Some Filipino seafarers are stuck on their ships because of crises in the Middle East, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Philippine Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) says it may extend their certificates by six months.
The rule is in MARINA Advisory No. 2026-60. It is dated 12 October 2026 and signed by MARINA Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan. MARINA posted it on its STCW website on 20 October.
What the advisory says
The advisory covers two kinds of STCW certificates issued by MARINA. These are Certificates of Competency (COCs) and Certificates of Proficiency (COPs). Officers need a COC for their rank. COPs are for training such as basic safety or tanker courses.
It covers certificates that "have expired OR will expire on 31 December 2026". Those are the advisory's own words.
The seafarer must be on a ship that works in these areas, or is affected by the crisis there.
The seafarer must be unable to leave the ship as scheduled because of the security situation.
MARINA "may" give an extension of six months. It counts from the date when each certificate expires.
The extension applies only to seafarers who stay on board and whose sign-off was stopped or delayed.
Shipping companies, shipowners and licensed manning agencies must send MARINA documents to prove the case. One example is the ship's port of call records. The documents must show that the seafarer stayed on board longer than planned. They can also show that the seafarer was stranded after leaving the ship.
MARINA says the aim is to keep ships safely manned. It also wants to take into account the hard situation of Filipino crews in these regions.
Longer and wider than before
MARINA has given similar extensions earlier this year. But they were shorter, and each one covered only one region.
Advisory 2026-30, dated 2 June 2026, was for ships affected by the Middle East crisis. It gave three months for certificates that "have expired or will expire on 30 September 2026".
Advisory 2026-42, dated 5 August 2026, was for ships affected by the Black Sea and Sea of Azov crisis. It gave three months for certificates that "have expired OR will expire by 31 October 2026".
The new Advisory 2026-60 covers all three areas together. It gives six months instead of three, and the date moves to 31 December 2026.
Crew changes are still very hard in both regions. In an interview published on 17 October, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez spoke about the Gulf. He said IMO was helping about 6,000 seafarers who have been trapped there since the conflict began in late February. In the Black Sea, drones hit several merchant ships off Romania and Bulgaria in October.
What it means for crews
The extension is not automatic. Your manning agency or company must send MARINA the proof. Ask them to do it early.
Check the expiry dates of your COC and all your COPs now. The extension counts from the date when each one expires.
Keep a copy of Advisory 2026-60 on board, on paper or on your phone. Show it if an inspector asks about your certificates.
The advisory says the certificates must "have expired OR will expire on 31 December 2026". If you are not sure your certificate is covered, ask MARINA or your agency before you rely on it.
You can check your certificate on the MARINA STCW website. Use the COC/COP verification search at stcw.marina.gov.ph.
MARINA's contacts on the advisory are oadm@marina.gov.ph and +63 2 8523 9078.
Read more on Crewboard:
Philippines: seafarers on board get up to one year's extension for expiring record books and IDs
Gulf threat level raised as IMO chief tells ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz
Black Sea: seven seafarers missing after drones hit two tankers off Romania
Cover photo: A tanker in the port of Odesa, Ukraine, on the Black Sea, October 2021. Illustrative photo, not a ship in this story. Photo: Zinnsoldat/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped).
Sources: MARINA Advisory No. 2026-60: Extension of the validity of STCW certificates, Middle East, Black Sea and Sea of Azov (12 Oct 2026, PDF), MARINA STCW Administration Office: MARINA Advisory No. 2026-60 (posted 20 Oct 2026), MARINA Advisory No. 2026-42: Extension of the validity of STCW certificates, Black Sea and Sea of Azov (5 Aug 2026, PDF), MARINA Advisory No. 2026-30: Extension of the validity of STCW certificates, Middle East (2 Jun 2026, PDF), The Sofia Globe: Drone debris found on Chelsea-3 ship attacked in Bulgaria's Black Sea EEZ (20 Oct 2026), Xinhua: Interview - IMO chief urges ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz amid escalating attacks (17 Oct 2026).
