The statistical review presented in this report is based on data extracted from certificates and endorsements registered by EU Member States until 31 December 2018 and recorded in the STCW Information System. It represents a snapshot of the European labour market in terms of the number of seafarers holding valid certificates and endorsements in 2018.

The main beneficiaries of this fifth statistical review are the EU Member States, EFTA countries and the European Commission for policy-making purposes. Ship owners, ship operators, crew managers and ship managers may continue to derive added value in terms of knowing the magnitude of manpower available in the EU to crew their vessels. The information provided in this review is also intended to be useful to maritime education and training institutions in the EU and elsewhere and could facilitate estimating market needs for their services. Researchers may also be interested on some of the statistical outputs, as well as seafarers and the organisations that represent them.