Since 1 January 2026, IMO Resolution MSC.560(108) requires every STCW Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR) course to train seafarers to prevent and respond to violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault. For shipping companies and crew managers, the task is to confirm that each seafarer’s PSSR meets the rule of the administration that issued it and of the ship’s flag, because administrations treat pre-2026 certificates differently: the UK requires a top-up by 31 March 2027, while Bahamas accepts them with onboard training. Separate amendments to the MLC, 2006, expected to enter into force on 23 December 2027, add employer duties on policies, reporting and complaints.
Seaman Books is a crew documentation consultancy in Business Bay, Dubai. We don’t deliver training, issue certificates or act as a flag administration. This guide sets out what the 2026 change means for a company managing crew across more than one flag.
The 2026 PSSR amendment for companies, at a glance
What changed A new PSSR competence: “Contribute to the prevention of and response to violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault” Legal basis IMO Resolution MSC.560(108), adopted 23 May 2024, replacing STCW Code Table A-VI/1-4 In force 1 January 2026 Who on your crew needs it Everyone who needs PSSR: crew with designated safety or pollution-prevention duties, including hotel and catering crew with muster duties New PSSR certificates (2026 on) Must include the competence Pre-2026 PSSR certificates Depends on the administration. UK: top-up by 31 March 2027. Bahamas: valid, with company onboard training. Others: check each notice Company duty today Ensure crew hold appropriate certificates and keep crew training records accessible (STCW Regulation I/14) Company duty from Dec 2027 MLC 2025 amendments: measures to prevent and address violence and harassment on board (expected in force 23 Dec 2027)
Key dates for the 2026 PSSR amendment
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 23 May 2024 | IMO Maritime Safety Committee adopts MSC.560(108), replacing the PSSR table | MSC.560(108) |
| 6 June 2025 | International Labour Conference adopts 2025 amendments to the MLC, 2006, on violence and harassment | HK MarDep MSIN 14/2026 |
| 21 November 2025 | Bahamas Maritime Authority confirms pre-2026 PSSR stays valid, with onboard training | BMA Marine Notice 20 v1.1 |
| 1 January 2026 | Amendment enters into force. PSSR courses must include the competence | IMO briefing |
| February 2026 | IMO HTW Sub-Committee session. The UK revised its position afterwards | MGN 718 §3 |
| 3 September 2026 | UK MCA updates MGN 718: top-up required for UK-certified seafarers | MGN 718 |
| 31 March 2027 | UK deadline for the top-up | MGN 718 |
| 23 December 2027 | MLC 2025 amendments expected to enter into force | HK MarDep MSIN 14/2026 |
What the amendment adds to PSSR
The revised Table A-VI/1-4 has seven competences. The new one sits between human relationships and fatigue, and it has two halves. Prevention covers the forms violence and harassment take, how harm escalates along a “continuum of harm”, its effects, and contributing factors such as abuse of power, discrimination, stress, isolation, fatigue, and drugs or alcohol. Response covers recognising it, intervening, reporting, and trauma-informed support for victims, bystanders and the seafarer themselves.
It is assessed on evidence from approved instruction or an approved course. There’s no practical drill, so it is the one part of basic training that is often delivered online. It is not a new certificate: it lives inside PSSR.
For the full competence table and what a seafarer needs to show, see STCW SASH training: the 2026 PSSR update exp
Why PSSR compliance is the company’s problem, not only the seafarer’s
STCW puts certificate checking on the company. Under Regulation I/14, a company must ensure that each seafarer assigned to its ships holds an appropriate certificate, and that documentation and data on all seafarers it employs are maintained and readily accessible.
So when an administration decides that pre-2026 PSSR no longer meets its standard, the gap belongs to the employer as soon as that seafarer is assigned to a ship. Crew managers and manning agencies inherit it in practice too, because they assemble the certificates the company relies on.
Two administrations usually apply to each seafarer:
- The administration that issued the seafarer’s PSSR and certificate of competency or proficiency decides whether the training meets its standard.
- The flag of the ship decides what it accepts for endorsements, seaman’s books and crew lists.
On a mixed-nationality crew under an open-registry flag, those can be different countries for every person on board.
Pre-2026 PSSR: what each administration has published
Positions as published by each administration, last checked. The UK replaced its first notice within nine months, so treat this table as a snapshot.
| Administration | Pre-2026 PSSR | What the company has to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (MCA) | Top-up required for all UK PSSR dated before 1 Jan 2026 and all UK CoC and CoP holders. The MCA provides a free online module (OneOcean ref. 0900, about 1 hour) | Make sure UK-certified crew complete it by 31 March 2027. Keep records of completion (§7.1). The UK accepts other White List PSSR only where it references MSC.560(108) (§4.1) | MGN 718 (M+F) |
| Bahamas (BMA) | Remain valid | The company and master must give onboard training on bullying and harassment covering the elements of Table A-VI/1-4 | Marine Notice 20 v1.1 §1.4, §4.8, §7.3.4 |
| Gibraltar | No refresher currently required | Recommends companies adopt bullying and harassment policies and familiarisation | Gibraltar Maritime Administration notice |
| Panama (AMP) | AMP — Merchant Marine Circular / MSC.560(108) | The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) has formally adopted and implemented IMO Resolution MSC.560(108) through Administrative Resolution ADM No. 150-2025, dated 24 November 2025. | AMP — Merchant Marine Circular / MSC.560(108) |
| Liberia (LISCR) | This is official Liberian Registry guidance relating to the implementation of IMO Resolution MSC.560(108). | Basic Training with Updated Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR | [VERIFY] |
| Palau, Belize (IMMARBE), Honduras, St Kitts & Nevis | Palau Ship Registry |
The fleet check: what to do for each crew member
| Crew member’s PSSR | Issuing administration / ship’s flag | Action for the company |
|---|---|---|
| Completed on or after 1 Jan 2026 at an approved centre | Any | Check the certificate names the approving administration. Where the UK or another administration asks for it, check it references “Table A-VI/1-4, as amended by MSC.560(108)” |
| Before 2026 | UK-issued CoC, CoP or PSSR | Top-up module by 31 March 2027. File the completion record |
| Before 2026 | Bahamas-flag ship | Valid. Deliver and record onboard training on bullying and harassment covering Table A-VI/1-4 |
| Before 2026 | Administration with no published position | Record that you checked and when. Consider an approved top-up before the next crew change or revalidation so a later change of position doesn’t catch the seafarer at the gangway |
| Generic online certificate, no named approving administration | Any | Treat as unverified. A course with no administration approval is unlikely to satisfy an inspector or a flag |
| PSSR missing from the file | Any | Basic training is incomplete. The seafarer shouldn’t be assigned shipboard safety duties until it is resolved |
What to keep on file
The UK MCA expects companies to “maintain records of training completion” (MGN 718 §7.1). STCW I/14 already requires crew training data to be readily accessible. For each seafarer, a usable record holds:
| Field | Why |
|---|---|
| PSSR certificate number and issue date | Places it before or after 1 January 2026 |
| Training centre and approving administration | Shows the course was approved, and by whom |
| MSC.560(108) reference on the certificate (yes/no) | Some administrations and the UK’s White List acceptance rule look for it |
| Top-up record (module, date, provider) | Evidence for administrations that require one |
| Onboard training record (date, ship, delivered by) | Required for Bahamas-flag ships with pre-2026 PSSR holders |
| Date the record was last checked against the flag’s notice | Shows due diligence while positions are still changing |
If you already track certificates in a matrix, add these as columns. Our crew certification tracking matrix is a starting template.
The MLC 2025 STCW PSSR amendments: the employer side
STCW governs what the seafarer is trained to do. The employer’s own duties on violence and harassment come from the Maritime Labour Convention. The 2025 amendments to the MLC, 2006, adopted on 6 June 2025, require measures to prevent and address violence and harassment on board, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault. Those measures include policies, reporting procedures and safeguards in on-board complaint procedures. They are expected to enter into force on 23 December 2027 (HK MarDep MSIN 14/2026, 28 September 2026).
The amendments touch four MLC regulations:
| MLC regulation | Subject | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4 | Recruitment and placement | Relevant to manning agencies and seafarer recruitment and placement services |
| 3.1 | Accommodation and recreational facilities | |
| 4.3 | Health and safety protection and accident prevention | Where shipowner policies and on-board programmes sit |
| 5.1 | Flag state responsibilities | Flag inspections will check the new measures once in force |
What a company can prepare now, without waiting for the text to bite:
- A written policy on violence and harassment, adopted at board or DPA level and posted on board.
- A reporting route that doesn’t depend on the person’s head of department or the master, with the DPA or a named shore contact as an alternative.
- Complaint handling that protects the person who complains from victimisation. MLC Standard A5.1.5 already requires this for complaints that are not manifestly vexatious or maliciously made.
- A link between the policy and the training: what crew learn in PSSR should match the procedure they fi
Where non-compliance shows up
It surfaces at points where someone checks crew paperwork:
- Crew changes and joining. A seafarer with pre-2026 PSSR under an administration that now requires a top-up can be queried at signing on.
- Flag-state seaman’s book and endorsement applications. These usually include basic training certificates. If the administration wants PSSR that reflects MSC.560(108), expect a query, and a query adds time.
- Port State Control. PSC officers check that crew hold the certificates the flag requires. See the crew-certificate items PSC officers record on our crew documentation services page.
- Revalidation and promotion. When an officer revalidates a CoC, the issuing administration sees the whole training file.
A 90-day plan for crew managers
- Week 1–2: list the exposure. Pull every seafarer’s PSSR date, issuing administration and assigned flag. Sort pre-2026 holders by administration.
- Week 2–3: check the rules. For each administration and flag in your fleet, read its current notice on MSC.560(108). Record “no published position” with the date where there isn’t one.
- Week 3–6: close UK gaps first. UK-certified crew have a fixed deadline of 31 March 2027. Schedule the free MCA module around contracts and leave.
- Week 4–8: Bahamas-flag ships. Put the onboard bullying and harassment training into the SMS and start recording it.
- Week 6–10: decide on the rest. For administrations without a position, decide fleet policy: top up now, or monitor monthly.
- Week 8–12: start the MLC work. Draft the policy, reporting route and complaint safeguards so they’re in the SMS well before December 2027.
- Ongoing: re-check the flag notices monthly until at least 31 March 2027.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it causes trouble |
|---|---|
| Assuming pre-2026 PSSR is fine everywhere | True for some flags, wrong for UK-certified crew since September 2026 |
| Checking only the ship’s flag | The certificate-issuing administration also has a say |
| Buying a generic “PSSR 2026” e-learning certificate | Without approval from the relevant administration it may not be accepted |
| Treating it as a new, separate STCW certificate | It’s part of PSSR. A top-up record supplements the existing certificate where an administration accepts that |
| Doing the training but not filing the evidence | Under STCW I/14 and MGN 718, the record is the proof |
| Treating the STCW change as the whole job | The MLC amendments add policy and procedure duties the training doesn’t cover |
How Seaman Books helps crew managers
We check crew documents against the administrations your fleet works with before anything is filed. For the 2026 PSSR amendment, that means a per-person check of PSSR date, issuing administration and assigned flag, returned as a gap report, as part of our free crew document audit. Where a top-up or a new course is needed, we arrange enrolment and prepare the seaman’s book and flag-state filings around it.
We work with the administrations of Panama, Palau, Liberia, Bahamas, Belize, Honduras and St Kitts & Nevis. Within Atomiq Group, training is delivered separately by Atomiq College, the Group’s maritime training institute in Kathmandu, approved by IMMARBE, or for UAE-based crew by an approved partner training centre in the UAE.
Send a crew list for a free document audit
Send the crew list with each seafarer’s PSSR date, issuing administration and assigned vessel flag. We’ll return a gap report showing who needs a top-up under which rule.
- WhatsApp the Dubai desk: +971 55 458 3416
- Online: request the free crew document audit
- Office: #903 Regal Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE
If a crew member is dealing with harassment, bullying or assault now, the company’s DPA and the on-board complaint procedure are the first routes. SeafarerHelp, run by ISWAN, offers seafarers free, confidential support.
Frequently asked questions
What are the STCW PSSR 2026 amendments?
IMO Resolution MSC.560(108) replaced STCW Code Table A-VI/1-4 and added a competence on preventing and responding to violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault. It was adopted on 23 May 2024 and entered into force on 1 January 2026. Every approved PSSR course must now include it.
Do shipping companies have to retrain crew who hold pre-2026 PSSR?
It depends on the administration. The UK requires all UK-certified seafarers with pre-2026 PSSR to complete a free online top-up by 31 March 2027. Bahamas accepts pre-2026 certificates if the company gives onboard training. Check the notice of each certificate-issuing administration and each flag in your fleet.
Who is responsible for PSSR compliance, the seafarer or the company?
Both, in practice. Under STCW Regulation I/14, the company must ensure each seafarer assigned to its ships holds an appropriate certificate and that crew training records are readily accessible. A seafarer with pre-2026 PSSR that no longer meets an administration’s standard becomes a company issue once assigned to a ship.
What records should a company keep for the PSSR amendment?
For each seafarer: PSSR certificate number and date, training centre and approving administration, whether the certificate references MSC.560(108), any top-up record, any onboard training record, and the date you last checked the flag’s notice. The UK MCA expects companies to maintain records of training completion.
Is violence and harassment training a separate STCW certificate?
No. It is a competence inside PSSR, one of the four STCW basic training courses. PSSR courses completed from 1 January 2026 should include it. Some administrations, such as the UK, accept a separate top-up record for seafarers whose PSSR predates 2026, kept alongside the original certificate.
Can crew complete the PSSR top-up online?
Often, yes. The competence has no practical drill and is assessed on evidence from approved instruction or an approved course, and the UK’s own top-up is a free online module of about one hour. The course must be approved or accepted by the relevant administration, so check before booking a generic e-learning certificate.
How do the MLC 2025 amendments relate to the STCW PSSR change?
STCW sets what seafarers are trained to do. The MLC amendments, adopted on 6 June 2025 and expected in force on 23 December 2027, set employer and flag-state duties: policies, reporting procedures and safeguards in complaint procedures for violence and harassment on board. Companies need both the trained crew and the procedures.
Does the PSSR amendment affect seaman’s book applications?
It can. Flag-state seaman’s book and endorsement applications usually include basic training certificates. If the administration wants PSSR that reflects MSC.560(108) and the seafarer’s certificate predates 2026 with no top-up record, expect a query or a request for further evidence, which adds time to the application.
