Environmental Officer Course
for Cruise Ships
From MARPOL Annexes to audit-ready compliance — the complete course for cruise ship Environmental Officers.
Environmental compliance training built around a real cruise ship, voyage and crew
This course gives the Cruise Ship Environmental Officer a complete, practical grounding in the international, regional and company requirements that govern a cruise operation — taught throughout against a single running example: a real cruise ship, her itinerary, her equipment and her crew, so every regulation is learned the way it is actually applied, not as an abstract rule.
It covers MARPOL Annexes I through VI, the Ballast Water Management Convention, environmental management systems, hotel-operations environmental control, pollution-incident response, environmental monitoring and recordkeeping, inspections and audits, and environmental leadership — closing with an integrated capstone chapter that carries one voyage from departure to an audit-ready compliance package.
Delivered entirely online and self-paced, it suits Environmental Officers already serving aboard, officers preparing to take on the role, and shore-side staff responsible for a cruise fleet's environmental compliance.
Developed by experienced maritime professionals
Our courses are developed by experienced maritime professionals and are designed to provide practical knowledge and competency-based learning for today's maritime industry. On successful completion, participants receive a certificate issued by the Virtual Maritime Academy, recognized worldwide as evidence of professional development and competency.
A digital certificate is delivered by email and a hardcopy is mailed worldwide at no additional cost.
On successful completion, you will be able to:
These are the learning outcomes established in the course syllabus, Revision 3, 2026.
- ✓Identify the international, regional, flag, port and company environmental requirements that apply to a cruise operation
- ✓Coordinate and verify shipboard environmental compliance across technical, hotel and voyage operations
- ✓Apply MARPOL controls for oil, sewage, garbage, air emissions, ballast water and hazardous materials
- ✓Interpret environmental monitoring data, records and audit evidence to confirm genuine compliance
- ✓Respond to pollution incidents with disciplined first actions, escalation and reporting
- ✓Plan a multi-jurisdiction voyage against Special Areas, ECAs, PSSAs and local restrictions
- ✓Lead environmental culture, crew engagement and ship-shore coordination under commercial pressure
- ✓Produce an audit-ready environmental compliance package for a full cruise voyage
Eighteen chapters and a final assessment
Each chapter concludes with a short multiple-choice quiz to reinforce key learning objectives. Select a chapter to read what it covers.
—Introduction
01The Cruise Ship Environmental Officer and Environmental Governance
02International and Regional Environmental Regulatory Framework
03Environmental Management Systems, SMS and Compliance Risk
04Oil Pollution Prevention, Bilge, Sludge and Bunkering
05Sewage, Graywater and Wastewater Management
06Garbage, Food Waste, Plastics and Recycling
07Air Pollution, Fuel, ECAs, Incineration and Refrigerants
08Energy Efficiency, GHG Management and Decarbonization
09Ballast Water, Biofouling, Anti-Fouling and Invasive Species
10Chemicals, Marine Pollutants and Hazardous Materials
11Cruise Hotel Operations and Environmental Control
12Port Reception Facilities and Waste-Vendor Management
13Special Areas, Sensitive Waters and Itinerary Planning
14Pollution Prevention, Emergency Response and Reporting
15Monitoring, Sampling, Records and Environmental Data
16Inspections, Audits, Non-Conformities and Corrective Action
17Environmental Leadership, Crew Engagement and Ship-Shore Coordination
18Integrated Environmental Compliance Capstone
FAFinal Assessment
Revision 3, 2026.
Who should attend: Environmental Officers serving aboard cruise ships, or preparing to take on the role; shore-side DPAs and superintendents responsible for a cruise fleet's environmental compliance.
Globally recognized & industry approved
Our courses are developed by experienced maritime professionals and designed to provide practical, competency-based learning that meets internationally recognized standards for training excellence.
CPD Approved Provider #783378A final assessment with a minimum score of 70%
Each chapter concludes with a short multiple-choice quiz. The course closes with a final assessment of 45 questions, completed within a 60-minute time limit, with a required passing score of 70%. The final assessment is proctored.
Students must submit official photo identification before starting the course, as mandated by DNV and the CPD Group.
Grounded in the instruments that govern cruise ship environmental compliance
This course addresses the international and class instruments that set environmental compliance requirements for a cruise ship and its Environmental Officer.
Become the Environmental Officer your fleet depends on
An Environmental Officer's job is not reciting regulations — it is knowing exactly which ones apply, to this ship, on this date, and being able to show the evidence when asked. That discipline runs through every chapter of this course, from MARPOL applicability to an audit-ready compliance package.
This course builds that competence — completed entirely online, in approximately 50 hours, at your own pace.
Revision 3, 2026. Hardcopy certificate mailed to your address at no additional cost.