SERVICES
Crew Document & Seafarer Book Services
Nautinix handles seafarer documents for merchant and fishing vessel crews — the Seafarer Book (Buku Pelaut), Certificates of Competency (CoC), Certificates of Proficiency (CoP), PKL endorsement, the crew list (Sijil) and medical certificate coordination — from first issuance to revalidation, so your crew is ready to sail and port clearance is not delayed.
Understanding Crew Documentation
Crew documents are the seafarer documents that prove the identity, competence, fitness and employment status of each person on board. The core set is: the Seafarer Book (Buku Pelaut), the seafarer’s identity document and record of signing on and off; the Certificate of Competency (CoC) for each rank, ANT/ATT for merchant ships and ANKAPIN/ATKAPIN for fishing vessels; Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) such as Basic Safety Training; a medical certificate from an approved health facility; and the Sea Employment Agreement (Perjanjian Kerja Laut, PKL), endorsed by the Harbour Master when the crew signs on. Competence standards for merchant crews follow the STCW Convention 1978 as amended, and those for fishing vessel crews follow STCW-F 1995; in Indonesia, seafarer matters are regulated through instruments including Government Regulation No. 7 of 2000 on Seafarers and PM 70 of 2013. The Harbour Master checks the crew and their documents before issuing port clearance (SPB).
Documents & Permits Covered
- Seafarer Book (Buku Pelaut) — new issuance and renewal
- Certificate of Competency (CoC): ANT/ATT for merchant ships, ANKAPIN/ATKAPIN for fishing vessels
- CoC revalidation under STCW, at intervals not exceeding five years
- Certificates of Proficiency (CoP): BST, AFF, SCRB, MFA
- Endorsement of the Sea Employment Agreement (PKL) by the Harbour Master
- Crew sign-on and sign-off, and the crew list (Sijil Awak Kapal)
- Coordination of seafarer medical certificates from approved hospitals or clinics
Crew Documentation Requirements
- Identity documents: national ID card (KTP) and birth certificate
- Seafarer data registered in the online seafarer document system of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation
- Certificates of Competency and/or Proficiency relevant to the document applied for
- Medical certificate from an approved hospital or clinic
- Proof of sea service and updating course certificates (for CoC revalidation)
- Vessel data and each crew member’s rank on board (for the PKL and sign-on)
Crew Documentation: Process and Timeline
- Crew document audit: type, number and validity of every document per person
- A list of gaps, plus a schedule for any training or updating courses required
- Application for issuance or revalidation of the Seafarer Book, CoC and CoP through the online system
- Drafting the PKL and having it endorsed at the Harbour Master’s office
- Crew sign-on or sign-off and crew list update
- Handover of documents and logging of the next expiry dates
Estimated Time
Estimate: a Seafarer Book is issued relatively quickly when the requirements are complete and the medical certificate is still valid. CoC and CoP revalidation takes longer, as it depends on updating or refresher course schedules at training institutions and on proof of sea service under STCW. PKL endorsement and sign-on are usually handled together with the vessel’s departure preparations. It is best to check crew documents as soon as contracts or crew changes are being planned.
What Makes Up the Cost of Crew Documentation
Crew document costs have several separate parts. PNBP for issuing seafarer documents is paid to the state treasury at the applicable official rates. Training, updating courses and medical examinations are paid to the training institutions and health facilities concerned. The Nautinix service fee covers the document audit, file preparation, submission and follow-up until the documents are issued; we itemise it in our quotation.
What Affects the Cost
- Number of crew and types of documents
- Training or updating courses needed before revalidation
- Completeness of sea service records and supporting documents
- Crew location and the issuing office or Harbour Master involved
- Urgency, for example crew who must join a ship soon
Common Problems with Crew Documentation
- CoC (ANT/ATT) expired and requires revalidation
- Crew Employment Agreement (PKL) invalid because not endorsed by Syahbandar
- Incomplete crew documents causing SPB rejection
How Nautinix Helps
We assist with issuance and revalidation of Seafarer Book, CoC (ANKAPIN/ATKAPIN for fishing vessels; ANT/ATT for commercial vessels), CoP, Crew List, PKL, and coordinate Health Certificates from designated institutions.
Why Handle Crew Documentation with Nautinix?
- One audit list for the whole crew, showing Seafarer Book, CoC, CoP and medical certificate validity for each person
- Certificates checked against each rank on board and the ship’s minimum safe manning document, so the Harbour Master’s inspection raises no findings
- Revalidation timed around updating and refresher course schedules, so crew are not forced to sign off at short notice
- Properly endorsed PKLs and sign-on records, so crew documents never delay port clearance
Crew Documentation FAQ
When does a Seafarer Book need to be renewed?
The expiry date is printed in the Seafarer Book and should be tracked, because an expired book can block sign-on when a seafarer is about to join a ship. Renewal is filed through the online Seafarer Book system of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation, attaching the old book and the required supporting documents. We log the expiry date and file the renewal before the next crew change.
My CoC has expired. How do I revalidate it?
Under STCW 1978 and its 2010 Manila Amendments, CoC holders must prove continued medical fitness and professional competence at intervals not exceeding five years. In practice, revalidation requires enough sea service or an updating course, a valid medical certificate and valid CoPs. We check your sea service, schedule any training needed and file the revalidation.
What is the difference between a CoC and a CoP?
A CoC (Certificate of Competency) proves competence for a specific rank such as master, deck officer or engineer, with ANT/ATT levels for merchant ships and ANKAPIN/ATKAPIN for fishing vessels. A CoP (Certificate of Proficiency) proves specific skills every crew member must have, such as Basic Safety Training, Advanced Fire Fighting, Survival Craft and Rescue Boats, and Medical First Aid. Most seafarers need both.
Why must the PKL be endorsed by the Harbour Master?
The Sea Employment Agreement (PKL) sets out the rights and obligations of the seafarer and the shipowner or operator, including wages, working hours and repatriation. It is endorsed by the Harbour Master at crew sign-on, so the employment relationship is officially recorded. An unendorsed PKL can become a finding during document checks and delay port clearance. We draft it and handle the endorsement.
What is the Sijil, and what does signing on involve?
The Sijil is the crew list endorsed by the Harbour Master, showing the name, rank and documents of each crew member on board. Signing on or off is the official recording of a seafarer joining or leaving the ship, including an entry in the Seafarer Book. A crew list that does not match the actual crew or the ship’s minimum safe manning document can delay port clearance.
How long is a seafarer medical certificate valid?
Under STCW, a seafarer medical certificate is valid for a maximum of two years, or one year for seafarers under 18. The examination is carried out at an approved hospital or clinic. A valid medical certificate is also required for Seafarer Book issuance and CoC revalidation, so we align the examination with your other document applications.
Can you handle documents for an entire fleet’s crew at once?
Yes. For shipping and fishing companies, we build a document list for every crew member per vessel, with due dates for Seafarer Books, CoCs, CoPs and medical certificates. From that list we prioritise the most urgent documents, schedule training, and handle issuance and endorsement in stages so that crew rotations and departures are not disrupted.
Legal Basis
The main regulations this service refers to. Check the official legal databases (JDIH) for the latest amendments.
- Law No. 17 of 2008 on Shipping (as amended)
- Government Regulation No. 7 of 2000 on Seafarers
- Minister of Transportation Regulation PM 70 of 2013 on Seafarer Education and Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (amended by PM 140 of 2016)
- Law No. 15 of 2016 on Ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006
- STCW Convention 1978, as amended, including the 2010 Manila Amendments (IMO)
Information is general. Actual document requirements depend on vessel type, GT, operating area, and current regulations.
Related Services
- SPB & Departure DocumentsProcessing Surat Persetujuan Berlayar (SPB/Port Clearance) via the Inaportnet system for commercial vessels and TemanSPB for fishing vessels — required each time a vessel departs.
- Commercial Vessel PermitsProcessing SIUPAL (Shipping Company Business License) and shipping business permits via the OSS-RBA system — a primary requirement for any commercial shipping company.
- Fishing Vessel PermitsProcessing SIUP, SIPI, SIKPI, E-BKP, SKKP and SLO — the mandatory operating documents for fishing and fish carrier vessels under KKP jurisdiction.
- Document Monitoring & RenewalActive monitoring of all your vessel document validity periods and renewal processing before expiry.
Need Help With These Documents?
Free consultation — we audit your vessel's document needs and handle everything to completion.
Free Consultation via WhatsApp