Maritime Coastguard Agency
The revised medical certification policy during the COVID 19 pandemic, for merchant seafarers and fishermen, should only be followed once you have made every effort to obtain a medical certificate. A certificate should still be obtained as soon as possible, refer to coronavirus (COVID 19 contingency plan and guidelines for seafarers
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) collect and retain personal information provided on the medical examination of seafarers report form (ENG 2) the seafarer medical examination notice of failure/restriction (ENG 3), the certificate of medical fitness (ENG 1), and any seafarer medical report forms (ML5), which are referred to MCA for assessment.
We will use this information to fulfil our duties as stated in the merchant shipping (maritime labour convention) (medical certification) regulations 2010 (which implement the UKs international obligations under maritime labour convention, 2006), the ILO work in fishing convention (C.188) and the international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW).
To find out more about how the MCA looks after personal data, your rights and how to contacts our data protection officer please go to the MCA personal information charter page.
Overview
As a seafarer, its important that you are fit for the job you are doing on a day-to-day basis, and during emergencies.
A medical examination will find out if you have a health condition that could result in you needing urgent treatment, or potentially put fellow crew or passengers lives at risk.
If you are employed on a ship, and its your normal place of work, then regulations require you to have a medical examination. This is to prove that you are in good enough health and fitness to carry out your duties.
This guide tells you which of the two medical certificates you need, how to get it, and where to find a doctor to carry out a medical fitness examination. It also tells you what to do if you fail, and want to get your result reviewed.
What is a seafarer?
The maritime labour convention (MLC) states:
A seafarer is any person, including a master, who is employed or engaged or works in any capacity on board a ship and whose normal place of work is on a ship.
Seafarers and other crew members: which medical certificate do you need?
You need a seafarer medical certificate (ENG1) if you are:
- in charge of a ship, e.g. ships captain
- serving on a merchant ship
- a seafarer
- working on a fishing vessel over 24m in length
- working on a fishing vessel less than 24m in length, but are at sea for more than 72 hours or are operating more than 200 miles from the coastline of the UK or beyond the continental shelf
- working on a fishing vessel of any size that is subject to inspection at a foreign port
Any seafarer on board a ship must have an ENG1 (or equivalent) to work on a merchant vessel, or for any UK certificate of competency (CoC).
You need an ML5 medical report and certificate if you are:
- master of a non-seagoing passenger ship (Class IV or V)
- master of a commercial non-seagoing vessel
- master and crew of a small commercial vessel (under 24 metres, carrying no more than 12 passengers, going no more than 60 miles from shore)
- crew or other employee (like a steward, security guard, caterer) on a domestic seagoing passenger ship (Class VI or VI(A)).
This has to be your normal place of work.
You dont need either certificate if you are employed:
- on a non-commercial pleasure vessel
- on an offshore installation while on its working station
- on-shore as your normal place of work
and/or working during a voyage on a short-term, one-off or temporary basis in roles like:
- a guest lecturer
- a research scientist
- riding crew
- a pilot
- a trainee or a volunteer on a sail training ship (carrying out non safety-critical role)
ENG 1 and maritime labour convention (MLC) compliance
The ENG 1 has been MLC compliant since 2010, when the medical standards were changed. A new merchant shipping notice (MSN) was then published.
STCW requires a doctor to check the identification document (ID) at the time of the medical examination but does not require the document number to be entered on the ENG 1. From the end of May 2018, MCA approved doctors will not enter ID details on the ENG 1 medical certificate.
MSN 1886 is the most current notice.
This notice also applies if you want to have an independent medical review after failing the ENG1.
MCA are satisfied that the ENG1 is MLC compliant, because the medical examination and certification system meets the MLCs requirements of:
- appointing and training approved doctors (ADs)
- validity of certificates
- your right to appeal the ADs decision if youre unhappy with it
- checking your ID
- the scope of the medical, such as checking your colour vision and (as of 2010) your hearing
Read the merchant shipping (maritime labour convention) (medical examination) regulations.
Seafarers getting an ENG1: find an MCA AD to carry out your ENG1
Search MCAs current list of ADs in the UK.
Search MCAs current list of ADs overseas and in international territories.
Search MCAs current list of Doctors who were previously approved.
All lists are updated regularly.
Seafarers getting an ENG1 equivalent: find countries whose certificates are accepted on UK flag vessels
Each country has a list of its own ADs. To get a certificate thats been assessed as equivalent to ENG1, you must contact the relevant countrys own maritime authority. Theyll give you the locations of their own ADs.
The list updates annex A of MSN 1815 Amendment 6, which lists the countries that can issue equivalent certificates. Its updated as and when medical standards and systems have been assessed for equivalency.