{"id":1419,"date":"2026-05-17T08:39:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T08:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maritimebizreview.com\/?p=1419"},"modified":"2026-05-17T08:39:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T08:39:13","slug":"editorial-opinion-sea-time-the-currency-of-competence-or-a-box-ticking-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maritimebizreview.com\/?p=1419","title":{"rendered":"Editorial Opinion: Sea Time \u2013 The Currency of Competence or a Box-Ticking Exercise?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The term “sea time” is deceptively simple. To a outsider, it suggests days spent on the ocean. To a seafarer, it means something far more rigorous: active, documented service aboard a sailing vessel engaged in cargo transport. Yet, as the maritime industry grapples with a global shortage of qualified officers, a pressing question emerges\u2014are we valuing authentic experience or merely collecting endorsements?<\/p>\n

Our analysis of the document “What is Sea Time Required of a Seafarer”<\/em><\/strong> reveals both a clear regulatory framework and a troubling undercurrent of exploitation, particularly for seafarers from developing maritime nations.<\/p>\n

The Framework is Sound, But Unevenly Applied<\/strong><\/p>\n

The STCW Convention 2010 provides a logical ladder of progression. A deck cadet typically requires 36 months of sea time, reducible to 12\u201318 months if a structured training program with a Training Record Book is completed. The climb from Cadet to OOW (12 months), then to Chief Mate (12\u201318 months in rank), and finally to Master (36 months total with 18 months as Chief Officer) is designed to build competence incrementally.<\/p>\n

On paper, this works. A master who has spent 18 months as a chief officer on vessels over 500 GT has theoretically been tested in navigation, cargo operations, and crew management. A chief engineer with 12 months as a second engineer on ships over 3,000 kW has proven their machinery troubleshooting skills.<\/p>\n

But theory and reality diverge sharply where enforcement is weak.<\/p>\n

The Elephant in the Room: Flags of Convenience and Dubious Owners<\/p>\n

The document makes a bold and necessary admission: “Shipowners are always suspicious of FOC qualifications.” Flags of Convenience (FOCs) like Liberia and Honduras may legally set their own training standards, provided they meet IMO minimums. However, suspicion persists because too many certificates from these registries have been issued based on sea time served with “dubious shipowners.”<\/p>\n

This is not abstract criticism. The document specifically calls out Kenya’s KMA for leaning toward Liberia for seafarer qualifications after training at Bandari Academy or TUM. Let that sink in. Kenyan cadets complete reputable academic training only to have their mandatory sea time served on vessels whose owners prioritize paperwork over practical mentorship.<\/p>\n

The result? Qualified on paper, underprepared on the bridge.<\/p>\n

What Sea Time Must Become<\/strong><\/p>\n

If sea time is to retain its meaning as the crucible of maritime competence, three reforms are necessary:<\/p>\n

First, flag states and port state control must audit sea service records randomly, not just during certificate issuance. A signature from a captain who never stepped into the engine room should void the entry.<\/p>\n

Second, the reduction of cadet sea time from 36 months to 12\u201318 months should only be permitted for training programs that are themselves audited by recognized authorities, not by the same dubious owners who profit from cheap labor.<\/p>\n

Third, the document correctly notes that sea time must include active watchkeeping, not just “time on board.” Yet without logbook verification of specific competencies\u2014navigation fixes, cargo planning, emergency drills\u2014months at sea remain meaningless.<\/p>\n

A Final Word to Maritime Administrations<\/strong><\/p>\n

To Kenya’s KMA, to MARINA in the Philippines, to AMSA in Australia, and to the MCA in the UK: Sea time is the one thing that cannot be faked in a classroom. When you allow it to be devalued by lax oversight or partnerships with FOCs that turn a blind eye, you do not help your seafarers\u2014you endanger every vessel they will eventually serve on.<\/p>\n

The sea does not recognize certificates. It only recognizes competence. And competence is forged in honest sea time, not in a logbook filled by a dubious shipowner.<\/p>\n

Let us demand sea time that means what it says\u2014time at sea, working, watchkeeping, and proving readiness. Anything less is a betrayal of the mariner’s profession.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The term “sea time” is deceptively simple. To a outsider, it suggests days spent on the ocean. To a seafarer, it means something far more rigorous: active, documented service aboard a sailing vessel engaged in cargo transport. 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