RFPNW for Able Seaman, OICNW (Mate) and Master

Candidates seeking Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) endorsements will come across the letters RFPNW often in their studies or research. The letters stand for Rating Forming a Part of a Navigational Watch. RFPNW is required in order to obtain the Able Seaman qualified rating, OICNW or Master of vessels of 500/1600 gross tons. The RFPNW qualification is required for OICNW and Master candidates that have not previously met the requirement for holding an able seaman rating while accumulating the required sea service for a license.

Students will need to meet a number of core competencies in order to obtain the RFPNW rating. STCW includes entry level ratings standing watch in support of the navigational watch that they have been trained and assessed in:

Steering the ship and complying with helm orders in the English language;
Keeping a proper lookout by sight and hearing;
Contribute to monitoring and controlling a safe watch;
Operate emergency equipment and apply emergency procedures.

Other requirements ordinary seamen must obtain to comply with STCW in addition to the RFPNW qualification include: STCW Basic Safety Training (5 days); Able Seaman Training (6 days); and Proficiency in Survival Craft/Lifeboat.

More Information:
Bridge Resource Management

OICNW: Inspected Vessel Licenses

Quality Maritime Training is proud to offer Mate/Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OICNW) STCW training modules for vessels 500 gross tons and over, such as deep draft or ocean-going vessels.

Other OICNW training provided by Quality Maritime Training includes courses for; Mate 500GT/1600GT/unlimited tonnage endorsements; in addition to the courses described below.

Coastal & Terrestrial Navigation

We at Quality Maritime Training, LLC, believe it is important for students to have not only solid skills in coastal & terrestrial navigation, but also a sound foundation in theory to back those skills.

Our students will learn everything they need to know about navigational skill sets such as gyro compasses and autopilot, but also will receive a theoretical education that makes these skills meaningful and contributes to turning out more well-rounded mariners.

The list above is not intended to be an inclusive list of the course offerings of Quality Maritime Training. We encourage all training candidates to contact us for more information about specific courses, and for guidance on how to prepare for testing for coastal & terrestrial navigation and other STCW OICNW modules and Master courses.