MCA-approved maritime safety training | Hamble, Southampton
STCW Personal Survival Techniques (PST) Course – Southampton
Learn essential sea survival skills on our one-day STCW Personal Survival Techniques (PST) course in Hamble, Southampton. This MCA-approved training combines classroom instruction with practical liferaft, lifejacket and immersion-suit exercises in a swimming pool, together with live distress flare training.
Whether you are joining the merchant navy, beginning a superyacht or cruise ship career, working on commercial vessels or progressing towards an MCA Certificate of Competency, our experienced instructors will help you build the knowledge and practical skills needed to respond to an emergency at sea.
View course dates & book Explore STCW Basic Safety WeekSTCW PST Course at a Glance
| Qualification | STCW Personal Survival Techniques (PST) |
|---|---|
| Approval & standard | MCA-approved training meeting STCW Code Section A-VI/1, Table A-VI/1-1 |
| Duration | 1 day, including a 2-hour practical pool session |
| Location | Chieftain Training, Hamble, near Southampton, with a separate swimming pool session |
| Previous experience | None required; you must be water-confident and able to participate safely in the practical exercises |
| Minimum age | 16 |
| Assessment | Participation and demonstration of the required knowledge and practical competence |
| Certificate | STCW Personal Survival Techniques certificate, subject to successful completion |
| Optional addition | RYA Sea Survival dual certification, selected during booking |
| Parking | Free parking at Chieftain Training |
Why Choose Chieftain Training for STCW PST?
We believe survival training should be practical, memorable and relevant to real emergencies . Our course provides hands-on experience rather than relying solely on classroom presentations.
Immersion-suit experience
Every student has the opportunity to don an immersion suit and experience moving in the water while wearing it, under instructor supervision.
Realistic liferaft practice
Learn how to enter the water, assist others, right an inverted liferaft and board a liferaft from the water.
Live distress flare training
We are one of the only STCW centres that runs a live flare firing session.
Genuine Expertise
Our Lead Survival Instructor has been teaching survival for over two decades and is at the forefront of the industry and modern practice, he is assisted by a skilled team of former Coastguards, Current Lifeboat Coxswains and Round the World Race Skippers
Varied Equipment
You will benefit from a well-equipped training centre with free parking. All of our students handle and compare different lifejacket designs. Real equipment is always used in preference to images on a screen
What Is STCW Personal Survival Techniques?
Personal Survival Techniques (PST) is one of the four core elements of STCW Basic Safety Training for seafarers to whom those requirements apply. It covers how to prepare for an emergency, abandon a vessel safely, survive in the water or a liferaft and increase your chances of rescue.
The course is based on STCW Code Section A-VI/1, Table A-VI/1-1 . It can be booked as a standalone training day or as part of Chieftain Training’s STCW Basic Safety Week , which also incorporates the other core basic training courses and the separate Proficiency in Security Awareness qualification.
Sea survival is about more than knowing how equipment works. In a real abandonment, cold water shock, fatigue, reduced visibility and the urgency of events can make simple tasks surprisingly difficult. Practical training helps prepare you to act effectively.
Who Needs an STCW Personal Survival Techniques Certificate?
STCW PST is commonly required by, or relevant to, people working in the professional maritime sector, including:
- Merchant navy officers, ratings and other seafarers subject to STCW basic training requirements.
- Superyacht deck, engineering and interior crew.
- Crew on offshore support vessels, some wind farm transfer vessels and commercial workboats.
- Candidates working towards certain MCA qualifications, including Master 200 and Officer of the Watch 3000 (OOW3000)
- Commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster and Advanced Powerboat certificate holders who elect to use an accepted STCW PST qualification in place of the applicable RYA Sea Survival requirement.
- Other maritime professionals whose employers or vessel operators specify STCW survival training.
- As n alternative to RYA Sea Survival for commercially endorsed Yachtmaster and Advanced powerboat COC holders
- An essential pre requisite for Master 200
- An essential pre requisite for Officer of the Watch 3000 (OOW3000)
Important: Exact training requirements depend on the vessel, flag state, operating code, area of operation and your role. Not every crew member on every vessel is subject to identical STCW requirements. If you are unsure which course you need, contact Chieftain Training before booking.
What Will You Learn on the STCW PST Course?
The programme covers both the underlying principles of survival at sea and the practical actions needed during an emergency.
Classroom theory
- Types of maritime emergency and preparation for abandoning ship.
- Emergency alarms, muster arrangements and survival priorities.
- Cold water shock, hypothermia, heat loss and the effects of immersion.
- Lifejackets, immersion suits, thermal protective aids and survival equipment.
- Liferaft equipment and survival techniques after abandonment.
- Group survival, conserving energy and assisting other survivors.
- Distress signalling, search and rescue and attracting attention.
Practical pool and survival exercises
- Correctly donning and using a lifejacket.
- Entering the water safely and moving while wearing a lifejacket.
- Donning and experiencing an immersion suit in the water.
- Keeping afloat and applying individual and group survival techniques.
- Righting an inverted liferaft.
- Boarding a liferaft from the water and helping other survivors.
- Using survival and distress signalling equipment, including supervised live flare training.
The practical pool session lasts approximately two hours . Exercises are supervised and conducted in accordance with the centre’s safety procedures and the approved course requirements.
Prerequisites, Swimming Ability and Fitness
No previous maritime experience is required. The course is suitable for people entering the industry as well as experienced boaters seeking a recognised professional survival qualification.
- Age: The normal minimum booking age is 16. Please contact us before booking anyone aged 14 or 15 so we can check eligibility, approval conditions and practical suitability.
- Swimming: You do not need to be a strong swimmer, but you must be confident in the water and able to undertake the required practical assessments. Non-swimmers should discuss their circumstances with us before booking.
- Health and fitness: You must be able to participate safely in water-based exercises, including entering the pool and boarding a liferaft. Please tell us in advance about any relevant medical condition, disability, injury or mobility concern.
We will consider appropriate adjustments wherever possible, without compromising safety or mandatory competence standards. See our reasonable adjustments policy or contact us to discuss individual requirements.
What Is Included in Your STCW PST Course?
Included in the course
- One day of instructor-led training.
- Practical swimming pool survival session.
- Use of a training lifejacket and immersion suit.
- Supervised practical distress flare session.
- Sea Survival handbook.
- STCW PST certificate on successful completion.
- Tea and coffee.
- Free parking at our Hamble training centre.
Not included
- Meals and accommodation.
- Transport between the classroom and swimming pool. Students normally share lifts; if necessary, a contribution towards taxi transport may be required.
- Optional RYA Sea Survival dual certification, which can be selected during the booking process.
What to bring
Bring swimwear, a towel, a change of clothes and any personal medication you may need. Please follow the detailed joining instructions sent with your booking.
Where Is the STCW PST Course Held?
The classroom element takes place at Chieftain Training in Hamble, near Southampton, Hampshire , on the Solent. Free parking is available at the training centre.
The practical survival element takes place at a swimming pool away from the classroom. We normally encourage students to share transport to the pool.
For directions, local information and accommodation suggestions, see where to find Chieftain Training .
STCW PST Certificate and Five-Year Refresher Training
On successful completion of the course you will receive an STCW Personal Survival Techniques certificate . Keep your original certificate with your other maritime qualifications.
For seafarers subject to STCW continued-competence requirements, evidence of initial or updated PST training must generally be within the preceding five years . This is commonly achieved by completing an approved Updated Proficiency in Personal Survival Techniques (UPST) course.
If you hold PST solely as an accepted alternative to RYA Sea Survival for a commercial endorsement, the STCW updating requirement does not necessarily apply in the same way. Check the current RYA and MCA conditions relevant to your endorsement.
See our STCW updating and refresher training options. For authoritative details, see the MCA guidance on revalidating a UK Certificate of Competency.
Optional RYA Sea Survival Dual Certification
Would you also like an RYA Sea Survival certificate ? Chieftain offers an optional dual-certification arrangement on this training day, so eligible candidates can obtain both qualifications without booking an additional course day.
The RYA certificate is a separate option and is not included in the standard PST fee. Select the dual-certification option during booking. For further information, see our RYA Sea Survival course .
STCW Personal Survival Techniques – Frequently Asked Questions
What is STCW Personal Survival Techniques (PST)?
STCW PST is a practical maritime safety course covering abandonment, cold water survival, liferafts, lifejackets and survival techniques. It is one of the four core elements of STCW Basic Safety Training.
How long is the STCW PST course?
Chieftain’s initial STCW PST course takes one day and includes a two-hour practical swimming pool session.
Do I need to be able to swim?
You must be water-confident and able to complete the required practical exercises. You do not need to be an accomplished swimmer, but anyone who cannot swim or is worried about the pool session should contact us before booking.
Does an STCW PST certificate expire?
Seafarers subject to STCW updating requirements must demonstrate continued competence at intervals not exceeding five years, normally through approved refresher training. Your original certificate should be retained alongside any updating certificates.
What is the difference between STCW PST and RYA Sea Survival?
STCW PST is professional seafarer safety training aligned with STCW competence standards. RYA Sea Survival focuses on survival skills for recreational and small commercial craft users. The correct qualification depends on your intended work and certification requirements.
Can I complete STCW PST and RYA Sea Survival together?
Yes. An optional RYA Sea Survival dual-certification arrangement is available during the same training day. Choose this additional certificate when booking.
Is the STCW PST course suitable for beginners?
Yes. No previous maritime experience is required. You will, however, need to participate safely in the course’s practical exercises and meet the applicable competence requirements.
Where can I take an STCW PST course near Southampton?
Chieftain Training delivers MCA-approved STCW Personal Survival Techniques training in Hamble, near Southampton, including a practical swimming pool session.
Book Your STCW PST Course in Southampton
Join us for practical, MCA-approved survival training with experienced maritime instructors, hands-on liferaft exercises, immersion-suit experience and supervised live flare training.
View upcoming dates and course fees using the booking calendar immediately below this section. You can also select optional RYA Sea Survival dual certification during booking.