Becoming a seafarer in Sri Lanka as a career change

Age limits

• The regulations set minimum ages: sixteen for a seafarer medical certificate.
  Source: Amendment to the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers) Regulations, 2016 (Gazette Extraordinary No. 2303/16, 26.10.2022)
• Watch ratings and officers of the watch must be at least eighteen at the exam.
  Source: Amendment to the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers) Regulations, 2016 (Gazette Extraordinary No. 2303/16, 26.10.2022)

Entry through your shore profession

Minimum set of documents

• Minimum set for a watch rating: personal survival, fire fighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and security duties training.
  Source: Amendment to the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers) Regulations, 2016 (Gazette Extraordinary No. 2303/16, 26.10.2022)
• Plus a valid medical certificate and the CDC from the MSS.
  Source: Ocean University of Sri Lanka: Seafarers Unit

Costs and timing: official fees only

• The Ocean University pre-sea deck rating course is full-time and lasts 6 months.
  Source: Ocean University of Sri Lanka: Pre Sea Training for Deck Rating (Seaman)
• The Mahapola academy's pre-sea deck rating course lasts 63 days.
  Source: Mahapola Ports & Maritime Academy (Sri Lanka Ports Authority): Pre-Sea Training Course for Deck Rating

How to avoid scams

• Holding a forged certificate or one obtained by fraud is an offence punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
  Source: Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers) Regulations, 2016 (Gazette Extraordinary No. 1987/19)
• To get a CDC, use only courses approved by the Merchant Shipping Secretariat.
  Source: Ocean University of Sri Lanka: Seafarers Unit

First job: starter vacancies

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