Cross-Industry Collaboration Aims for Seafarer Certification App
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Lloyd’s Register OneOcean (LROO) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) of the Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation, have agreed to explore the integration of seafarer certification systems and to develop a mobile phone app.
The aim is to test the feasibility of a digital system where all seafarer certificates can be securely stored and consolidated, allowing real-time access for all key stakeholders.
This would reduce administrative burdens associated with paper-based seafarer endorsement and verification, while ensuring efficiency for flag administrations, port state control, seafarers and shipping and ship management companies.
Paper certificates continue to dominate the industry despite seafarer documentation requiring regular renewal, with differing requirements and processes between countries.
The objectives of the collaboration align with recent amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) code that came into effect on the January, 1 2025, supporting the maritime industry’s transition to digital certification.
ICS, LROO and MARINA will develop an initial API (Application Programming Interface) integration concept to explore linking MARINA’s Integrated Seafarers Management Online System (MISMO) to the pilot platform.
Upon successful validation of the concept, MARINA will engage with its seafarer community—approximately 400,000 Filipino seafarers—to gather insights on digital certification needs and potential adoption pathways.