Accreditation

This page sets out the requirements for Accreditation of Training Institutions and Organisations as required by Part 4 of the Merchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Safe Manning) Regulations, 2021.

All the requirements are effective on day of publication of this process, except as proved for in the transitional arrangement in the regulations or contained within the process itself.

All applications for accreditation currently underway shall be completed in accordance with this process with the new requirements. For any other accreditation:

1. Any audit done on an accredited institution on or after 19 April 2021 shall be in accordance with these requirements

2. Any document issued by SAMSA relating to an accredited institution or programme from 19 April 2021 shall be subject to the new requirements

The accreditations referred to here are in accordance with Part 4 of the Merchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Safe Manning) Regulations, 2020 (the Regulations) as well as Regulation I/6 and Section A-I/6 of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 as amended (STCW Convention) and the Seafarers' Training and Certification Code (STCW Code), respectively.

All courses required by any Acts set out in the Schedule 2 of the South African Maritime Safety Act, 1998 shall be subject to this accreditation procedure.

All the documents forming part of the procedure are listed below with a brief of their subject content:

#	Document	Brief description
1.	QMS-OP-1002 - Accreditation of a training institution	Process, including the process flow and identification of the role players
2.	QMS-OG-1002.1a - Academic Courses & Programmes	Guidance on the requirements for accrediting Academic programmes and courses
3.	QMS-OG-1002.1b - Short Courses	Guidance on the requirements for accrediting short courses
4.	QMS-OG-1002.1c - Onboard Training Programmes	Guidance on the requirements for accrediting onboard training
5.	QMS-OG-1002.2 - Requirements for Documented Processes	Requirements for training organisations to have documented processes (QMS) in place.
6.	QMS-OG-1002.3 - Format and Wording of Certificates	Prescribed requirements for format of certificates or results issued by institutions on completion of courses. See: QMS-OT-1002.1 - SAMSA Accredited institution certificate QMS-OT-1002.2 - SAMSA Accredited institution certificate - radio QMS-OT-1002.3 - SAMSA Accredited institutions Statement of Academic Results QMS-OT-1002.4 - Course completed and Certs issued
7.	QMS-OC-1002.1 - Application for Accreditation or Re-accreditation checklist	Checklist for submission of information when applying for accreditation
8.	QMS-OC-1002.2 - Audit of a Training Provider for accreditation and re-accreditation	Checklist for accreditation of a training institution – primary venue
9.	QMS-OC-1002.3 - Audit of a Secondary Venue for accreditation or re-accreditation	Checklist for accreditation of a training institution – secondary venue
10.	QMS-OC-1002.4 - Adhoc Audit of a Training Provider	Adhoc audit of the training institution
11.	QMS-OT-1002.1 - SAMSA Accredited institution certificate	Template certificate issued by training institution for all courses, except radio and academic programmes and courses
12.	QMS-OT-1002.2 - SAMSA Accredited institution certificate - radio	Template certificate issued by training institution for all radio courses
13.	QMS-OT-1002.3 - SAMSA Accredited institutions Statement of Academic Results	Template certificate issued by training institution for academic programmes and courses
14.	QMS-OT-1002.4 - Course completed and Certs issued	Template for the submission of course completion records

Applications for accreditation shall be made to the nearest SAMSA office. Enquiries regarding accreditations may be directed to your nearest SAMSA Office or the Chief Examiner via e-mail to institutions@samsa.org.za