Description

Develop the essential survival knowledge, judgment and emergency readiness required to respond effectively to ship abandonment and survive at sea until rescue.

Marine Pro Academy’s STCW Personal Survival Techniques (PST) A-VI/1-1 – 2026 Updated Edition is a comprehensive maritime safety course aligned with STCW Section A-VI/1 and Table A-VI/1-1, together with relevant SOLAS Chapter III and Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code requirements.

The course develops practical survival awareness across the complete abandonment and survival sequence — from emergency readiness and personal life-saving appliances through water survival, survival craft, distress signalling, longer-term survival and rescue.

Updated for 2026

The course includes relevant 2026 amendments to the LSA Code introduced through IMO Resolution MSC.554(108), which entered into force on 1 January 2026. These amendments cover updated requirements concerning lifejacket in-water performance, lifeboat release arrangements, single-fall and hook systems, and survival-craft and rescue-boat lowering speeds. International Maritime Organization

The course clearly distinguishes these equipment-standard updates from the existing STCW A-VI/1-1 competence framework.

Learners are introduced to relevant updated requirements including:

• revised lifejacket in-water turning-performance requirements
• strengthened safeguards relating to release-hook resetting
• updated provisions for single-fall and hook systems
• revised lowering-speed requirements for survival craft and rescue boats

These updates are presented in the context of Personal Survival Techniques so learners understand how current life-saving appliance standards relate to survival equipment and abandonment readiness.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is suitable for seafarers and maritime personnel requiring STCW Personal Survival Techniques training as part of their maritime safety certification or professional development.

It is particularly relevant to personnel working or preparing to work on:

• merchant vessels
• cruise ships
• passenger vessels
• offshore vessels
• commercial vessels
• other STCW-regulated maritime operations

What You Will Learn

The programme develops knowledge, awareness and survival readiness in areas including:

• emergency alarms and signals
• muster procedures
• abandonment preparation
• personal life-saving appliances
• lifejackets
• immersion suits
• survival craft and launching arrangements
• controlled abandonment
• safe entry into the water
• cold-water survival
• HELP position
• group-huddle techniques
• liferaft deployment
• liferaft boarding
• survival-craft equipment
• survival-craft organisation and discipline
• distress alerting and location
• EPIRB awareness
• SART and AIS-SART awareness
• pyrotechnic and visual distress signals
• exposure and hypothermia
• dehydration
• ration and water discipline
• longer-term survival considerations
• rescue and recovery
• helicopter-transfer awareness

The course is designed to help learners understand not only what survival equipment is available, but how correct decisions, preparation and behaviour can influence survival after abandonment.

Practical Survival Learning

Personal Survival Techniques is not simply about memorising the names of life-saving appliances.

During an actual abandonment, seafarers may need to make decisions under stress, cold, darkness, difficult sea conditions or incomplete information.

The programme therefore develops awareness of how to:

• respond correctly to emergency alarms
• prepare for abandonment
• select and use personal life-saving equipment
• enter the water as safely as circumstances permit
• reduce heat loss
• assist group survival
• board and organise survival craft
• use distress-signalling equipment appropriately
• protect limited survival resources
• maintain discipline while awaiting rescue
• prepare for recovery by rescue units

Marine Pro Academy does not publish the complete lesson structure, proprietary scenarios, learning activities or internal assessment architecture on the public product page.

Modern Maritime E-Learning

Training is delivered through the Marine Pro Academy Learning Hub, our modern interactive maritime e-learning platform.

Learners benefit from:

• professionally structured digital lessons
• realistic maritime survival scenarios
• professional maritime illustrations and visual resources
• interactive decision-based activities
• module knowledge checks
• self-paced online learning
• mobile, tablet and desktop access
• learner progress tracking
• comprehensive final assessment
• access to an integrated AI Survival Training Advisor

The AI Survival Training Advisor supports learners with course-related questions, explains survival concepts in clear international English and provides practical maritime examples to reinforce understanding.

The AI learning-support feature does not replace official vessel procedures, onboard familiarisation, practical instruction, the vessel’s Safety Management System or emergency instructions.

Course Information

Approval: Panama

Accepted By: All flags that accept IMO white list approved trainings including 🇵🇦 Panama · 🇧🇿 Belize · 🇱🇷 Liberia · 🇧🇸 Bahamas · 🇲🇹 Malta · 🇨🇾 Cyprus · 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands · 🇵🇼 Palau · 🇸🇬 Singapore · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 🇪🇺European Union Countries

Certification: Panama Approved / Whitelisted STCW Personal Survival Techniques Certificate

Standard: STCW Section A-VI/1 and Table A-VI/1-1

2026 Update: LSA Code amendments under IMO Resolution MSC.554(108)

Delivery: 100% Online & Self-Paced

Learning Platform: Marine Pro Academy Interactive LMS

Estimated Duration: Approximately 15 Hours

Assessment: Knowledge Checks + Final Assessment

Final Assessment: 25 Questions

Pass Mark: 80%

Assessment Attempts: Unlimited

Access: Desktop, Laptop, Tablet & Mobile

Assessment

The course includes structured knowledge checks throughout the programme to reinforce understanding and practical application.

The programme concludes with a comprehensive 25-question Final Assessment covering the principal Personal Survival Techniques competence areas.

Pass Mark: 80%

Assessment Attempts: Unlimited

Panama Approved Certificate

Following successful completion of the required training and final assessment, learners receive the applicable:

Panama Approved / Whitelisted STCW Personal Survival Techniques Certificate

Certificate processing takes place following successful completion and verification of the learner’s training record and required personal information.

Learners should ensure that their full name and personal details are entered correctly during enrolment, as this information may be used for certification purposes.

Important Information

Training and certificate requirements may depend on the learner’s:

• Flag State
• employer
• vessel
• rank
• assigned duties
• intended position
• competent authority requirements

Learners should confirm any employer- or Administration-specific requirements before purchasing the course.

Where vessel-specific procedures apply, learners must always follow the vessel’s current Muster List, Safety Management System, emergency procedures and command instructions.

Why Choose Marine Pro Academy?

Marine Pro Academy combines professional maritime safety training with modern digital learning to create courses that are practical, visual and connected to real shipboard emergencies.

This programme helps seafarers build the knowledge and survival mindset needed to respond effectively from the first emergency alarm through abandonment, survival at sea and eventual rescue.

ALARM → MUSTER → ABANDON → SURVIVE → SIGNAL → RECOVER

Certificate Processing Time

STCW and flag-state-approved certificates can take up to 48 hours after successful course completion and receipt of all required documents, depending on the relevant issuing authority’s verification and approval process. Time zones and local office working hours may affect processing and response times. Please complete your training at least a couple of days before your submission or deployment deadline. Same-day issuance cannot be guaranteed.