STCW basic training guide

STCW Elementary First Aid for Cruise Ship Crew

Elementary First Aid teaches the immediate actions a seafarer may need to take after an accident or medical emergency until more qualified help is available. It is the first aid component of STCW basic training and should be completed through an approved route that is accepted for your actual role and joining process.

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What Elementary First Aid actually is

This is not a general health article and it is not a substitute for advanced shipboard medical training. It is a defined STCW competence focused on the first actions taken when somebody is injured or suddenly becomes ill at sea.

Where EFA fits into STCW

STCW basic training includes personal survival techniques, fire prevention and fire fighting, elementary first aid, and personal safety and social responsibilities. The exact training package required for a cruise role should be confirmed with the employer or approved recruitment process before you pay for courses.

For many shipboard roles, employers expect recognised basic safety training before joining or before final assignment. The safest approach is to follow the written requirement for your vacancy rather than assuming every applicant needs the same package at the same stage.

What EFA is designed to achieve

The STCW standard focuses on assessing the casualty, recognising threats to your own safety and taking immediate measures until further assistance is available. It is practical, safety focused training rather than a medical qualification.

The competence includes resuscitation, bleeding control, shock management, burns and scalds, casualty rescue and transport, and use of emergency first aid materials.

Important. Do not treat a course advertisement as proof that the certificate will be accepted for your ship. Training approval, administration recognition and employer acceptance are separate questions. Confirm them before paying.

The competence areas covered by STCW EFA

The core subjects below follow the competence described in STCW Code table A-VI/1-3. Training providers may organise the classroom and practical exercises differently.

Assess the situation

Identify the needs of the casualty while checking for hazards that could place you or other people at risk.

Position the casualty

Use an appropriate casualty position based on the emergency and the response being taught.

Resuscitation techniques

Practise the required resuscitation response and demonstrate competence under instruction.

Control bleeding

Take immediate measures to control bleeding and reduce the risk of further harm.

Manage basic shock

Recognise the situation and apply appropriate elementary measures while further help is arranged.

Burns and scalds

Apply appropriate immediate measures for burns, scalds and accidents involving electric current.

Rescue and transport

Learn safe principles for rescuing and moving a casualty without creating unnecessary additional risk.

Emergency first aid materials

Use materials in the emergency kit and improvise basic bandaging where appropriate.

Elementary First Aid and Medical First Aid are different courses

The names are easy to confuse. EFA is part of STCW basic training. Medical First Aid under STCW section A-VI/4 is for seafarers who are designated to provide medical first aid on board and carries a broader level of responsibility.

Question	Elementary First Aid	Medical First Aid
STCW reference	Table A-VI/1-3 within basic training.	Table A-VI/4-1 for designated shipboard medical first aid duties.
Main purpose	Take immediate action after an accident or medical emergency until further assistance is available.	Provide immediate effective first aid for accidents or illness likely to occur on board.
Typical scope	Casualty assessment, resuscitation, bleeding, basic shock management, burns, casualty movement and emergency first aid materials.	Broader medical first aid knowledge including casualty examination, spinal injuries, fractures, heat and cold effects, toxicological hazards and radio medical advice.
Who should book	Applicants whose employer or STCW training pathway requires the EFA component.	Seafarers specifically designated for the higher shipboard medical first aid function.

What to expect from an approved EFA course

The exact timetable and provider format can vary. What matters is that the course and assessment meet the applicable approval requirements for the certificate you need.

Before booking

Confirm the correct provider

Check the employer requirement and the relevant maritime administration before choosing a training centre.

During training

Expect practical participation

EFA is competence based. You should expect practical exercises rather than only passive theory or a simple online quiz.

Assessment

Demonstrate the response

The STCW framework requires evidence that the required standard of competence has been achieved.

After training

Keep your certificate details organised

Store a clear copy, record the provider and course date, and use the employer approved channel when submitting documents.

Booking Elementary First Aid in South Africa

SAMSA publishes training standards and lists of accredited maritime training programmes. Approval status and expiry dates can change, so applicants should check the current official information instead of relying on an old screenshot, social post or training centre advertisement.

If a recruiter has given you a specific training instruction, compare it with the current SAMSA information and ask the recruiter to confirm any uncertainty before paying.

Check SAMSA Training Standards

Check these details before you pay

The exact course name and STCW reference required for your role.
Whether the training centre is currently approved for Elementary First Aid.
Whether your cruise line, flag administration or joining process accepts the certificate.
What identification and pre-course documents you must bring.
Whether the quoted fee includes assessment, certificate issue and any required administration charges.
How long the provider says certificate processing will take after successful completion.

Avoid the most common EFA booking mistakes

The course itself is only useful if the certificate matches the requirement attached to your real job and joining pathway.

Do not assume every first aid certificate is equivalent

A workplace first aid certificate may be useful in its own context, but it is not automatically the same as an approved STCW Elementary First Aid certificate. Check the approval wording and the employer requirement.

Likewise, a course called “maritime first aid” is not enough evidence by name alone. Confirm which STCW standard it is approved against.

Do not assume EFA has the same five year rule as every STCW module

STCW Code section A-VI/1 paragraph 3 places the five year maintained competence requirement on Personal Survival Techniques and Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting. That specific paragraph does not list Elementary First Aid.

Administrations, employers or certificate schemes may still impose their own current acceptance or revalidation requirements. Always check the rule that applies to your certificate and assignment.

Related training and joining guides

Use the links below to connect EFA with the rest of your safety training and cruise ship document preparation.

Elementary First Aid FAQ

These answers explain the most common questions applicants ask before booking. Your employer and the relevant maritime authority remain the final source for your individual requirement.

Is Elementary First Aid part of STCW Basic Safety Training?

Yes. STCW Code section A-VI/1 lists Elementary First Aid in table A-VI/1-3 as one of the basic training components.

Does every cruise ship applicant need EFA before applying?

Not necessarily at the application stage. Requirements depend on the role, employer and joining pathway. Confirm what is required before paying for training.

Can I complete STCW EFA fully online?

Do not assume an online certificate is acceptable. The competence includes practical demonstration and approved assessment. Use a provider and delivery format accepted by the relevant administration and employer.

Is ordinary workplace first aid the same as STCW EFA?

No automatic equivalence should be assumed. Check whether the certificate is specifically approved for the STCW Elementary First Aid standard you need.

Is EFA the same as Medical First Aid?

No. Medical First Aid is a separate STCW competence under section A-VI/4 for seafarers designated to provide medical first aid on board.

Does EFA automatically expire after five years?

The five year maintained competence rule in STCW A-VI/1 paragraph 3 specifically names Personal Survival Techniques and Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting. Check your administration and employer for any separate EFA validity or acceptance rule.

How do I know whether a South African provider is approved?

Check the current SAMSA training standards and accredited programme information before booking. Approval status can change.

What should I keep after the course?

Keep the original certificate as instructed, a secure digital copy, provider details and the course date. Submit sensitive documents only through an approved recruitment or employer channel.

Official references used for this guide

These sources explain the STCW framework and help applicants verify training approval instead of relying on informal advice.

International Maritime OrganizationOfficial STCW Convention overview and convention materials. STCW Code table A-VI/1-3Official IMO conference document containing the elementary first aid competence table. SAMSA Training StandardsSouth African training standards and maritime course information. MCA Approved Training ProvidersUK Maritime and Coastguard Agency guidance covering approved STCW short courses. Crew Life at Sea Document HubConnect the training certificate to the wider joining document process. Start Your ApplicationUse the application route when you are ready to move from research into recruitment.

Book the right first aid course for the job you are actually joining

Verify the STCW requirement, the provider approval and the employer acceptance before you spend money. Then keep the certificate organised with the rest of your joining documents.

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