STCW Circular

No. 2004-001
Antigua and Barbuda Rev 2
Maritime Administration 12 April 2021

SUBJECT: Application for Seafarer Documents

REFERENCE:

a) Antigua and Barbuda Merchant Shipping Act 2006, as amended

b) International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping

for Seafarers (STCW) 1978, as amended

TO: Ship-owners, operators, masters and officers of Antigua and Barbuda

flagged ships, and recognized filing agents.
1. PURPOSE

This Circular provides information on the requirements for endorsements and other
documents required by seafarers on Antigua and Barbuda ships and ensures that the
national requirements (which are in line with those in the STCW convention) are clear
for Port State Control Officers.

2. APPLICATION

This Circular applies to all Antigua and Barbuda flagged ships.

3. BACKGROUND

All crew members on board ships flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda are required to
be in possession of valid Seafarers’ documents plus, where required, a valid recognition
endorsement from Antigua and Barbuda. In case a recognition endorsement is required
an application must be submitted prior to the officer boarding the ship.
A CRA, which provides proof of application for an endorsement, will then be issued and
is valid for a maximum period of 3 months.

Antigua and Barbuda law makes the carriage of an Antigua and Barbuda Seafarer’s
Book (SFB) mandatory for all crew members, but this document is not subject to Port
State Control inspections according to Article X of the STCW Convention (see STCW
Circular 2002-001).

4. OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITES

1. In addition to the Seafarer’s Book all masters, deck officers and engineer officers at
the management and operational levels must hold a valid Antigua and Barbuda
endorsement recognizing their national Certificate of Competency (CoC). Antigua and
Barbuda endorsements for masters, chief mates and deck officers will be issued only
if they hold and have submitted a valid national GMDSS Radio Operator certificate or
if their national Certificate of Competency indicates “radiocommunications at the
operational level” in the list of functions.

2. On board ships of less than GT 300 which are not GMDSS‐equipped, masters and
deck officers are not obliged to have a GMDSS Radio Operator certificate.

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 STCW Circular
No. 2004-001
Rev 2
12 April 2021
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3. Additional endorsements for Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) will be issued as follows:

1. Ship Security endorsements in accordance with Reg. VI/5 of the STCW

Convention will be issued for all seafarers upon submission of the relevant national
certificate.
2. Tanker endorsements in accordance with Reg. V/1‐1 (oil and chemical) and Reg.
V/1‐2 (liquefied gas) of the STCW Convention will be issued for officers at the
management and operational level upon submission of the relevant national
certificate in advanced training:

1. For ratings, tanker endorsements will only be issued upon specific request and
only upon the submission of an advanced training certificate. National certificates
of basic tanker trainings are not being endorsed but should also be submitted for
registration.

4. The Flag State Administration of Antigua and Barbuda (ADOMS) does NOT issue
endorsements for the support level.

5. Seafarers’ documents should be applied for via the Interactive Online Application
System for Seafarers documents (IASS). The IASS is quite self‐explanatory and there
is no need to submit additional hard copy applications. However, in any case where,
for some reason it is not possible to apply via IASS, we are currently also still accepting
applications submitted on a hard copy basis.

6. All applications must be prepared by a recognised and authorised Filing Agent. The
Filing Agent will be held responsible for any irregularities pertaining to the application.
In some cases, the ship owning company itself is a recognised Filing Agent. Otherwise,
one of the recognised Filing Agents, shown on the “List of Filing Agents”, must be
contacted prior to submitting the application to the Flag State Administration.

7. IASS Applications

1. When using the IASS please refer to the following items which are valid both for
online as well as for hard copy applications:
1. Do not copy more than one document on one page.

2. Documents must be in the English language. Otherwise, a certified translation

must be attached.

3. Verification, authenticity, completeness, and correctness of an application must

be confirmed by a recognized Filing Agent.

4. The application must be submitted to ADOMS prior to the seafarer boarding the
vessel.

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 STCW Circular
No. 2004-001
Rev 2
12 April 2021
________________________________________________________________________

8. Application for the issuance of a Seafarer’s Book (SFB)

1. For an application for a Seafarers’ Book the following documents must be submitted:
1. A copy of the applicant’s current passport

2. A medical certificate duly signed and stamped by an approved medical practitioner

who is authorised to issue such certificates in the country of issue, provided that
the country is a signatory to the STCW Convention 1978, as amended (see STCW
Circular 2014-001)

3. A copy of a valid certificate of proficiency on basic training (please refer to STCW

Circular 2012-002). Alternatively, proof of seagoing service (minimum 6 months
within the preceding five years) must be entered into the IASS.

4. One colour photograph, passport size, recently taken (unscarred and not stamped)
must be submitted.

5. All available STCW certificates in accordance with the Regulations II/4 and III/4 or
II/5 and III/5 (Rating forming part of a navigational/an engineering watch or Able
Seafarer Deck/Engine) must be submitted.

9. Application for an endorsement in accordance with the STCW Convention 1978,

as amended

1. In addition to the above documents, the following must also be submitted:

1. a complete copy of the national certificate of competency plus its national STCW
endorsement plus

2. verification by the issuing administration in the form of a database printout

3. Proof of seagoing service (minimum of one year within the preceding five years)
must be entered into the IASS. Alternatively, evidence of participation in refresher
courses in the areas described in the STCW Convention 1978, as amended, Reg.
VI/1, must be submitted.

10. Application for a GMDSS endorsement

1. For officers in the deck department a flag State endorsement will only be issued in
connection with an endorsement for GMDSS Radio Operators. Therefore, the
following must also be submitted:

1. a copy of the national GMDSS certificate of competency plus its national STCW
endorsement

2. verification by the issuing administration in the form of a database printout

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 STCW Circular
No. 2004-001
Rev 2
12 April 2021
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11. Application for the issuance of an endorsement for certificates of special

qualifications

1. This applies for applicants who are in possession of certificates of special

qualification according to the STCW Convention 1978, as amended, Reg. V/1‐1 and
V/1‐2 (tanker certificates) and/or Reg. VI/5 (Ship Security Officer). The application
should include:

1. a copy of certificate of proficiency as Ship Security Officer and / or

2. a copy of the certificate of proficiency (for ratings) or endorsement to a certificate

of competency (for masters and officers) on oil and chemical and/or liquefied gas
tankers in accordance with STCW Reg. V/1‐1 and/or Reg. V/1‐2 (as appropriate).

12. Certificate of Receipt of Application (CRA).

1. Within three working days upon receipt of an application, a “Certificate of Receipt
of Application” will be issued for the applicants at the management and operational
levels who require endorsements to certificates of competency. This CRA is issued
in accordance with the STCW Convention Reg. I/10. The validity of a CRA is three
months and within this time the final endorsement will be issued by ADOMS. The
CRA is EDP‐generated and will be sent by e‐mail directly to the submitting company
(filing agent). A CRA will only be issued on receipt of a complete application.
Applications for a CRA by fax or e‐mail copy will not be accepted.

13. Revalidation of Seafarers’ Documents.

1. All Antigua and Barbuda seafarers’ documents are valid for a maximum period of
five years unless validity is specified in a seafarer’s national certificate of
competency and/or endorsement to be valid less than five years.

2. The revalidation of an endorsement or seafarer’s book will be made by issue of a

self‐adhesive sticker which has to be inserted in the appropriate pages of the
seafarer’s book. The application for revalidation of an endorsement or SFB may be
submitted within the nine months period prior to the expiry date.

3. Changes in personal data (e.g., name, passport number) will be made by the
issuance of a self‐adhesive sticker to be inserted in the appropriate page of the SFB.

14. Declaration of Familiarization

1. In accordance with the STCW Convention, Reg. I/10, all seafarers at the
management level must have appropriate knowledge of the maritime legislation and
administrative procedures of the flag State Administration relevant to the function
they are entitled to perform.

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 STCW Circular
No. 2004-001
Rev 2
12 April 2021
________________________________________________________________________

2. For Senior Officers on Antigua and Barbuda ships ADOMS provides the “Senior
Officer’s Handbook” on its website. Senior officers must be familiar with the
contents of this. Since an understanding of the operation and requirements of flag
State administrative procedures is a requirement for the issue of a flag state
endorsement for Masters, Chief Mates, Chief Engineers and Second Engineers. All
applicants for an endorsement in these capacities are required to submit a signed
declaration to state that they have read the “Senior Officer’s Handbook” and become
familiar with its contents.

3. To provide this evidence they have to sign the “Declaration of Familiarisation” (form
FO‐C13) which is an essential part of the application for the issuance of seafarers’
documents.
15. In exceptional cases where, for some reason, it is not possible to apply via the
IASS, we are currently also still accepting applications submitted on a hard copy
basis.

1. Hard copy applications must be:

1. accompanied by a cover letter summarising the details of the application

(number, names of applicants, vessels, owner, documents applied for, mailing
and invoicing instructions).

2. accompanied by a completed form FO‐C01 which must be completely

readable and clear (preferably in block capital letters).

3. signed and dated by a recognized Filing Agent.

4. accompanied by a completed check list for verification of application documents:

1. As from 01 March 2003 all applications made on a hard copy basis must be
accompanied by a checklist (form FO‐C14). This checklist contains all the
requirements for a proper application. The Filing Agent is responsible for its
completion. After receipt of the application a counter check will be made by
ADOMS. Negative results of the ADOMS’ counter check will lead to rejection
of the application.

Issued by

Antigua and Barbuda

Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping
(ADOMS) St. John’s

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