BMA watermark crest

STCW Training Approval


The Bahamas Maritime Authority approves training providers that provide training and education as required by STCW.

To become a BMA approved training provider the basic requirement is that the provider is either an institution that is:

  • based and registered in The Bahamas, or
  • an owner or manager operating Bahamian ship/units

The BMA also conducts Type-Rating approval under the High Speed Craft Code.

The approval procedure includes a review of the management of the training system and the training material, followed up by an onsite audit to verify that the training is managed and presented in compliance with the reviewed documentation.

Approved training providers will be issued with an approval letter for each course they are approved to provide. The approval also entitles providers to issue a training certificate or a Certificate of Proficiency under STCW.

The registry issues a list of Approved Training Providers and the courses each individual provider is approved to provide.

Companies present growing numbers of requests to The BMA to review and issue statement letters for internal non-STCW training of personnel on ships and in offices. To issue statement letters The BMA follows the same procedure as for approval of STCW training.

Full guidelines are outlined in BMA Information No. 86

Quick Links