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The Centre for Seafarers is responsible for ensuring that all services to seafarers offered by SAMSA and SAMSA accredited/approved providers are quality services and consistent through the different offices. The Centre is made of largely three units:

• Office of the Chief Examiner
• Certification Office
• Welfare Office​

The Office of the Chief Examiner, together with the Certification office, are responsible for the education, training, assessment and certification of seafarers. The education, training, assessment and certification of seafarers services are achieved by setting minimum standards that are compliant with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW Convention), and the Merchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Safe Manning) Regulations 2021(the Regulations). The STCW Convention set the minimum standards for the training and certification through the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code).

The STCW Code is made up of two parts, namely:

• Part A – Mandatory standards regarding provisions of the annex to the STCW Convention
• Part B – Recommended Guidance regarding provisions STCW Convention and its annex
  
  

The STCW Convention a​nd the STCW Code is implemented in South Africa through the Regulations and the Quality Standards System.

The STCW Convention is implemented through a Quality Standards System, aptly named the Seafarers Training, Assessment and Certification System (STAC System). The system has two main branches, viz:

1. The Operating Processes and Procedures; and
   
2. The ​Training Standards Codes​​,​ established by Regulation 84
   
   

The Office of the Chief Examiner ensures that the Quality Standard System is designed to ensure compliance with the STCW Convention as well as the Regulations. Furthermore, the Quality Standards System seeks to bring consistency to all services related to Seafarers training, assessment and certification

The Quality Standards System also establishes policies for the effective and consistent application of existing Legislation.

The STAC System comprises of a number of processes and procedures to provide for clear requirements to enable consistent service delivery to seafarers and other stakeholders. The full list of these documents are listed in the QMS-OG-1000.1 - Index of Controlled Documents for the Training Standards Code. 

The work programme includes regular Access to Seafaring Careers survey conducted at periodic intervals of about 7 years​

​These are living documents and changes to them are made reg​ularly and stakeholders are advised to use it from the website each time.

Enquiries regarding the STAC System should be directed to exams@samsa.org.za