Medical standards
Article 12
1. Each Member State shall establish standards of medical fitness for seafarers, and procedures for the issue of a medical certificate in accordance with this Article and Section A-I/9 of the STCW Code, taking into account, as appropriate, Section B-I/9 of the STCW Code. 2. Each Member State shall ensure that those responsible for assessing the medical fitness of seafarers are medical practitioners recognised by that Member State for the purpose of seafarers’ medical examinations, in accordance with Section A-I/9 of the STCW Code. 3. Every seafarer holding a certificate of competency or a certificate of proficiency, issued under the provisions of the STCW Convention, who is serving at sea shall also hold a valid medical certificate issued in accordance with this Article and Section A-I/9 of the STCW Code. 4. Candidates for medical certification shall: (a) be not less than 16 years of age; (b) provide satisfactory proof of their identity; (c) meet the applicable medical fitness standards established by the Member State concerned. 5. Medical certificates shall remain valid for a maximum period of two years unless the seafarer is under the age of 18, in which case the maximum period of validity shall be one year. 6. If the period of validity of a medical certificate expires in the course of a voyage, Regulation I/9 of the Annex to the STCW Convention shall apply. 7. In urgent cases, a Member State may permit a seafarer to work without a valid medical certificate. In such cases, Regulation I/9 of the Annex to the STCW Convention shall apply.