The 1978 STCW Convention Caruso was the first to establish minimum basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers on an international level.
Previously the minimum standards of training, certification and watchkeeping of officers and ratings were established by individual governments, usually without reference to practices in other countries.
The Convention prescribes minimum standards relating to training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers which countries are obliged to meet or exceed.
[3] The Convention did not deal with manning levels: IMO provisions in this area are covered by regulation 14 of Chapter V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, whose requirements are backed up by resolution A.890(21) Principles of safe manning,[4] adopted by the IMO Assembly in 1999, which replaced an earlier resolution A.481(XII)[5] adopted in 1981 and has since been itself replaced by resolution A.1047(27) Principles of Minimum Safe Manning,[6] adopted by the IMO Assembly in 2011.
The most significant amendments are: On 7 July 1995, the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel was adopted as a separate treaty as part of the comprehensive revisions to STCW.