government, of the application of the Convention to the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

Objection United Kingdom, 02-10-2015

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland would like to reiterate that it has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas. It is therefore entirely legitimate for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to extend the application of equivalent arrangements to the above-mentioned international instruments for pleasure yachts carrying 12 and 36 passengers, to the Falkland Islands and the surrounding maritime areas.

Australia

07-11-1983

Australia has a federal constitutional system in which legislative, executive and judicial powers are shared or distributed between the Commonwealth and the constituent States.
The implementation of the Treaty throughout Australia will be effected by the Commonwealth, State and Territory authorities having regard to their respective constitutional powers and arrangements concerning their exercise.

Canada

06-11-1987

The Government of Canada reserves its position with regard to the provisions of paragraph 6(d) of the appendix to regulation II/2 and paragraph 16 of the appendix to regulation II/4 in the Annex to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 in respect of the compulsory knowledge of an ability to use the English language. The position of the Government of Canada is that the provisions of those paragraphs which refer to the ability to use navigational publications in English, and the need to have an adequate knowledge of the English language, are not applicable to Canada as there are two official languages in Canada: English and French. Both languages have equal status, consequently candidates for certificates may choose to be examined in either language.

Objection Russian Federation, 03-11-1988

In connection with the reservation made by the Government of Canada when acceding to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (IMO document STCW/Circ.61 of 26 November 1987) the Soviet side considers it necessary to make the following statement.
Requirements on knowledge of the English language, contained in paragraph 6(d) of the appendix to regulation II/2 and paragraph 16 of the appendix to regulation II/4 in the Annex to the Convention are mandatory minimum requirements for certification of masters, chief and watchkeeping officers and their observance represents a significant condition of ensuring high qualifications of officers of the crew. Non-observance of those requirements could result in negative consequences for the safety of international maritime navigation. In this connection the reservation of the Government of Canada, in the opinion of the Soviet side, is incompatible with the purposes of the Convention.
The reference made by the Government of Canada to the two state languages does not seem to be well-founded in so far as internal status of this or that language cannot serve as an excuse for non-observance of the obligations assumed by States under the international law.
Taking into account the above-stated, the Soviet side cannot recognize this reservation of the Government of Canada as valid.

Chile

09-06-1987

[...] formulating an express reservation concerning the provisions of subparagraphs (vii) and (ix) of paragraph 1(a) of article XII to the effect that amendments to the Annex shall not be binding on Chile until such time as it has complied with the internal procedure established by the Political Constitution of the Republic for the approval of treaties.

Costa Rica

06-06-2018

Article 3 – The Government of the Republic of Costa Rica interprets, in relation to article XII of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, that [future] amendments shall enter into force for the country once they have been approved by the Legislative Assembly and ratified by the executive authority.

Denmark

20-01-1981

[...] a decision as to the applicability of the provisions of the Convention to Greenland and the Faroe Islands is pending the completion of the internal procedures prescribed in this respect. The ratification of Denmark is therefore, until further notice, subject to reservation with regard to the obligations of Greenland and the Faroe Islands under the Convention.
[...] the decision on Denmark's ratification was taken in accordance with the recommendation of December 21, 1978, of the Council of the European Communities concerning the ratification of the Convention.


18-09-1990

[...] that the reservation made with regard to the obligations of the Faroe Islands in connection with Denmark's ratification has been lifted in accordance with a recommendation submitted by the local government of the Faroe Islands.
This notice does not affect the reservation made with respect to Greenland.

United Kingdom

28-11-1980

[...] reserving the right not to apply the said Convention in respect of any territory for whose international relations the Government of the United Kingdom is responsible until three months after the date on which the Government of the United Kingdom notify the Secretary-General of the [International Maritime Organization] that the said Convention shall apply in respect of any such territory.

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