Training Record Books

• Practical training and seagoing service
• Training Record Books
• Legal Basis

Practical training and seagoing service

Seafarers who wish to obtain a certificate of competency or proficiency in Germany must, in addition to the general requirements, complete practical training and seagoing service as described below.

For the acquisition of 

• a navigational certificate of competency with practical training and seagoing service as a ship's mechanic or as a navigational officer's assistant (NOA),
• an engineering certificate of competency with practical training and seagoing service as a ship's mechanic or as a technical officer's assistant (TOA), or
• an electro-technical certificate of competency with practical training and seagoing service as an electro-technical officer's assistant (ETOA).

In addition, seagoing service of NOA, TOA or ETOA may also be achieved with an internship in accordance with educational provisions or with practical semesters.

For the acquisition of 

• a certificate of proficiency for a rating as able seafarer deck: practical training and seagoing service as able seafarer deck rating aspirant (NMA) or
• a certificate of proficiency for a rating as an able seafarer engine: practical training and seagoing service as able seafarer engine rating aspirant (TMA).

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Training Record Books

Structured practical training and seagoing service must be documented in a training record book. This consists of

• the training schedule,
• the daily report (here the tasks must be described daily),
• for officer's assistants the ship's data sheet (which has to be filled in on each ship) and
• the project work.

In the training record books the responsible instructors confirm that the relevant requirements of the STCW Convention (in German only) have been met with the on-board training.

With exception of the training record book for ship mechanics, the training record books are published by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) and sold in bookstores. There is a separate training record book for each of the following structured training and seagoing service:

Training Record Book for Ship Mechanics

• is included in the "Ausbildungsordner für die Ausbildung zum Schiffsmechaniker“ (training folder for the training of ship's mechanics) published by the Berufsbildungsstelle Seeschifffahrt e.V. (BBS) (in German only)

Training Record Book NOA

• is the On Board Training Record Book for Navigational Officer's Assistant

Training Record Book TOA

• is the On Board Training Record Book for Technical Officer’s Assistant

Training Record Book ETOA

• is the On Board Training Record Book for Electro-Technical Officer's Assistant

Training Record Book NMA

• is the On Board Training Record Book (TRB) for Able Seafarer Deck Rating Aspirant

Training Record Book TMA

• is the On Board Training Record Book (TRB) for Able Seafarer Engine Rating Aspirant

Training Record Book ESA

• is the On Board Training Record Book (TRB) for Electro Technical Rating Aspirant

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Legal basis

The practical training and seagoing service is regulated by the (in German only):

• "Richtlinien für die Ausbildung von nautischen Offiziersassistenten in der Seeschifffahrt" (Guidelines for the training of navigational officer's assistants in maritime navigation)
• "Richtlinien für die Ausbildung von technischen Offiziersassistenten in der Seeschifffahrt" (Guidelines for the training of technical officer's assistants in maritime navigation)
• "Richtlinien für die Ausbildung von elektrotechnischen Offiziersassistenten in der Seeschifffahrt" (Guidelines for the training of electro-technical officer's assistants in maritime navigation)
• "Richtlinien für die zugelassene praktische Ausbildung und Seefahrtzeit für Vollmatroseanwärter Deck" (Guidelines for the training of able seafarer deck rating aspirants)
• "Richtlinien für die zugelassene praktische Ausbildung und Seefahrtzeit für Vollmatroseanwärter Maschine" (Guidelines for the training of able seafarer engine rating aspirants)
•  Richtlinien für die zugelassene praktische Ausbildung und Seefahrtzeit für Schiffselektrikeranwärter" (Guidelines for the training of electro-technical rating aspirants)

Compliance with the guidelines is monitored by:

• the Berufsbildungsstelle Seeschifffahrt e.V. (BBS, in German only), if it has issued a training certificate,
• the technical colleges and universities of applied sciences, if corresponding training courses are offered at the respective schools (e.g. courses with practical semesters) as well as
• the Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie (Section S12) for able seafarer and electro-technical rating aspirants.

Do you still have questions? Here you can find further contact information.

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