What’s the difference between a COC and a CEC — and which one do you need?
What is a COC as compared to a CEC under STCW? This question comes up a lot, and there is a lot of confusion as to what the difference is and who issues them. A COC is a Certificate of Competence, while a CEC is a Certificate of Equivalent Competence. The first thing that must be understood is that under the STCW Code, a COC is an official document that can only be issued to a seafarer by a flag state. It certifies that the person has the requisite skills, knowledge, abilities and experience to act within a stated role or position on a specific-sized and specific type of vessel. Its purpose is to show that the person it is issued to has met a minimum standard of competence under the STCW Code and has been determined competent and qualified.
Many flag states that issue COCs may also issue CECs, such as under the UK system; guidance can be found in UK MSN 1867 (M). A CEC is issued by a flag state to an individual who has a COC from another country or administration. The CEC acts as acceptance for them to use their COC from another country on board vessels that operate under the flag of the country that issued the CEC. A CEC must be used alongside your original COC and only remains valid if your COC remains valid.
Not all flag states will issue a CEC, and not all experience may transfer across to different administrations. For example, the USCG does not issue CECs but may allow foreign experience to count towards a US license (or COC), provided you meet the US requirements for issuance and have met the training requirements under STCW. Different flag states may recognize the training of others and choose to count it, or choose to have a mariner complete certain courses at training providers approved by that flag state. Remember, a training provider cannot issue you a COC under STCW, they can issue training completion certificates for courses taken, and then a flag state can accept those certificates and issue you a COC under STCW. There are organizations in the industry that issue a “COC,” but those are not STCW compliant; rather, these are professional certifications — not regulatory certifications. They may also require certain STCW certifications to work on board vessels.
When you include Port State Control offices in the discussion, things get a little more complicated. PSC inspectors may ask to not only see your COC or CEC but also your training certificates. They have the authority under not only STCW, but also the MLC and SOLAS. This is especially true if the inspector feels there is evidence that their COCs don’t match their abilities when asked questions. PSC inspectors have the right to inspect any foreign-flagged vessel entering their waters and their duties are first and foremost to ensure that the vessel and crew don’t pose a threat to the safety of their waters. Deficiencies in the vessel, records or crew may result in fines or detention of the vessel. Having all of your certificates and documents available will help ensure a smooth review of credentials.
The STCW Code can be daunting to understand, but that’s alright, there are places and people out there who can help with any questions. Having a basic understanding of what the STCW Code is, and which part of it you have to comply with, will help ensure you not only get the certificates you need, but also that you don’t spend time and money getting ones that you don’t need, or don’t need yet.