New Mandatory PSSR Training for Yacht Crew: What You Need to Know
Caroline Blatter
A new mandatory PSSR training requirement is now in place for yacht crew. Here's what's changed, who it applies to, and how to get it done.
Image Credit - The Professional Yachting Association
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has introduced an amendment to the STCW Code, requiring additional PSSR training focused on preventing, identifying, reporting and responding to violence, bullying and harassment onboard.
Who needs to complete the training?
The additional training applies at the moment to UK and UK-MCA certified seafarers:
- Holders of a UK PSSR certificate dated before 1 January 2026
- Holders of UK Certificates of Competency (CoC)
- Holders of UK Certificates of Proficiency (CoP)
- UK-certified officers and ratings
If you completed an MCA-approved PSSR course on or after 1 January 2026, the new content was already included in your course and you do not need to complete the supplementary module.
How to complete it
The new module - "Prevention and Response to Violence & Harassment" - is on the OneOcean Learning platform.
The course page currently shows a price of USD 20, but eligible UK/MCA-certified seafarers can complete it for FREE using the MCA coupon code: mca_prvh26
- Takes just over an hour
- Can be completed on a computer or mobile phone
- Made up of 16 lessons, with no final assessment
- Compliance deadline: 31 March 2027
Once you've completed all 16 lessons, download and keep your OneOcean Verification of Training. This digital document is accepted by the MCA as evidence of completion and may be requested for a new application or revalidation of a UK CoC or CoP, at Port State or Flag State inspections, or by an authorised officer.
No additional MCA certificate is issued - your digital Verification of Training is the official evidence.
Failure to complete the training by the deadline may affect certificate revalidation, regulatory compliance during inspections, and eligibility to work at sea, so it's worth getting done sooner rather than later.
