Security Awareness Training
For All Seafarers
(PSA/VPWOSR)
Also known as Vessel Personnel Without Security Responsibilities (VPWOSR) / Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA)
Become certified in security awareness in just 5.75 hours. DNV Certified, 100% online and self-paced — internationally recognized and accepted.
The minimum mandatory security training for all crew members
This course is the minimum mandatory security training required for all crew members who are currently working — or planning to work — on cruise ships and mega yachts.
It is specifically designed to provide essential knowledge for personnel without designated security duties under the Ship Security Plan (SSP). The training equips crew with the understanding needed to support onboard security efforts in accordance with Chapter XI-2 of SOLAS 1974, as amended, the ISPS Code, and Section A-VI/6-1 of the STCW Code, as amended.
By completing this course, crew members will be better prepared to recognize security threats, contribute to a secure shipboard environment, and comply with international maritime security standards.
Earn internationally recognized credentials without leaving home
Strengthen your understanding of ISPS Code security responsibilities and advance your maritime career with practical, standards-aligned training designed by seasoned maritime compliance professionals.
A hardcopy certificate is posted to your address free of charge on successful completion.
On completion of this course, you will understand:
These are the learning objectives established in the course syllabus, Revision 10, 2025.
- ✓The meaning and the consequential requirements of the different security levels.
- ✓Knowledge of emergency procedures and contingency plans.
- ✓Recognition and detection of weapons, dangerous substances and devices.
- ✓Recognition, on a non-discriminatory basis, of characteristics and behavioural patterns of persons who are likely to threaten security.
- ✓Techniques used to circumvent security measures.
Five chapters and a final assessment
Each chapter concludes with confirmation questions. Select a chapter to read what it covers.
—Introduction
01Maritime Security Policy
02Security Responsibilities
03Threat Identification
04Ship Security Actions
05Emergency Preparedness
FAThe Final Assessment
A course manual accompanies the chapters. Download the official course syllabus here — Revision 10, 2025.
A course meeting all of the requirements
The subject list covers the whole of the security awareness syllabus as required for personnel without designated security duties — from the policy framework and definitions through threat recognition, ship security actions and emergency preparedness.
Please note that you will receive an Official Completion Training Certificate issued by our academy on completion of this course, Not a Transport Canada Certificate.
Crew members without designated security duties on board ship, meeting the requirements set in the STCW Convention and Code, SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
Globally recognized & industry approved
This online PSA/VPWOSR course is approved by DNV as a Certified Learning Programme and is internationally recognized. It includes the Manila Amendments and incorporates the PSA/VPWOSR course laid down in the STCW Convention and Code 1978, as amended.
DNV Certified Learning ProgrammeProctored online, with a passing mark of 70%
There are multiple-choice questions to complete at the end of each chapter and a final assessment. The final assessment is fully online with no need to attend any classroom, and a proctor will be assigned to monitor you throughout.
As required by DNV, you must complete a simple online verification form accessible from within the course, including a scanned copy of an official government-issued photo ID such as a passport or driver's licence. A hardcopy certificate is then posted to your address free of charge.
You get 6 months of unlimited access to all course materials, quizzes and resources.
No formal prerequisites are required. The course is designed for all seafarers, including cruise ship crew, yacht crew and personnel serving on all other types of vessels.
Yes. The course is 100% online and self-paced, allowing you to fit learning into your schedule.
On completion you receive a DNV-Certified certificate, internationally accepted by cruise lines, yacht management companies, classification societies and maritime administrations worldwide — including the Bahamas, Panama, Bermuda, the United Kingdom and the Cayman Islands.
Yes. As long as you have an internet connection, you can complete this training from anywhere in the world.
Built on the instruments that mandate this training
The course addresses the ISPS Code and STCW Table A-VI/6-1, and includes the Manila Amendments.
The certificate every cruise and yacht crew member needs
Security awareness is the minimum mandatory training for joining a vessel. Without it, a contract can stall before it starts — and it is the one certificate every crew member is asked for, in every department.
Complete it entirely online, in approximately 5.75 hours, at your own pace, from anywhere with an internet connection.
Revision 10, 2025. A hardcopy certificate is posted to your address free of charge.