Petition · past parliament
Amend Merchant Shipping act to ensure foreign seamen sit full oral exams at MCA.
Closed
1,062 signatures
What the petition asks
More foreign seamen are being given a Cert. of Equivalent Competency by our MCA every year in the UK, than our total of native born Mariners. The exam is basic, and not the full exam a British seafarer must sit for their Certificate of Competency. It's unsafe, unfair, & an immoral double standard.
Other countries which benefit from strict cabotage laws restricting these practices include the USA, Australia, Canada, & others. The UN's International Maritime Organization based in London has been used to create STCW regulations which force British flagged ships to accept member nations maritime education credentials as equal to British ones. This was done to break the power of unions in the 70/80s. The result is a stagnation of efficiency and safety for 20 years, putting our shores at risk.
Timeline
| 9 Mar 2016 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 9 Sep 2016 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,062
Status
Closed
Opened
9 Mar 2016
Closed
9 Sep 2016
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.