Employers and shipping companies can check a seafarer's certificates on official government websites. You can use the same free tools yourself. It is a good idea to check your own certificates before you apply. Then you know that an employer will find them.
This guide covers certificates issued by India and the Philippines. It is for seafarers of all ranks and for crewing staff. The information is correct as of November 2026.
India: the DGMA verification system
India's DGMA (Directorate General of Maritime Administration) runs a free Seafarer Certificate Verification System. The DGMA was earlier called the Directorate General of Shipping. The system works in real time and has four checks:
CDC (Continuous Discharge Certificate)
COC (Certificate of Competency), the certificate for officers under the STCW Convention
COP (Certificate of Proficiency) and the seafarer passport
COE (Certificate of Endorsement), which India issues to recognise a foreign COC under STCW Regulation I/10
Open the page and click the check you need. The check pages open on a separate DGMA server. Its address is a number, 220.156.189.33. This is the address that the official DGMA page links to.
What you need for each Indian check
CDC check: the CDC number and your date of birth.
COC check: your INDoS number and your date of birth.
COP and passport check: first choose the type from a list. Then enter your date of birth or the certificate number. The list is shown below.
GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) radio certificates
COP for dangerous cargo (DC), basic and endorsement
COP under the IGF Code, the IMO code for ships that use gas or other low-flashpoint fuels
COP for ratings: watchkeeping, AB (able seafarer) and ETR (electro-technical rating)
COP for Polar Water
STCW courses, passport, INDoS and CDC
INDoS means Indian National Database of Seafarers. It is a national database that helps flag states, port states, immigration and employers stop fake certificates. On a booklet-type COC, the INDoS number is on the left side of the photo. On a paper COC, it is on the right side of the photo.
What the result means
The DGMA tool only shows whether the department issued a certificate to the named person. It does not prove that the person in front of you is that person. In case of doubt, compare the holder's identity with other ID documents, the DGMA page says.
If your own certificate does not appear, or you see someone using a fake one, you can complain through e-Navik. This is the DGMA grievance system, and it accepts complaints about fraudulent certificates. It works 24 hours a day. Call 1800-889-7768 (toll-free in India), send a WhatsApp message to +91 8655856830, or email enavik.24x7@gov.in.
Philippines: the MARINA STCW verification page
In the Philippines, STCW certificates are issued by MARINA (Maritime Industry Authority). Its STCW Office has a verification page on its website. You can choose one of three types:
COC / COP: certificates of competency and proficiency
Radio Personnel (GMDSS)
Marine Deck and Engineer Officers
Choose the type, type the certificate number and click Search. The page shows the number format as "XX-XXXXX". Copy the number exactly as it is printed on the certificate.
The MARINA STCW Office is at the MARINA Building, Bonifacio Drive corner 20th Street, Port Area, Manila. Its phone number is (02) 82409950, as shown on the MARINA STCW website. The same website also has a public warning against fixers. A fixer is a person who offers to get your papers for money outside the official process.
MARINA sometimes extends the validity of certificates for seafarers who are stuck on ships in crisis areas. Read our report on the six-month STCW extension for seafarers in the Middle East and Black Sea.
Practical tips
Check your own certificates on the official page before you apply for a job. If something is wrong, fix it with the authority first.
Use only the official government pages. Do not trust a "verification" link sent to you by a stranger.
Never buy a certificate or pay someone to "arrange" one. A fake certificate puts you and your crew at risk.
Be careful with training centres that promise jobs for cash. Read our report on an Indian training institute that lost its approvals after job-for-cash complaints.
Keep the original certificates safe. Carry clear copies, and write down all certificate numbers.
Paper certificates and PDF copies can still slow down a crew change. See our report on why paper certificates cause delays.
Cover photo: trainees in a full mission bridge simulator during crew training, October 2017. The photo is illustrative. Photo: Graptaloyia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sources: DGMA India: Seafarer Certificate Verification System, DGMA India: e-Navik grievance redressal mechanism, MARINA STCW Office: Verification, MARINA STCW Administration Office: official website.
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